Louise Browne
(1906-1996), Actress, dancer and singerSitter in 73 portraits
A dancer and musical comedy star, who went on to encourage many young dancers in Britain. American-Born, Browne's career began in the Ziegfield Follies. She starred in many musicals at the Gaiety Theatre, London, including The Girl Friend in 1927. In the 1930s she held the world record for pirouettes (over 80 consecutive spins). Browne married an English diplomat, and began a long association with the Royal Academy of Dancing, initiating scholarships and directing the prestigious summer school.
by Claridge Studio
sepia-toned bromide print, circa 1918
NPG x127048
by Bloom
cream-toned glossy bromide print, circa 1920
NPG x127041
by Bloom
cream-toned glossy bromide print, circa 1920
NPG x127042
by Bloom
cream-toned glossy bromide print, circa 1920
NPG x127043
by White Studio
toned bromide print, circa 1920
NPG x127111
by Maurice Goldberg
matte bromide print in photographer's folder, circa 1922
NPG x127050
by Maurice Goldberg
matte bromide print in photographer's folder, circa 1922
NPG x127049
by Ira D. Schwarz
bromide print, circa 1922
NPG x127090
by Bloom
cream-toned glossy bromide print, circa 1923
NPG x127044
by Moffet
cream-toned bromide print, circa 1923
NPG x127074
by Moffet
cream-toned bromide print, circa 1923
NPG x127075
by Moffet
cream-toned bromide print, circa 1923
NPG x127076
by Moffet
cream-toned bromide print, circa 1923
NPG x127077
by Moffet
cream-toned bromide print, circa 1923
NPG x127078
by Moffet
cream-toned bromide print, circa 1923
NPG x127079
by Moffet
cream-toned bromide print, circa 1923
NPG x127080
by Bloom
cream-toned glossy bromide print, circa 1925
NPG x127045
by Bloom
cream-toned glossy bromide print, circa 1925
NPG x127046
by Bloom
cream-toned glossy bromide print, circa 1925
NPG x127047
by Apeda
cream-toned glossy bromide print, circa 1926
NPG x127039
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Harry Ferguson
09 April 2018, 13:10
She was also a spy! She married Captain Keith Liversidge who was an MI6 officer. He was a senior officer in Section V (Counter espionage) during World War II. Keen to do her bit, Louise became his secretary in 1940 and together they ran counter-espionage operations in Scandanavia during the war. Her husband was a Yorkshireman and, following a posting to Oslo 1945-50, they returned to live in Yorkshire where she established the Louise Browne Yorkshire Ballet Scholarship Centre. It still exists today. Her work as a spy was betrayed to the Russian KGB by the traitor Kim Philby who was also an officer in Section V.
Louise Palmer née Liversidge
02 February 2022, 11:08
Obviously my parents are no longer alive to answer Mr Ferguson's allegation. Thus I wish to state that neither Keith Liversidge or Louise Browne were ever spies. They did indeed work for MI6 during the war at its St Albans' base but I can assure him that my mother was no Mata Hari! On a less contentious issue, after my parents moved to York in the mid 1950s, the Royal Academy of Dance (under the Presidency of Dame Margot Fonteyn) transferred its scholarship centre from Leeds to York. Considerably later and only after the RAD had closed its regional scholarship centres, was it renamed as Mr Ferguson described