St. John Greer Ervine, Irish author. Served as private later officer Royal Dublin Fusilers, World War I.; Member Society.
Background
He was born Dec. 28, 1883, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As a young man he moved to Dublin, where he became associated with the Abbey Theatre; in 1915 he became its manager. After the war he settled in London. Ervine's first three full-length plays, Mixed Marriage (1911), Jane Clegg (1912), and John Ferguson (1915), all tragedies, made his reputation. The First Mrs. Fraser (1928), Robert's Wife (1938), Private Enterprise (1948), and My Brother Tom (1952) are the most successful among his later plays. He also published novels; books about the theater and about politics; and biographies, including God's Soldier (1934), about William Booth, Craigavon, Ulsterman (1945), Oscar Wilde (1951), and Bernard Shaw: His Life, Work and Friends (1956). He died in London, England, on Jan. 24, 1971.
Education
Student Westbourne National School, Belfast, 1890-1897. Doctor of Laws, St. Andrew’s U. Doctor of Letters, Queen’s U., Belfast.
Career
Clerk insurance office, Belfast, 1897-1900, London, 1900-1912. Author plays, novels, from 1911. Author: (plays) The Magnanimous Lover, Mixed Marriage, Jane Clegg, John Ferguson, Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, Anthony and Anna, The Lade of Belmont, The First Mistress Fraser, People of Our Class, Robert’s Wife, Boyd’s Shop, Esperanza, Friends and Relations, Private Enterprise, My Brother Tom, Charles and Mary, Progress, Old George Comes to Tea, She was No Lady.
(books) Mistress Martin’s Man, 1911, Alice and a Family, Changing Winds, The Wayward Man, The First Mistress Fraser, Sophia, The Mountain and other Stories, If I were Dictator, Some Impressions of My Elders, A Journey to Jerusalem. The Organized Theatre, How to Write a Play, The Theatre in My Time. (biographies) Parnell, God’s Soldier, General William Booth.
Craigavon, Ulsterman, Bernard Shaw: His Life, Work and Friends. Oscar Wilde, A Present Time Appraisal. The Wonderful Visit.
Works
Other Work
Author plays, novels, from 1911. Author: (plays) The Magnanimous Lover, Mixed Marriage, Jane Clegg, John Ferguson, Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, Anthony and Anna, The Lade of Belmont, The First Mistress Fraser, People of Our Class, Robert’s Wife, Boyd’s Shop, Esperanza, Friends and Relations, Private Enterprise, My Brother Tom, Charles and Mary, Progress, Old George Comes to Tea, She was No Lady. (books) Mistress Martin’s Man, 1911, Alice and a Family, Changing Winds, The Wayward Man, The First Mistress Fraser, Sophia, The Mountain and other Stories, If I were Dictator, Some Impressions of My Elders, A Journey to Jerusalem.The Organized Theatre, How to Write a Play, The Theatre in My Time. (biographies) Parnell, God’s Soldier, General William Booth. Craigavon, Ulsterman, Bernard Shaw: His Life, Work and Friends.Oscar Wilde, A Present Time Appraisal. The Wonderful Visit. Served as private later officer Royal Dublin Fusilers, World War I. Authors (Britain, America).
Membership
Served as private later officer Royal Dublin Fusilers, World War I. Member Society.
