Barbara Hoffe(1890-1974)
- Actress
English stage and screen actress Barbara Hoffe
born in England in around 1897. She became a well-known drama and
comedy stage actress from the early 1910's. She starred in at least 6
movies under her real name Barbara Conrad under the direction of
Wilfred Noy at the Clarendon Film Co between 1915-17, making her debut
in a crime/drama 'The Verdict of the Heart' with Harry Welchman, her
last film at Clarendon studios was 'The Lost Chord' in 1917. In 1920
she starred in her first film under the name of Barbara Hoffe in 'Five
Pound Reward' a comedy directed by Adrian Brunel and co-starring a
young Leslie Howard at the Minerva Film Co. Her most notable roles in
'Eugene Aram' in 1924 and in her last silent film 'Lieutenant Daring RN
and the Water Rats' with Percy Moran in 1924. Barbara made a comeback
in her only talkie in 1931 'The Woman Decides' directed by Miles Mander
and starred Owen Nares at BIP studios. In a magazine interview in 1927
Barbara Hoffe confessing rather bizarrely that her favourite meal was
mushroom omelette, also revealed that her favourite hobby was
collecting 'first editions cheaply. In Australia in 1931 Barbara Hoffe
was awarded £500 damages against Gordon Harbord, the theatrical
producer for breach of contract. Miss Hoffe played the leading role in
'The Command to Love' at the Arts Club Theatre, but Yvonne Arnaud was
substituted when the play was produced and ran at Daly's Theatre.