Faith Celli

Faith Celli (27 November 1888 – 16 December 1942), born Dorothy Faith Standing, was an English actress, particularly associated with the plays of J. M. Barrie and A. A. Milne. She had a 20-year career from 1907, after which she retired from the stage.

Life and career Celli was born in Kensington, London, on 27 November 1888, the daughter of the opera singer Francis Standing, known professionally as Frank Celli. She was educated in Belgium and at St Michael's College, St Albans. She was singled out from the students by J. M. Barrie, who cast her in her first professional appearance, playing Tootles in Peter Pan at the Duke of York's Theatre in December, 1907. In 1915 she married Lieutenant Reginald Phipps Lamb, with whom she had one son. The following year she appeared in another Milne play, The Great Broxoff at the St Martin's Theatre, with Edmund Gwenn, Mary Jerrold and Ian Hunter. This was followed by another Milne role, Angela in To Have the Honour (1924).

In 1926 she played Isabella Trench in Somerset Maugham's Caroline (1926), a role created by Marie Lohr, to whom Celli was quite favourably compared. After this she retired from the stage.

Lamb and Celli divorced in 1930 and the following year she married Colonel the Hon Arthur Murray, later the 3rd Viscount Elibank. There were no children of the marriage.

Celli died in Ascot, Berkshire, on 16 December 1942, aged 54, after a short illness.