Robert Michaelis

Born in 1878, according to different sources in Saint PetersburgKurt Gänzl, The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre (Schirmer, 2001), p. 994: "MICHAELIS, Robert [Armand Rene] (b ?St Petersburg, 22 December 1878; d Bristol, 29 August 1965)...." or Paris, Michaelis was the son of Guilllaume Paul Hermann Michaelis and Marie Leonie Heloise Michaelis. His mother was French, and his father was born a German but naturalized as French.Reginald McKenna, Secretary of State, Certificate no. 25480 "Robert Michaelis" dated 7 September 1914 in U.K. Naturalisation Certificates and Declarations 1870–1916 (National Archives) He was educated in London and Paris and trained as a singer in Vienna with Felice Bottelli.Derek B. Scott, German Operetta on Broadway and in the West End, 1900–1940 (2019), [https://books.google.com/books?id=NzGdDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA144 p. 144]

At the time of the 1901 census, Michaelis was living in Latchmere, Battersea, with his parents, Herman Michaelis, a schoolmaster, aged fifty, and Marie, aged 45, and his occupation was stated as actor.UK census 1901, Latchmere Ward of Battersea, p. 12

An early appearance in musical theatre came in 1907, when Michaelis sang in Gustave Kerker's The White Hen at the Casino Theatre, New York, in a run lasting three months.The Best Plays of 1899–1909 (Dodd, Mead, 1944), p. 534 In 1908, he took over the part of Prince Danilo in The Merry Widow for the last four months of its run at Daly's Theatre,Walter MacQueen-Pope, David Leslie Murray, Fortune's favourite: the life and times of Franz Lehár (Hutchinson, 1953), p. 137 then was cast as Freddy Fairfax in The Dollar Princess (1909), becoming a favourite at Daly's, and playing a leading role in The Marriage Market (1911). In 1912, he sang the title role in an English production of Franz Lehár's operetta The Count of Luxembourg,W. J. MacQueen-Pope, Shirtfronts and sables: a story of the days when money could be spent (Hale, 1953), p. 59 as one of the five principals, together with Phyllis Le Grand, Eric Thorne, Lauri de Frece, and Daisy Burrell, who were collectively described by the Musical News as "all consummate artists in their own style".Musical News and Herald, vol. 42 (1912), p. 194

Soon after the beginning of the First World War, Michaelis, then living at 8 Eton Villas, South Hampstead, was naturalized as a British subject, declaring the names of his parents and his place of birth as Paris.

In 1920, Michaelis appeared in the silent film The Little Welsh Girl,Denis Gifford, British Film Catalogue, Volume 1 (2016), p. 256 then for more than a year, from 1920 to 1921, he sang the part of Beaudon in a London production of Irene at the Empire Theatre which had a run of 399 performances.

When he was granted probate on his mother's estate in 1933, Michaelis was described as a "manager".

In October 1939, Michaelis was living at Wychwood, Tickenham, Somerset, and soon after the outbreak of the Second World War was registered as an air raid warden and retired actor.National Registration Transcript Book, Long Ashton Rural dated 4 October 1939 (National Archives, ref. 314/5 WPRF), p. 14: "Michaelis Robert / M / 22 Dec 78 / M / Actor retired / Air Raid Warden ; Michaelis Phyllis / F / 25 Nov 87 / M / Actress retired / First Aid St John Ambulance; PARSONS Rosemary / F / 26 Mar 14 / S / Radiographer S. R. N."

In his Nights of Gladness (1956), English theatre historian Walter MacQueen-Pope, known as "Popie", called Michaelis "one of the very best performers Daly's ever had".Walter MacQueen-Pope, Nights of Gladness (1956), p. 192

Michaelis's father, Herman Michaelis, died at St Pancras in 1912."Michaelis Herman 61" in Register of Deaths for Pancras Registration District, vol. 1b (1912), p. 24

In 1913, at Hampstead, Michaelis married Phyllis Le Grand,"Michaelis Robert A R and Le Grand Phyllys M" in Register of Marriages for Hampstead Registration District, vol. 1a (1913), p. 1298 the actress with whom he had starred in The Count of Luxembourg the year before. Their daughter Rosemary Evelyn Helene was born in March 1914."Michaelis Rosemary E H / Le Grand" in Register of Births for Hampstead Registration District, vol. 1a (1914), p. 1074

She later became a nurse and radiographer. Michaelis's mother, Marie, died in 1933, aged 78. Her address was 8, Eton Villas, South Hampstead, and she left an estate valued at £2,293."Michaelis Marie" in Probate Calendar for 1933 at probatesearch.service.gov.ukEngland & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: "Marie Michaelis, 78" Registration district: Hampstead, Volume: 1a (1933), p. 531

In 1940, Rosemary Michaelis married John A. Parsons in Somerset."Michaelis Rosemary E H & Parsons John A" in Register of Marriages for Weston Registration District vol. 5c (1940), p. 1609 Three grandchildren were born between 1943 and 1949."Parsons Prunella R / Michaelis" in Register of Births for Bristol Registration District, vol. 6a (1943), p. 68; "Parsons William M / Michaelis" in Register of Births for Bristol Registration District, vol. 7b (1946), p. 8; "Parsons Stephen J / Michaelis" in Register of Births for Weston Registration District, vol. 7c (1949), p. 411 Michaelis died on 29 August 1965 at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, when his address was given as "Summerlands Nailsea", and he left an estate valued for probate at £7,051.[https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Michaelis&yearOfDeath=1965&page=2#calendar MICHAELIS Robert Armand Renee] at probatesearch.service.gov.uk, accessed 20 July 2019"MICHAELIS ROBERT A R (86)" in Register of Deaths for Bristol Registration District, vol. 7B (1965), p. 42 His widow, Phyllis, survived him until 15 May 1981."MICHAELIS PHYLLIS MILDRED /ABOUT1888" in Register of Deaths for Weston Registration District, vol. 22 (1981), p. 1,174; "MICHAELIS, Phyllis Mildred... died 15 May 1981" in Probate Calendar for 1981 at probatesearch.service.gov.uk, accessed 29 July 2019

• The Little Welsh Girl (1920), as Rhys Bowen

File:Daly's Theatre and Leicester Square, London.jpg

• The White Hen (Casino Theatre, New York, 1907)
• The Merry Widow (Daly's Theatre, 1908), as Prince Danilo
• The Dollar Princess (Daly's Theatre, 1909), as Freddy Fairfax
• The Marriage Market (Daly's Theatre, 1911)
• The Count of Luxembourg (Daly's Theatre, 1912 production), as Count René of LuxembourgLionel Carson, ed., The Stage Year Book (1912), p. 185
• Gipsy Love (Daly's Theatre, 1912), as JozsiScott (2019), p. 304
• Irene (1920 London production at Empire Theatre) as J. P. Beaudon[http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_i/irene.htm Irene] at guidetomusicaltheatre.com, accessed 19 June 2019
• Orange Blossoms (Fulton Theatre, New York, 1922) as Baron Roger BelmontDan Dietz, The Complete Book of 1920s Broadway Musicals (2019), p. 122

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• {{IMDb name|id=nm0584272}}
• [http://www.calmview2.eu/BristolTheatreArchive/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=BTC19 Phyllis Le Grand and Robert Michaelis archive] at University of Bristol
• [https://footlightnotes.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/phyllis-le-grand-mrs-robert-michaelis-1888-1981/ Phyllis Le Grand and Hilda Antony in Autumn Manoeuvres, Adelphi Theatre, London, 1912] at footlightnotes.wordpress.com

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Category:1878 births

Category:1965 deaths

Category:French male stage actors

Category:Male actors from Paris

Category:Musicians from Paris

Category:French male musical theatre actors

Category:20th-century French male actors

Category:20th-century English male actors

Category:French emigrants to the United Kingdom