Elsa Chauvel
| Elsa Chauvel | |
|---|---|
Elsa Chauvel in 1940
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| Born |
Elsie May Wilcox 10 February 1898 Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia |
| Died | 22 August 1983 (aged 85) Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation | Film producer, screenwriter, actress |
| Spouse(s) | Charles Chauvel (1927–59) (his death) |
Elsa Chauvel, OBE (née Elsie May Wilcox; 10 February 1898 – 22 August 1983) was an Australian filmmaker and actress, and the wife and collaborator of film director Charles Chauvel.
Elsa Chauvel was born Elsie May Wilcox in Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia on 10 February 1898. Her parents were Irish actor Edward Wilcox, also known by his stage name Edward Sylvaney, and Australian Ada Worrill. Elsa had an elder brother named Kyrle. In her early years, Elsa was often involved in her parents' theatrical performances, often under the name Elsie Sylvaney. While still a child, Elsa and her family travelled to South Africa, where they formed a travelling troupe. Elsa and Kyrle typically portrayed children onstage, but also used makeup to play adults when necessary. When the success of the family's shows waned, they returned to Cape Town, where, in 1909, youngest sibling Terry was born. Following World War One, in which Kyrle fought, the family travelled to Johannesburg. Here, Elsa performed in chorus lines, and later appeared in such plays as The Thirteenth Chair, A Royal Divorce, and Sign of the Cross. Following a successful stage tour in Basutoland, the family returned to Australia in 1924.
Elsa first met her future-husband Charles Chauvel in 1926, following a performance of the musical Crackers at the Cremorne Theatre in Brisbane, Queensland. Charles, a film director, was scouting for a leading lady for his second film, Greenhide. Though initially reluctant to audition for the part, she was persuaded by Charles to give a screentest, and was cast in the role. Charles and Elsa were married on 5 June 1927, at St James Church, Sydney, the ceremony officiated by Charles' brother, the Reverend John Chauvel. Following her marriage, Elsa performed on stage only occasionally, such as her 1929 season in San Francisco with Conway Tearle.
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