St. John Greer Ervine


St. John Greer Ervine was an Irish biographer, novelist, critic, dramatist, and theatre manager.
He was born in Belfast, Ireland but moved to London while in his teens. His first play, Mixed Marriage, was produced at the Abbey Theatre in 1911. In June 1913, he was standing beside Emily Davison at The Derby and witnessed her being fatally injured by King George V's horse. Ervine served in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers during World War One, and suffered an injury that resulted in the amputation of one of his legs. Ervine worked as the manager of the Abbey Theatre from 1915-16. He also wrote the plays Anthony and Anna in 1926 and The First Mrs. Fraser in 1929. His 1956 biography of George Bernard Shaw was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.
A contemporary production of Mixed Marriage played at the Finborough Theatre in London from 4 to 29 October 2011, to critical acclaim.
Ervine died in London in January 1971, aged 87.

Selected Plays