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This renowned theatrical tragedienne will be eternally remembered, notably because George Bernard Shaw crafted his iconic play "Saint Joan" expressly for her. Her career, spanning over six decades, showcased a series of brilliant, masterful performances in both classic and contemporary roles across the globe, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, and both Western and Eastern Europe. She was honored as a Dame of the British Empire in 1931, midway through her career, and in 1970 was appointed Companion of Honour by Queen Elizabeth.
Born Agnes Sybil Thorndike on October 24, 1882, in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, she was the eldest of four children and daughter of a minor canon at Rochester Cathedral. One of her younger brothers, Frank, was killed in World War I, a loss that deeply affected her father, who passed away a few months later. Sybil initially pursued a career as a concert pianist, but nerve injuries in her hands shifted her path. Encouraged by her brother Russell Thorndike, she turned to acting; Russell would later become a novelist and her biographer.
Not conventionally beautiful, Dame Sybil possessed sharp features, prominent cheekbones, and a pronounced chin, giving her a somewhat severe appearance. At 21, she and her brother joined a touring company led by actor-manager Ben Greet. In 1907, she played Portia in "The Merchant of Venice" during a New York tour. The following year, while understudying the role of Candida in a tour directed by George Bernard Shaw himself, she met the playwright. During this tour, she also met and married actor Sir Lewis Casson, forming one of the most respected personal and professional partnerships in theatre. She was with The Old Vic for five years (1914–1919) and rose to stardom in 1924 as Shaw’s Joan of Arc.
Unlike her esteemed contemporary Edith Evans, Sybil’s film career did not reach great heights. Silent films captured some of her finest stage roles, including Lady Macbeth and Joan of Arc, but she never became a film star. In later years, she appeared occasionally in character roles, portraying queens, dowagers, and old crones with equal skill. Notable classic costume films include "Major Barbara" (1941), "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby" (1947), "Stage Fright" (1950), "The Wild Heart" (1950), "The Lady with a Lamp" (1951), "Melba" (1953) as Queen Victoria, and "The Prince and the Showgirl" (1957), where she notably held her own alongside Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe. In 1969, Sybil lent her name to a new theatre in Leatherhead, Surrey, called The Thorndike. At 87, she performed in the play "There Was An Old Woman" during its inaugural season, marking her final stage appearance. Always healthy and vigorous, she died of a heart attack on June 9, 1976, at the age of 93. She was survived by four children, along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
