Nora Swinburne


Leonora Mary Johnson, known professionally as Nora Swinburne, was an English actress who appeared in many British films.

Early years

Swinburne was born in Bath, Somerset, the daughter of Henry Swinburne Johnson and his wife Leonora Tamar. She was educated at Rosholme College, Weston-super-Mare, and studied for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. As a member of Clive Currie's Young Players in 1914, she appeared at the Grand, Croydon, Court and Little Theatres, during that year.
In 1914, she attended an audition with the ballerina Phyllis Bedells and later Anna Pavlova who considered her too young, even if very talented, for the corps de ballet. Nora instead joined the Italia Conti school where she obtained her first real part as a child actress in Where the Rainbow Ends. She performed in the show in London and in all the big cities of Britain for eighteen shillings a week.
At the end of 1915 she gained a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. While still a student at the academy she appeared at the New Theatre on 11 April 1916 as the Wild Flowers in Paddly Pools; appeared at the Comedy Theatre, September 1916, as a dancer in the revue, This and That; and in October 1916 appeared in Samples at the Globe Theatre. She also appeared at the Globe in March 1917 as Gabrielle in Suzette. Other early roles included Lulu in Yes, Uncle! at the Prince of Wales Theatre in December 1917, and Regina Waterhouse at the Strand Theatre in December 1918.
At the Apollo Theatre in 1919 she played the title role in Tilly of Bloomsbury "for about six weeks", according to her personal notes in Who's Who in the Theatre, followed by the role of Roselle in The Betrothal at the Gaiety in January 1921, concluding the year with what she charmingly called "several cinema plays".

Stage career

Subsequent theatre roles included:

Filmography

Branded as Doris JerninghamSaved from the Sea as Nancy BrooksThe Fortune of Christina McNab as Christina McNabThe Autumn of Pride as Peggy NaylorAlone in the Jungle as Lydia GyldendalWee MacGregor's Sweetheart as Jessie MaryThe White Desert as KarinHornet's Nest as Lady RonaThe Unwanted as Joyce ManneringHis Grace Gives Notice as Cynthia BannockA Girl of London as Vee-VeeOne Colombo Night as Jean CaldicottAlf's Button as Lady Isobel FitzpeterCaste as Esther EcclesThese Charming People as Julia BerridgeA Man of Mayfair as Elaine BarclayPotiphar's Wife as Lady Diana BromfordA Voice Said Goodnight as Joan CreightonMr. Bill the Conqueror as Diana TrenchardWhite Face as Inez LandorPerfect Understanding as Lady Stephanie FitzmauriceToo Many Wives as Hilary WildelyThe Office Wife as AnneBoomerang as Elizabeth StaffordLend Me Your Husband as Virgie GreenJury's Evidence as Mary TrentThe Gay Adventure as Fay d'AllaryLonely Road as Lady AnneDinner at the Ritz as Lady RailtonThe Citadel as Mrs. ThorntonLily of Laguna as Gloria GreyIt Happened to One Man as Alice QuairThe Farmer's Wife as Araminta GreyThey Flew Alone as ATA CommandantThe Man in Grey as Mrs. FitzherbertDear Octopus as EdnaFanny by Gaslight as Mrs. HopwoodThey Knew Mr. Knight as Celia BlakeJassy as Mrs. HattonGood-Time Girl as Miss MillsThe Blind Goddess as Lady DearingQuartet as Mrs. Peregrine The Bad Lord Byron as Lady JerseyFools Rush In as Angela DicksonMarry Me! as Enid LawsonChristopher Columbus as Joanna de TorresLandfall as Admiral's WifeMy Daughter Joy as Ava ConstantinThe River as The MotherQuo Vadis as PomponiaBetrayed as "The Scarf's" MotherThe End of the Affair as Mrs. BertramHelen of Troy as HecubaThe Strange Awakening as Mrs. FriendThird Man on the Mountain as Frau MattConspiracy of Hearts as Sister TiaDecision at Midnight as MargaretA Man Could Get Killed as Lady Frazier Interlude as MaryAnne of the Thousand Days as Lady KingstonUp the Chastity Belt as Lady-in-Waiting

Television appearances

The Forsyte Saga as Aunt Hester ForsyteFall of Eagles as Katharina Schratt