Week 53: My ancestor was an actor

[Jill on the A272]

Week 53: My ancestor was an actor



This is an opportunity to showcase an actor from your family tree, you might want to offer a short biography and speak about their work eg
Name
Birth location/date
Family background
Where you've found them on the census
Their workplace/employer
Any tips on researching this occupation?

Trades and Occupations - Family Tree Forum

[Next week: Travelling showman]

[Jill on the A272]

Percy Maling was the grandson of Edwin Bent (of whom I have written on the Police occupation thread) and my relative Grace Ann Kershaw. He was born in Rawtenstall, Lancashire in 1896.

He acted under the name of Neville Warrender and first came to my attention via his WW1 military records which had an addition in 1932 when his records were requested by West Bromwich police in connection with the charge of abduction of a 17 year old girl, as proof of identity. He said the girl, Dora Rennie told him she would be 20 in December, they spent a night in Preston then lived as man and wife in Blackpool until he was arrested. (He had married in 1921).

An article in a Scottish newspaper from 1933 says he had played lead parts in Frank Fortescue's companies for 5 years, and had done seasons all round the country and had travelled abroad to Russia, Poland and central Europe (not found on any passenger lists yet though), and that golf an motoring were his hobbies.

On the 1939 register his wife Kathleen said she was a widow and was a boarding school matron, he was living in Gateshead with a divorced actress Gladys Irene Maud Haddleton, whom he was not married to but who was using his name at some point. If anyone can give me a reason why he was also known as Otto von Konigsmark I would be interested to know!

He married a second time in 1942 to Neena Marise Cariello, who acted under the name of Nina Harvey - he was acting with the Arcadia Players. The last acting review I have found is for Baron Hardup in panto at Nottingham in 1954. Neena married again in 1944 in her maiden name. Percy died in Greater Manchester in 1979. His first wife Kathleen died in Bournemouth in 1969 and her death was registered both as Maling and Warrender.