Herbert Mason

Samuel George Herbert Mason (1891 – 20 May 1960) was a British film director, producer, stage actor, army officer, presenter of some revues, stage manager, stage director, choreographer, production manager and playwright. He was a recipient of the Military Cross He received the gallantry award for his part in the Battle of Guillemont where British troops defeated the Germans to take the German stronghold of Guillemont.

Mason began his theatrical career at the age of 16 and appeared in several productions at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre including Barry Jackson's The Christmas Party. During the 1920s, he stage managed some of the largest shows in London,

Several rising actors and actresses, including Vivien Leigh, made their film debuts in some of his films before they rose to prominence. He worked for several studios and production companies, including Gaumont British, and humour. Some of his films are remembered for introducing rising actors and actresses to the screen before they became famous.

Early life Samuel George Herbert Mason was born in 1891, in Moseley, Birmingham, the third of four children of Samuel George Mason (a brass founder at Samuel Mason Ltd) and Amy Mason (née Collins), and was a nephew by marriage of the famous Shakespearean actress Ellen Terry. His grandfather Samuel Mason was also a Brass Founder. The firm was originally called Mason and Lawley – makers of balance cocks for clock movement. It was later renamed Samuel Mason Ltd, specialising in bar equipment. Mason was educated at Solihull Grammar School and left aged 14. He was apprenticed in the family brass foundry prior to beginning his career as an actor in about 1907. He was a stage manager at the Palace Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre (up to 1914), where he appeared in The Critic and The Christmas Party. Both the plays also starred Felix Aylmer and Frank Clewlow.

During the World War I, Mason was an officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment from 1914, and then in the Machine Gun Corps. He joined the army about two months after marrying a chorus girl Daisy Fisher. He rose to the rank of major and was awarded the Military Cross The report written on 7 September 1916 (from the Public Record Office and the National Archives in Kew) is Mason's description of the battle. The 59th machine gun company had 16 machine guns and about 170 men. About half the men died in the battle.

While his unit was waiting in line, he occupied himself doing a self-portrait using oil paints which, presumably, were left in the trench by a French officer. Mason served in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment with the brother of Michael Balcon. Balcon was to work with Mason as producer on The First Offence, I was a Spy and Take My Tip. Mason also served in the Machine Gun Corps with Clive Brook, who later became an actor and a friend. Mason spent the whole four years in the Western Front, and was awarded the Mons Star, the medal for those who participated on the conflict from the beginning.

Career

Stage career in London (1918–27) Mason resumed his career in the Theatre after the war. In the 1920s, he stage directed and stage managed many stage revues and Puppets! In 1921–22 Mason staged managed and starred in Pot Luck! with Beatrice Lillie, Herbert Mundin who is best known for his role as Much the Miller's Son in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). Mason also staged managed London Calling! a musical revue, which Fred Astaire assisted with the choreography. The play is famous for being Noël Coward's first publicly produced musical work. In 1924 Mason staged and choreographed The Punch Bowl, which starred Fisher and Eric Coates. In 1925, the play was later transferred to His Majesty's Theatre, London and Vaudeville Theatre. During the performance at Vaudeville Theatre he was one of the proprietors. After the production, the theatre was closed on 7 November 1925 and reconstructed. Mason choreographed Vaudeville Vanities, which was performed at the Vaudeville Theatre from 1926 to 1927 and went on tour at the Royal Theatre, Rochdale in 1929. In 1927 he presented, produced and starred (as Shipwright) in Daisy Fisher and Harold Simpson's The Cave Man.

Film career (1928–45) Mason, George Arliss (middle) and Maude T. Howell (right) on the set of His Lordship in 1936

In 1928, with the arrival of sound, Mason began to make his mark in the film industry by presenting stage shows for the Gaumont – British cinema circuit. Although it was very successful at the box office, Balcon was devastated he watched the completed film, but Mason reassured him that it was his "best to date." The film starred Herbert Marshall, who had previously had a role in Daisy Fisher's comedy Lavender Ladies. A few decades later, I was a Spy was shown at the National Film Theatre, London. The following year, Mason worked with Saville on Evergreen as a unit manager.

In 1936, he made his first film as director, The First Offence (Bad Blood), a spy thriller in which he directed the young John Mills. He also directed the famous actor George Arliss just before Arliss retired from the stage. Dr Mitchell refused to allow Mason to direct Doctor Syn because Fisher had German measles, so Roy Neill replaced Mason.

In 1939, Mason directed The Silent Battle, a thriller set on the Orient Express. The film starred Rex Harrison and was the film debut of Megs Jenkins, who had a small role. She later had roles in It's in the Bag and John and Julie.

Mason changed his pace from perky musicals to dark drama with A Window in London (Lady in Distress) about a man who believes he has witnessed a murder from a passing train. That view is shared with John Howard Reid, who mentions in his book that it "is also highly successful in delivering both laughs and thrills".

Additionally, Michael Hodgson mentions in his book that "A Window in London was a dark and disturbing remake of Maurice Cam's French circular drama Metropolitain." The film was successful and described as "one of the best films of Ireland ever made." Felix Aylmer also appeared in Dr. O'Dowd, The Briggs Family and Once a Crook.

Mason, like Basil Rathbone and many others, offered his service in the war but was turned down because he was too old. However, he was awarded a medal for his services as a member of the Home Guard. Despite moving into film-making, Mason continued to work in the theatre on some occasions. In 1940, Mason presented Peril at End House, which was written by Arnold Ridley and performed at the Vaudeville Theatre. It was an adaptation of the book by Agatha Christie and was Isabel Dean's London debut. Two years later, he produced The Big Top, by Herbert Farjeon, which starred Beatrice Lillie, with whom Mason had previously appeared on stage.

During the war, while shooting the film A Yank in the RAF, a "British camera team [consisting of] (Ronald Neame, Jack Whitehead and Otto Kanturek [worked] under the direction of Mason to take footage of Spitfires being rearmed." With complete co-operation from the RAF, as well as extensive use of stock RAF footage, the studio was allowed to film actual battles shot by a camera equipped aircraft, an old Avro Anson, which was large enough to carry the camera team, although Mason did not fly with them. He was credited as Maj. Herbert Mason, the reason probably being that it would make the film more appealing to a wartime audience, since the film was about military service and was made by people who understood the forces.

Mason directed and produced the musical comedy Flight from Folly, which was his last directorial credit. It was also the last film made at Warner's Teddington Studios before it was bombed in 1944 a few years before it was sold to the Central School of Speech and Drama. It was a comedy about a wife who tries to win back her philandering husband by taking a lover. The play starred Charles Goldner as the husband, Sonia Dresdel and William Mervyn. When it opened it did very well but then one reviewer came to the play drunk. He wrote an unpleasant review and it folded up after only three weeks. Three years later Mason and Fisher worked together on 'an eternal triangle Thriller Dangerous Woman''' which was shown at Wimbledon Theatre. The play starred Thora Hird; the following year she had a role in Time Gentlemen Please! and later Background, both produced by Mason. Fisher also wrote the story for Things Are Looking Up, which Mason worked on as an Associate Producer. Vivien Leigh who is best known for her leading role in Gone with the Wind made her film debut in an uncredited role as a schoolgirl. Thirteen years later she appeared in Anna Karenina, which Mason also worked on as an associate producer.

Mason was with MGM and Fox British and produced several films with John Grierson's Group 3 Films at Southall Studios including Background (U.S Edge of Divorce) and Child's Play during the 50s. John and Julie a comedy produced by Mason in 1955 (two years after the Coronation) was about two children wanting to go to see the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. It is a moving snapshot of a war-weary country coming alive – an unrecognised classic and undiscovered sociological resource. He produced his last film – The Blue Peter, which was later retitled Navy Heroes, which was released in November 1955 (UK) and December 1957 (USA). The film is about youth seamanship at the original Outward Bound in Aberdyfi, Wales, a programme similar to Sea Scouting or Sea Cadets.

On 20 May 1960, Herbert Mason died in London at the age of 69.

Personal life and family Mason was known to his friends as 'Werb.' However the firm competed with a rival firm Gaskell & Chambers until it faced bankruptcy in 1910. Gaskell and Chambers then purchased Mason's bar fitting trade however Harry Mason (Samuel Mason's son) who had been running Samuel Mason Ltd, restarted it under the name of Harry Mason Ltd from about 1910. It can be assumed that Harry Mason took over Samuel Mason Ltd after his nephew left to begin his career in the theatre. Today Harry Mason Ltd specialises in cellar equipment and beer.

In 1914, before the outbreak of the First World War, Mason married Daisy Fisher, a chorus girl, actress, lyricist and singer, who also had a background in theatre and became a novelist and playwright.

Mason was a keen fisherman and very interested in birds. He was a good artist, and once did a self-portrait of himself as a clown during the First World War. He dressed very stylishly, getting many of his clothes from Hawes & Curtis. Through Billy Cotton, the band leader (a friend of his who was also an amateur racing driver), he took an active interest in cars and car racing. he was intrigued by any new mechanical device.

Legacy Currently Dr. O'Dowd, It's in the Bag and Flight from Folly are three of the BFI 75 Most Wanted Films (list of 75 most sought – after British Future films not currently held in the BFI National Archive). In May 2014 It's in the Bag was given a DVD commercial release by Renown Pictures Ltd however this version is 17 minutes shorter than the original version. In 2015, for the first time in 75 years, A Window in London was made available for viewing to a wider audience. It is included on Britain on Film via the BFI Player.

Filmography

Stage

Stage appearances

Year Title Role Director Playwright(s) Theatre 1913–14 The Critic Richard Brinsley Sheridan Birmingham Repertory Theatre 1914 The Christmas Party Barry Jackson Birmingham Repertory Theatre 1921 Pot Luck! Ronald Jeans Vaudeville Theatre, London 1927 The Cave Man Shipwright Daisy Fisher and Harold Simpson Theatre Royal (first performance) and Savoy Theatre, London

Theatre

Year Title Theatre(s) Stage manager Stage director Producer Other Notes 1912 The Follies Apollo 1920 The Shop Girl Gaiety Theatre, London 1921 Fun of the Fayre London Pavilion Pot Luck! Vaudeville Theatre, London 1922 London Calling! Duke of York's Theatre, London Snap Vaudeville Theatre, London 1923 Rats Vaudeville Theatre, London Yes! Vaudeville Theatre, London 1924 Puppets Vaudeville Theatre, London Our Cabaret Victoria Palace Theatre, London Presenter 1924–25 The Punch Bowl Duke of York's Theatre, His Majesty's Theatre, London and Vaudeville Theatre, London Choreographer and proprietor 1924–25 Charlot's Revue Prince of Wales Theatre, London 1925 Bubbly! Duke of York's Theatre, London Choreographer 1925–26 Still Dancing London Pavilion Assistant producer 1926–27 Yvonne Dalys Theatre, London 1926–27 Vaudeville Vanities The Comedy Theatre, London 1948 Lend Me Robin Embassy Theatre, London Playwright (with Daisy Fisher) 1951 Dangerous Woman Wimbledon Theatre, London Playwright (with Daisy Fisher)