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See also: Lottie Lyell as actor.
Charlotte Edith Cox, 23 February 1890 - 21 December 1925 (aged 35, of tuberculosis)
Lottie Lyell is best known as an actress, but, as Raymond Longford's partner on a large number of films, she also participated many other ways, most importantly perhaps as scenario-writer, as which she is credited for a dozen films.
Longford (1878-1959) could not marry Lottie Lyell because his wife would not consent to a divorce - until, ironically, after Lyell died. She was his partner in all their work until then, from the first film they made together, The Fatal Wedding (1911, the title is, perhaps, also ironical). Although he is always credited as director, it is generally accepted that Lottie Lyell was an equal partner.
Pike & Cooper:
Her exact contribution to Longford's work can never be properly assessed; certainly she worked with him variously as actress, writer, associate director, art director and co-producer when his most important films were made, and the loss of her support was possibly a key factor in his creative decline after her death. Pike & Cooper: 19.
The AACTA award for lifetime achievement is called the Longford Lyell Award.
Australia Calls (Raymond Longford, 1913) Spencer's Pictures, wr. C. A. Jeffries, John Barr; dp Ernest Higgins, Tasman Higgins, Arthur Higgins; racist film warning of the Yellow Peril; 4000 ft, 44 min.
Mutiny of the Bounty, The (Raymond Longford, 1916) Aust/NZ; wr. Raymond Longford, Lottie Lyell, dp Franklyn Barrett, A. O. Segerberg, Charles Newham; George Cross (Captain Bligh), John Storm (George III), D. L. Dalziel (Sir Joseph Banks), Wilton Power (Fletcher Christian); no footage exists; 5000ft
Sentimental Bloke, The (Raymond Longford, 1919) Arthur Tauchert, Lottie Lyell, Gilbert Emery, CJ Dennis
Ginger Mick (Raymond Longford, 1920) Southern Cross Feature Film Company, wr. Lottie Lyell (?) Raymond Longford, from verse narrative The Moods of Ginger Mick by C. J. Dennis, dp Arthur Higgins, 5500 ft; Gilbert Emery, Arthur Tauchert, Lottie Lyell, Jack Tauchert, Queenie Cross, George Hotspur
On Our Selection (Raymond Longford, 1920) wr. Raymond Longford from stories by Steele Rudd, dp Arthur Higgins, titles Syd Nicholls, 6890 ft; Percy Walshe, Beatrice Esmond, Tal Ordell; comedy
Blue Mountains Mystery, The (Raymond Longford, Lottie Lyell, 1921) Southern Cross Feature Film Company, prod. E. and Dan Carroll, wr. Lottie Lyell from novel The Mount Marunga Mystery by Harrison Owen, dp Arthur Higgins, 6000 ft; Marjories Osborne, John Faulkner, Vivian Edwards; murder mystery; 66 min.
Rudd's New Selection (Raymond Longford, 1921) wr. Raymond Longford from stories by Steele Rudd, dp Arthur Higgins; J. P. O'Neill, Ada Clyde, Tal Ordell, Lottie Lyell, Charlotte Beaumont
Dinkum Bloke, The (Raymond Longford, 1923) aka Gentleman in Mufti, Longford-Lyell Australian Productions, wr. Raymond Longford, Lottie Lyell, dp Lacey Percival; Arthur Tauchert, Lottie Lyell
Australia Calls (Raymond Longford, 1923) Commonwealth Immigration Office/British Empire Exhibition Commission; wr. Lottie Lyell, dp Arthur Higgins, 4000 ft; semi-documentary: 'the experiences in New South Wales of a successful immigrant'; Ernest Idiens
Bushwhackers, The (Raymond Longford, 1925) Longford-Lyell Productions, wr. Raymond Longford, Lottie Lyell, dp Arthur Higgins
Pioneers, The (Raymond Longford, 1926) wr. Lottie Lyell from novel by Katharine Susannah Prichard, Arthur Higgins, 8000 ft; Virginia Beresford, William Thornton, Augustus Neville
The Romantic Story Of Margaret Catchpole** (Raymond Longford, 1911) Spencer's Pictures, dp Ernest Higgins; Lottie Lyell (Margaret Catchpole), Raymond Longford, Augustus Neville, Sybil Wilde, William Coulter, E. Melville, Fred Hardy, Walter Vincent, Fred Twitcham, Jack Goodall, J. Howard, H. Parker, J. Eldridge, C. Swain, Arno, Mr Spencer's dapple grey horse; 3000 ft (?)
1923 Gentleman in Mufti aka The Dinkum Bloke
1921 Rudd's New Selection
1920 Ginger Mick
1919 The Sentimental Bloke
1918 The Woman Suffers
1917 The Church and the Woman
1916 The Mutiny of the Bounty
1916 A Maori Maid's Love
1915 Ma Hoggan's New Boarder
1915 We'll Take Her Children in Amongst Our Own
1914 Taking His Chance
1914 The Swagman's Story
1914 Trooper Campbell
1914 The Silence of Dean Maitland
1913 'Neath Austral Skies
1913 Pommy Arrives in Australia
1913 Australia Calls
1912 The Midnight Wedding
1912 The Tide of Death
1911 Queen of the Smugglers
1911 The Convict Hero
1911 The Fatal Wedding
1911 Captain Starlight, or Gentleman of the Road
1911 The Bushranger's Bride
City of West Torrens, 'The Woman Suffers (1918 film)' – includes a link to the complete film in YouTube.
Gaunson, Stephen 2023, 'The Woman Suffers: South Australia’s greatest film production', Senses of Cinema.
Nash, Margot 2015, 'Lottie Lyell: the silent work of an early Australian scenario writer', Screening the Past, 40.
Nash, Margot 2018, 'Lottie Lyell', in Jane Gaines, Radha Vatsal, and Monica Dall’Asta, eds, Women Film Pioneers Project, Columbia University Libraries, New York, NY.
Wikipedia page for the Longford Lyell Award
Garry Gillard | New: 7 November, 2015 | Now: 5 November, 2023