{{Short description|English-American actress (1875–1955)}} {{Infobox person | name = Edith Wynne Matthison | image = Edith Wynne Matthison 3.jpg | image_size = | caption = Photograph from ''The Burr McIntosh Monthly'', 1904 | birth_name = Edith Wynne Matthison | birth_date = {{birth date|1875|11|23}} | birth_place = Birmingham, England, UK | death_date = {{death date and age|1955|09|23|1875|11|23}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | occupation = Actress | years_active =1896–1924 | spouse = Charles Rann Kennedy (1898–1950; his death) }}
'''Edith Wynne Matthison''' (November 23, 1875 – September 23, 1955) was an Anglo-American stage actress who also appeared in two silent films.
==Early life== She was born on November 23, 1875, in England, the daughter of Kate Wynne Matthison and Henry Matthison. Her aunt was Welsh singer Sarah Edith Wynne.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qyk_AQAAMAAJ&q=Sarah+Edith+Wynne&pg=PA1001|title=Who's who in the Theatre|date=1922|publisher=Pitman|pages=1001|language=en}}</ref> Matthison was educated in King Edward's Grammar School and Midland Institute, England.
==Career== She began at age 21 to appear in musical comedy, later joining Ben Greet's company, playing leading parts in ''The Three Musketeers'' and ''Money''.<ref name="colliers">{{Cite Collier's|wstitle=Matthison, Edith Wynne}}</ref> Matthison specialized in Shakespeare and classic drama almost from the start of her career.<ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9902E5D91139E333A25750C1A9659C946196D6CF New York Times] "Electra As Edith Wynne Matthison Sees Her; Famous Heroine of Classic Times and Why She Is Popular To-day". (Sunday March 13, 1910)</ref> She was acting in the same play, ''The Merchant of Venice'', with Sir Henry Irving the night he died. Irving nearly died in Matthison's arms. She appeared in Greek and mystery plays, old English comedies, and modern plays. In the United States in 1904 she appeared in Goldsmith's ''She Stoops to Conquer''.<ref name="colliers" />
==Personal life== While at school, Matthison had a romantic relationship with fellow student and later celebrated poet Edna St. Vincent Millay.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Macdougall |first=Allan Ross |title=Letters of Edna St. Vincent Millay |publisher=Down East Books |year=1952 |isbn=0-89272-152-9 |location=Camden, Maine}}</ref>
Matthison married the playwright Charles Rann Kennedy in 1898, acted in many of his plays, and advised him during their development.<ref name="colliers" /><ref>{{Cite Americana|wstitle=Kennedy, Charles Rann}}</ref> A happy couple who enjoyed a long marriage of 50 years, they had no children. They both taught at Bennett Junior College in Millbrook, New York.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf4w1006h8/|title=Online Archive of California: Finding Aid for the Charles Rann Kennedy papers, 1887-1947|access-date=15 September 2011|publisher=oac.cdlib.org}}</ref>
At one time her niece, Gladys Edith Wynne, was married to the stage and silent film star Milton Sills.
==Death== Matthison died of a stroke in Los Angeles on September 23, 1955.<ref>[http://asp6new.alexanderstreet.com/atho/atho.detail.people.aspx?personcode=per0036171 Edith Wynne Matthison] page at ''North American Theatre Online''</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1915|| ''The Governor's Lady'' || || |- |1917|| ''National Red Cross Pageant'' || || Prologue, (final film role) |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} {{Portal|Biography}} *{{IMDb name|0560256}} *{{IBDB name}} *[https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/search/index?utf8=%E2%9C%93&keywords=edith+wynne+matthison Portraits of Matthison in the Digital Gallery], Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120303121627/http://vintagetheaterads.ecrater.com/search.php?keywords=edith+wynne+matthison&x=0&y=0 selected portraits of Edith Wynne Matthison](Wayback Machine) *[http://asp6new.alexanderstreet.com/atho/atho.detail.people.aspx?personcode=per0036171 Edith Wynne Matthison] at ''North American Theatre Online'' *{{Find a Grave|5271}} *[http://www.ebay.com/itm/1919-Press-Photo-Edith-Wynne-Matthison-Actress-/250863307283?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item3a689e4a13 Press Photo 1919]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Matthison, Edith Wynne}} Category:1875 births Category:1955 deaths Category:Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery Category:19th-century British actresses Category:20th-century British actresses Category:English emigrants to the United States Category:British stage actresses Category:Actresses from Birmingham, West Midlands