FAY COMPTON - AUTOGRAPH CO-SIGNED BY: RONALD WARD, FRANCES DILLON, GERALD LAWRENCE, ROLAND CULVER - HFSID 156354

FAY COMPTON, ROLAND CULVER, RONALD WARD, GERALD LAWRENCE and FRANCES DILLON
Five signatures of early British stage and screen actors and actresses.
Signatures: "Fay Compton", "Roland Culver" and "Very best wishes/Ronald Ward" on front and, on verso, "With all good wishes/Yours very truly/Gerald Lawrence/1910." and "Sincerely yours/Frances Dillon./1911". London-born stage, screen and television actress FAY COMPTON (1894-1978), born Virginia Lilian Emmeline Mackenzie Compton, made her film debut in 1914 (She Stoops to Conquer), and she would go on to appear in some fifty films through 1970 (The Virgin and the Gypsy). Her credits include The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots (1923), Robinson Crusoe (1927), Waltzes from Vienna (1934), Nicholas Nickleby (1947), Doublecross (1956) and The Haunting (1963), and Compton also appeared on TV series, made-for-TV movies and in the popular 1967 miniseries, The Forsyte Saga. The daughter of stage actors Edward Compton and Virginia Bateman, Compton was the sister of actress Viola Compton and novelist Sir Compton MacKenzie and the mother of director/writer Anthony Pelissier (her son with her fourth husband, H.G. Pelissier). English actor ROLAND CULVER (1900-1984) appeared in films for over 50 years, usually in supporting roles. His film credits also include The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), Dead of Night (1945) and The Magic Box (1951). British actor ROLAND WARD (1901-1978) made his film debut in 1931 in Alibi. He would go on to appear in over two dozen films, including The Man Behind the Mask (1936), Stardust (1937), Sidewalks of London (1938), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), We'll Meet Again (1943), Carnival (1946), The Second Mrs. Tanqueray (1952) and Lost (1956, his last film). Ward was the father of actor Theo Ward. British actor GERALD LAWRENCE (1873-1957) appeared in films from 1899 (King John) to 1934 (The Iron Duke). His other film credits include The Harbour Lights (1914), The Grand Babylon Hotel (1916), The Fall of a Saint (1920) and The Glorious Adventure (1922). Worthy of further research. Lightly creased, touching some signatures. Slightly soiled, shaded at blank left margin of Compton's side. Pencil notes (unknown hand) to right of Compton's and Culver's signatures. Irregular right edge from removal from bound book. Overall, fine condition.