Biography
Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh composer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century, on both screen and stage. He was born into a musical Cardiff family and his mother, Clara Novello Davies, was an internationally known singing teacher and choral conductor. As a child, Novello was a successful singer in various eisteddfodau throughout the country. He was educated privately in Cardiff and then in Gloucester and later won a scholarship to Magdalen College School in Oxford. The family moved to London in 1913 and here Novello's career flourished. In 1914, at the start of World War II, he wrote the words to his most popular song, "Keep the Home Fires Burning". Novello lived in a flat above the Strand Theatre, where he remained until his death in 1951. Since 1955 the internationally prestigious The Ivor Novello Awards ("The Ivors") for songwriting and composing are annually awarded by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA).
Also known as
David Ivor Davies · David L'Estrange
Photos
Profile images from TMDB · click to enlarge
4 images
Roles across career
Titles counted once; a person can act and direct on the same film (roles merged).
22
Acting credits
0
Directing
13
Writing
3
Other crew
Most critically rated
Highest TMDB score (min 100 votes)
Most commercially successful
Highest TMDB vote count (attention / reach proxy; not box office)
- 1
344 votesThe Lodger: A Story of the London Fog
1927 · movie
- 2
228 votesTarzan the Ape Man
1932 · movie
- 3
98 votesDownhill
1927 · movie
- 4
14 votesThe Lodger
1932 · movie
- 5
8 votesThe White Rose
1923 · movie
- 6
7 votesFree and Easy
1941 · movie
- 7
6 votesI Lived with You
1933 · movie
- 8
6 votesThe Dancing Years
1950 · movie
Career timeline
By release / first air year · movie & TV merged
