Noel Coward

Actor, composer, and playwright Noel Coward was born on December 16, 1899, in Teddington, Middlesex, England. Coward began acting at an early age, and studied at the Italia Conti Academy stage school. He made his professional stage debut at age twelve, starring in the children’s play The Goldfish. By age fourteen, Coward was living with high society painter, Philip Streatfeild, who introduced him to other members of the social elite. Coward was also a protégé to Victorian actor and comedian, Sir Charles Hawtrey who taught him comedic acting and playwriting techniques.

At age twenty, Coward starred in one of his first full-length plays, Under the Sun, followed four years later in 1924 by the controversial piece The Vortex, which featured taboo references to drug abuse and homosexuality. Coward’s critically-acclaimed performance in The Vortex led to international recognition, and he followed up with three more hit performances in Hay Fever and Fallen Angels, both in 1925, and Easy Virtue in 1926.

At the peak of his career and the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Coward began writing and performing for the troops on a series of highly-publicized tours. Along with HG Wells, Coward was on The Black Book, possibly due to his homosexuality, and would have been arrested if Germany had invaded Britain. At this time, Coward was also recruited by the British Secret Service MI5 to assist with intelligence work. However, this was unbeknownst to the people who often criticized Coward for appearing to live an opulent lifestyle in contrast to the troops. Coward’s friend and painting companion Winston Churchill suggested that Coward make a naval film drama, which resulted in Coward writing, starring in, and composing music for the Oscar-winning film In Which We Serve.

Coward's popularity as a playwright waned in the 50s, however he continued with West End plays and musicals as well as performing in a solo cabaret act in Las Vegas and starring in the film The Italian Job in 1969. Coward also left the U.K. for the Caribbean during the 50s due to tax reasons. He first lived in Bermuda and then settled in Jamaica, where he stayed for his remaining years. Coward eventually retired from theater when be began suffering from severe arthritis and memory loss. He was knighted in 1970, and died in Jamaica three years later of natural causes at age seventy-three.

In addition to acting, Coward was also a prolific songwriter, and released recordings under HMV, including the songs I'll See You Again and Dear Little Café. Coward also wrote comic revues, poetry, short stories, a novel (Pomp and Circumstance), and published several personal diaries, letters, and reproductions of his paintings.

Coward was involved in a thirty-year relationship with stage and film actor Graham Payn, who later edited Coward’s collection of diaries published in 1982. Coward declined to publicly confirm his homosexuality, once stating, "There is still a woman in Paddington Square who wants to marry me, and I don't want to disappoint her."

YUDDY