Mary Freeman Byrne
Mary Freeman Byrne (née Keith) (4 October 1886 – 18 January 1961) who sometimes wrote under the pen name Marie Byrne, was an American author.
Byrne was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, and trained for the stage at the Leland Powers Theatrical School in Boston. Later she appeared in plays with such actors of the day as Joan Davis and Donald Meek.[1]
She gave up acting and settled in England on marrying Dr. Ferdinand Byrne, who had a practise in London.
Mary Byrne wrote numerous short story for various American and British magazines, including Modern Weekly, Charm and Home Weekly. Byrne published her novel Softly Softly in 1958, under the pen name Marie Byrne.[2]
Byrne died at coastal Old House Farm, West Itchenor, West Sussex England in 1961 whereas her main home was declared to be 3 Watford Home, Northwood, Middlesex. Her estate was publicly sworn at £16,673 (equivalent to £469,000 in 2023). Her executors were Mrs Natalie W V Wolff, Mrs Phyllis R Doyle and Miles Austin Byrne, an actor-relative.
References
- ^ [News article from the Observer newspaper Aug 28 1958]
- ^ Marie Byrne (1958), Softly Softly, Anthony Blondl