Fitton, Doris (1897-1985)

Also known as
Fitton, Doris Alice (1897-1985)
Fitton, Doris Alice Lucy Walkden, (Dame) (1897-1985)
Mason, Doris (1897-1985)
Field of activity
Actor and Theatrical director; actor (film); actor (stage); autobiographer/memoirist; theatre director; theatre producer
Libraries Australia
http://nla.gov.au/anbd.aut-an35105663
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-472767

Biographies

FITTON, Dame DORIS ALICE LUCY WALKDEN (1897-1985), theatrical producer, director and actor, was born on 3 November 1897 at Santa Ana, Manila, younger daughter of Walter Albert Fitton, an English-born broker, and his Victorian-born wife Janet Fraser, née Cameron. In 1902 the family moved to Australia but Walter returned to work in the Philippines, where he died two years later. His widow settled in Victoria and, although in straitened circumstances, sent her daughters to Loreto Convent, Portland, and Loreto Abbey, Mary’s Mount, Ballarat. Doris then trained as a stenographer.

View the full record at Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

Doris Fitton was an actor who, with a number of others, established the Independent Theatre in Sydney in 1930 and kept it going until its closure in 1977. The theatre provided a training ground for young Australian actors and playwrights. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 31 December 1981 for Services to the theatre (as Mrs Mason).

Doris Fitton was the daughter of Walter Fitton, an English accountant, broker and cigar manufacturer, and his wife, Janet Cameron, an Australian. She came to Australia in 1902 with her mother and older sister, Janet. She was educated at Loreto Convent, Ballarat and took acting classes with Gregan McMahon. Fitton had her first acting role in Melbourne with J C Williamson in 1915.

Doris Fitton married solicitor Norbert Mason in Sydney in 1922 and had two sons.

Frustrated at the lack of opportunity for acting, she and nineteen other actors established the Independent Theatre in Sydney 1930. It remained in existence for forty-seven years, closing in May 1977. The theatre provided young Australian actors and playwrights with opportunities to develop and display their talents. They staged more than four hundred productions, the most controversial being Sumner Locke Elliott's Rusty Bugles.

Although her students and peers loved and respected her, she was known for her dictatorial personality. Her autobiography entitled Not without heat and dust, was published in 1981.

Shee gained public recognition for her commitment to theatre in Australia with her appointment to the OBE in 1955, the CBE in 1975 and the DBE in 1982.

Doris Fitton died in Sydney on 2 April 1985.

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Related people and organisations

Resources for Doris Fitton

Selected resources (11)

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

Australian Women's Register

  1. Fitton, Dame Doris Alice Lucy Walkden (1897 - 1985)Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Australian National University : Fitton, Dame Doris Alice Lucy Walkden (1897 - 1985)
    McPherson, Ailsa
    [2006]
    Series: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A170390b.htm
  2. Fitton, Dame Doris AliceThe Australian Encyclopaedia 1357 : Fitton, Dame Doris Alice
    [1996]
    Published: Australian Geographic Pty Ltd
  3. Doris Fitton200 Australian women Heather Radi 210-11 : Doris Fitton
    Oppenheimer, Melanie
    [1988]
    Published: Redress Press
  4. Not without dust and heat : my life in theatre
    Fitton, Doris
    [c1981]
    Published: Harper & Row
  5. [Conversation with Doris Fitton]
    Fitton, Doris
    [1960]
  6. Faith, Hope and Charity Australian Women and Imperial Honours: 1901-1989
    Australian Women's Archives Project
    [2003]
    Published: Australian Women's Archives Project
    Series: http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/honours/honours.html
  7. The golden age of Australian radio drama 1923-1960 : a history through biography
    Lane, Richard
    [1994]
    Published: Melbourne University Press
  8. My brief strut upon the stage
    Kingsmill, John
    [2001]
    Published: Jacobyte
  9. 200 Australian Women: A Redress Anthology
    Radi, Heather
    [1988]
    Published: Women's Redress Press
  10. National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection: Papers of the Canberra Repertory Society 1945-1975 (1945 - 1975)
    Business and financial records (1945-1958); issue of "Prompt" Vol II, no. 3 Dec. 1953; 12 issues of "Repertory Review" (1948-1949); article by Robert Warren in "Masque" (Dec. 1957); newspaper cuttings 1957; letters 1949-1958; includes a typescript by Joyce Gibson (47 p.) detailing her time spent with the Society; correspondence from Doris Fitton.
    MS 8615

Resources by Doris Fitton (4)

  1. Doris Fitton
    Australia Council
    [ Video : 1975 ]
    At 4 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 24.002)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 24.002)

  2. Doris Fitton interviewed by Hazel de Berg in the Hazel de Berg collection
    Fitton, Doris, 1897-1985
    [ Sound : 1960 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 17.111)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 17.111)

  3. Rusty Bugles : a comedy / by Sumner Locke-Elliott ; produced by Doris Fitton
    Fitton, Doris, 1897-1985
    [ Book : 1952 ]
    At State Library of NSW
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.282)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.282)

  4. Rusty bugles : a comedy / by Sumner Locke Elliott with the Independent Theatre Company ; play produced by Doris Fitton
    Elliott, Sumner Locke, 1917-
    [ Book : 1949 ]
    At Monash Uni Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.23)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.23)

Resources about Doris Fitton (8)

  1. Doris Fitton
    Australia Council
    [ Video : 1975 ]
    At 4 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 23.712)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 23.712)

  2. [Biographical cuttings on Doris Fitton, former director of Sydney's Independent Theatre, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals]
    [ Published : 1900-1990 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 20.89)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 20.89)

  3. Doris Fitton interviewed by Hazel de Berg in the Hazel de Berg collection
    Fitton, Doris, 1897-1985
    [ Sound : 1960 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 16.872)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 16.872)

  4. My brief strut upon the stage / by John Kingsmill
    Kingsmill, John, 1920-
    [ Book : 2001 ]
    At 11 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.544)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.544)

  5. Portrait of Dame Doris Fitton, founder of the Independent Theatre, Sydney, ca. 1930s
    [ Photograph : 1930 ]
    Languages: No linguistic content
    View online
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 7.449)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 7.449)

  6. Doris Fitton of the Independent Theatre Company
    Percival, Paul
    [ Photograph : 1961 ]
    View online
    At State Library of NSW
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.687)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.687)

  7. Papers relating to the Canberra Repertory Society
    Gibson, Joyce
    [ Unpublished : 1945-1975 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.015)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.015)

  8. The SBW Independent Theatre : its ages and stages : a brief history / by Carolyn Lowry
    Lowry, Carolyn
    [ Book : 2001 ]
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 4.328)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 4.328)

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  1. Fitton, Doris (1897-1985)
    ... FITTON, Dame DORIS ALICE LUCY WALKDEN (1897-1985), theatrical producer, director ...
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 2.35)

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  2. Bain, Keith
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  3. Alden, John (1908-1962)
    ... . Intent on becoming an actor, in 1934 he approached (Dame) Doris Fitton, founder of the ...
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  1. Website: 200 Australian Women
    www.200australianwomen.com
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    • Doris Fitton - 5/11/2007
    • ... Fitton]Doris Fitton 1901 - 1985 actress Doris Fitton (1897-1985), founder of the Independent Theatre, Sydney...
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  2. Website: Australian Women in War
    www.womenaustralia.info
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  3. Website: Australian Women's Archives Project
    www.womenaustralia.info
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    View 28 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.068)

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  1. Doris Fitton. (obituary)
    Variety
    [ Article : 1985 ]
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    [ Article : 1998 ]
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  4. I WONDER if you could help [
    Europe Intelligence Wire
    [ Article : 2012 ]
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    Playwrights' Advisory Board. Library
    [ Unpublished : 1950 ]
    At UQ Library
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    Troughton, Ellis, 1893-1974
    [ Unpublished : 1875-1979 ]
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  3. Papers of James Gleeson
    Gleeson, James, 1915-2008
    [ Unpublished : 1930-2008 ]
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  1. Interview with John Cameron, general manager Australia Council on Sept. 1, 1980 / interviewer, Amy McGrath
    Cameron, John
    [ Sound : 1980 ]
    At National Library
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  2. Proceedings of the Celebration of Writing Exhibition, held at Bonython Gallery in Sydney, on Sept. 15, 1974 / exhibition assembled by Barbara Blackman
    Celebration of Writing Exhibition (1974 : Sydney, N.S.W.)
    [ Sound : 1974 ]
    At National Library
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  4. Keith Bain interviewed by Alex Hood and Annette Hood in the Alex Hood folklore collection
    Bain, Keith
    [ Sound : 2006 ]
    At National Library
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  1. Not without dust & heat : my life in theatre / Doris Fitton
    Fitton, Doris, 1897-
    [ Book : 1981 ]
    At 49 libraries
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.674)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.674)

  2. An independent woman : a re-examination of Doris Fitton's contribution to theatre in Sydney in the first half of the twentieth century / by Carolyn A. Lowry
    Lowry, Carolyn
    [ Thesis : 2007 ]
    At 2 libraries
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  3. Companion to theatre in Australia / general editor Philip Parsons with Victoria Chance
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    [ Book : 1995 ]
    At 121 libraries
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  4. Amherst, Hadley, Hatfield, Massachusetts directory
    [ Book : 1919-1923 ]
    read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
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  1. Doris Fitton Tells Favorite Recipes
    The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954) Saturday 6 March 1948 p 19 Article
    ... Doris Fitton Tells Favorite Recipes Doris Fitton, actress and producer of Eugene O'Neill's ... juice, and topped off with a layer of chopped mint. Miss Fitton serves it in attractive deep blue ... fresh cream is available, Miss Fitton covers the top of the sweet and garnishes with cubes of jelly. ... 359 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.851)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.851)

  2. "THE LITTLE THEATRE" Miss Doris Fitton's Address.
    The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Saturday 31 March 1934 p 5 Article
    ... "THE LITTLE THEATRE" Miss Doris Fitton's Address. "Our duty now," said Miss Doris Fitton, founder ... " Miss Fitton (Mrs. Mason) was the guest of honour of members of the Arts Club at their luncheon. In an address on the career of Miss Doris Fitton, Mr. A. Collins, who has been associated with her in the ... 169 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.594)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.594)

  3. THEATHE DORIS FITTON AND "BLACK CHIFFON"
    The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956) Saturday 23 August 1952 p 13 Article Illustrated
    ... THEATHE . DORIS FITTON AND "BLACK CHIFFON" by FRANK DOHERTY T^-WO people who are doing as much for ... cess, on Thursday night. Doris Fitton has corne down from Sydney to play the lead. Opposite her will ... London, is doing that, and Mr. Thring, with his few DORIS FITTON months-old Arrow Theatre, could work his ... 471 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.591)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.591)