Terry, ELLEN (Mrs Charles Kelly), the leading English actress of the day, was born at
Coventry, on 27th February 1848. She made her first appearance on the stage when only eight years old, playing Mamilius in The Winter's Tale at the Princess's Theatre, under the management of Charles Kean. In 1858 she acted the part of Arthur in King John, and in 1863 made her debut as a regular performer, playing Gertrude in The Little Treasure at the Haymarket. From 1864 to 1874 she practically retired from the stage, her only notable appearances being at the Queen's Theatre for a few months in 1867. In 1875 she made a great success in Portia at the old Prince of Wales's Theatre, where she remained for some time under the Bancrofts, playing in Money, The Lady of Lyons, Masks and Faces, and Ours. In 1876 she joined the Court Theatre, where her most notable character was Olivia, in Mr Wills's play of that name. On 30th December 1878 she first appeared at the Lyceum in conjunction with Mr Irving (q.v.), with whose brilliant successes her name is inseparably connected. The distinctive feature of Miss Terry's acting is womanliness, and the grace of all her movements and attitudes, the expressiveness of her face, and the simple truth and directness of her speech give all her impersonations a singular charm. Among her best characters are Beatrice, Portia, Ophelia, Olivia, Margaret, Henrietta Maria, and Nance Oldfield.