Ivor Novello…Another Genius

 

 

I think I've stopped making news whenever I'm about to inform you of another talented mastermind from the olden times, but long story short, there is an enormous amount of them. I don't think I'll ever be able to cover all of them, but since that is one of my goals, here we are... To those of you who are interested in the silent era or British theatre, Ivor Novello needs no introduction. His contributions, on the other hand, make it worthwhile. Just think of him as the Andrew Lloyd Webber of his time. 

 

Ivor Novello was born David Ivor Davies on January 15, 1893, in Cardiff, Whales to David Davies and Clara Novello Davies. One of the most eminent things about his family was that he grew up in a musical family. After all, his mother was a singer so it was only anticipated that he would want to have something to do with that field. His mother was a voice teacher in London and taught him to sing at a young age. As a boy, he even got the chance to sing with some pretty important people like Adelina Patti and Clara Butt. Other than growing up in a musical family, he showed great interest in music at a young age. When he was 15, he left school and taught piano lessons. He later moved to London with his mom and pursued composing.   

 

In 1914 he wrote the popular WWI song, Keep The Home Fires Burning. I'll admit, for the longest time I never knew he was a composer apart from being an actor. I bet you can imagine how surprised I was. I mean, how awesome is that?! To this day, Keep The Home Fires Burning is considered the finest of his work (as far as songwriting). Other popular songs he wrote are Fold Your Wings, Shine Through My Dreams, I Can Give You The Starlight, etc.  

Other than music, Ivor had a fascination for the theatre as well and oh, I guess the performing arts in general. Being the talented man he was, he not only turned to acting but also writing plays. Though he was particularly more inclined to the dramatic side of the theatre, he wrote a few successful comedies too. 

 

"Theatre – good, bad and indifferent – is the love of his life. For him, other human endeavors are mere shadows. ... The reward of his work lies in the indisputable fact that whenever and wherever he appears the vast majority of the British public flock to see him." -- Noel Coward

Ivor had his first stage success in 1916 with Theodore & Co, which he composed scores for with Jerome Kern. Due to his striking good looks, he earned the status of a romantic lead in his first film The Call of Blood (1920). Some of his most renowned films include The Lodger (1927), Downhill (1927), The Rat (1925), and The White Rose (1923). During the late 1920s, he was the most popular male British film star, and was often dubbed "handsomest screen actor." 

 

In the 1930s, he decided that Hollywood was no longer for him so he turned back to the London theatre and wrote more plays. For the rest of his life, he would be recognized as one of the dominant figures in British theatre. In 1947, he helped establish the Songwriters' Guild -- later known as the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors, and ultimately, The Ivors Academy.

 

Ivor never married or had children, but he had a 35-year relationship with writer Bobbie Andrews from 1917 until his death. While it's been rumored that he was part of a famous gay circle in Britain with photographer Cecil Beaton and the famed Noel Coward -- who was one of his good friends -- I'm not one to buy into such wild foregone conclusions. Although, Noel Coward is quoted as saying Ivor's profile and his mind were the two most beautiful things in the world...maybe they were a little more than just friends.

On March 6, 1951, Ivor passed away from a heart attack in London with his partner Bobbie Andrews by his side. Other sources say he died from coronary thrombosis, but all that we can confirm for sure is that it was a sudden death. It is also likely his health had been precarious for some time. His funeral service was broadcast live and over 10,000 fans crowded the London streets to say goodbye.  

 

Ivor in The Lodger (1927)

After his death, the Ivor Novello Awards for Songwriting were established in 1955 in honor of him. A bust of him was placed in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and other memorial dedications were installed in the UK. To this day, his legacy is continuously being celebrated in Britain by The Ivor Novello Appreciation Bureau, which holds annual events every year. The home he used to reside in in Littlewick Green (now named Redroofs) is being used as a theatre training school. I think it's great that he has many devotees who care about his legacy. Many other preeminent figures don't have that.