George Somnes had long been associated with show business and was considered an artist of the broadest culture, a professional of the highest value in his chosen work and, most of all, a lovable human being. He was born in Massachusetts, reared in Boston and educated in Europe.
Somnes was a formidable actor who made his first Broadway appearance in An Old New Yorker, a play produced by William A. Brady. He went to England in 1914 and became the first American to gain prominence in the famous Old Vic Repertory Theater, to a high degree for his portrayal of King Claudius in Hamlet. In 1917, when the United States entered World War I, Somnes left England and went into the Army, emerging in 1919 as a top sergeant in the field artillery. After the armistice, Somnes returned to the American stage as an understudy to John Barrymore in Peter Ibbetson. After many years of acting, Somnes moved on to his true love — directing. He organized the Indianapolis Civic Theater and the Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Massachusetts, before answering a call from Hollywood. Somnes was a motion picture director in California from 1929 to 1934 and directed films starring Sylvia Sidney, Claudette Colbert, Gary Cooper, George Raft and others. In 1934, Somnes lowered the curtain on his California interlude and went back to the life of the theater.
The 1934 season was significant in the lives of Helen Bonfils and George Somnes. It was during this season that Somnes was introduced to Miss Helen Bonfils. Somnes bore a striking resemblance to Helen’s father, and she felt an instant attraction to him. Helen and George Somnes were to marry in 1936. Both would play significant roles in the future of the Elitch Theatre.
[Borrillo, Theodore A. Denver’s Historic Elitch Theatre: A nostalgic journey, 2012. ISBN 978-0-9744331-4-1. OCLC 823177622. pp. 175-176.]
Seasons at the Theatre
Productions/Roles:
Notable Roles, Awards, and Other Work:
- Somnes was the first American to gain prominence in the Old Vic Theater, with his interpretation of King Claudius in Hamlet.
Elitch Theatre Connections:
- Director George Somnes met Helen Bonfils at the theatre and they eventually married. Over the next two decades they would return to the theatre with Somnes directing and Bonfils acting in the summer stock cast.
- In Hollywood, Somnes would direct alumna, Sylvia Sidney.
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