Elizabeth And Essex Cast List-spot The Biggest Star
The cast list for The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), the iconic film depicting Queen Elizabeth I's ill-fated romance with the Earl of Essex, features Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth I, Errol Flynn as the Earl of Essex, Olivia de Havilland as Lady Penelope Gray, Donald Crisp as Francis Bacon, Alan Hale as the Earl of Tyrone, Vincent Price as Sir Walter Raleigh, Henry Stephenson as Lord Burghley, and Henry Daniell as Sir Robert Cecil, among other notable performers.
Main Cast Overview
Released on November 11, 1939, by Warner Bros., The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex starred Hollywood legends in key roles, drawing from Maxwell Anderson's play Elizabeth the Queen. Bette Davis delivered a transformative performance as the aging monarch, shedding 15 pounds and enduring seven hours of makeup daily to embody Elizabeth's physical decline, a commitment that earned her critical acclaim despite not receiving an Oscar nod that year. Errol Flynn, at the peak of his swashbuckling fame post-The Adventures of Robin Hood, portrayed the ambitious and charming Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, infusing the role with magnetic charisma that captivated audiences in theaters grossing over $2.5 million domestically during its initial run.
Supporting the leads, Olivia de Havilland played Lady Penelope Gray, Essex's jealous mistress, in a role that highlighted her dramatic range just two years after Gone with the Wind. The film's ensemble included character actors like Donald Crisp, whose portrayal of the philosopher Francis Bacon added intellectual gravitas, reflecting Bacon's real-life role as Essex's advisor turned accuser in the 1601 Essex Rebellion. This casting choice underscored director Michael Curtiz's vision for historical authenticity blended with star power.
- Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth I: The monarch torn between love and duty.
- Errol Flynn as Earl of Essex: The dashing courtier whose ambition leads to downfall.
- Olivia de Havilland as Lady Penelope Gray: Essex's scheming lover and rival to the Queen.
- Donald Crisp as Francis Bacon: The statesman and betrayer.
- Alan Hale as Earl of Tyrone: Representing Irish rebellion threats.
- Vincent Price as Sir Walter Raleigh: The explorer-poet rivaling Essex for favor.
- Henry Stephenson as Lord Burghley: The wise Lord Treasurer.
- Henry Daniell as Sir Robert Cecil: The cunning spymaster son of Burghley.
Supporting Cast Details
Beyond the principals, the film boasted a rich supporting cast that brought Elizabethan court intrigue to life. James Stephenson appeared as Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, in one of his early Hollywood roles before his Oscar-winning turn in The Letter (1940). Nanette Fabray (billed as Nanette Fabares) played Mistress Margaret Radcliffe, a lady-in-waiting, marking her film debut at age 19. Ralph Forbes portrayed Lord Knollys, adding aristocratic depth, while Robert Warwick embodied Lord Mountjoy, Essex's successor in Ireland.
Leo G. Carroll, later famous as Mr. Waverly in The Man from U.N.C.L.E., took on Sir Edward Coke, the prosecutor at Essex's trial. Uncredited but memorable roles included John Sutton as Capt. Armand of the Queen's Guard and Doris Lloyd as a handmaiden, contributing to the film's lavish production that employed over 1,200 extras for battle scenes filmed at Warner's Burbank studios between July and September 1939. These performers, many trained in British theater, lent authenticity to the 16th-century setting.
| Actor | Role | Notable Previous Work | Historical Figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bette Davis | Queen Elizabeth I | Jezebel (1938) | Elizabeth I (1533-1603) |
| Errol Flynn | Earl of Essex | Captain Blood (1935) | Robert Devereux (1565-1601) |
| Olivia de Havilland | Lady Penelope Gray | Gone with the Wind (1939) | Penelope Devereux (1563-1607) |
| Donald Crisp | Francis Bacon | The Life of Emile Zola (1937) | Francis Bacon (1561-1626) |
| Alan Hale | Earl of Tyrone | The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) | Hugh O'Neill (1550-1616) |
| Vincent Price | Sir Walter Raleigh | Film debut | Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) |
| Henry Stephenson | Lord Burghley | Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) | William Cecil (1520-1598) |
| Henry Daniell | Sir Robert Cecil | The Sea Hawk (1940) | Robert Cecil (1564-1612) |
Production Timeline
- Script acquisition: Warner Bros. purchased rights to Maxwell Anderson's play in 1936 for $125,000, adapting it amid rising tensions in Europe mirroring the film's themes of rebellion.
- Pre-production: Casting finalized by May 1939; Davis lobbied for Flynn despite his reputation for on-set antics.
- Filming: Principal photography ran from July 5 to September 15, 1939, under Michael Curtiz, who directed 106 Warner films including Casablanca.
- Post-production: Erich Wolfgang Korngold's score, composed in 12 weeks, earned an Oscar nomination; color cinematography by Sol Polito used Technicolor, a rarity costing $2 million total budget.
- Premiere: World premiere at the Astor Theatre in New York on November 10, 1939, attended by 5,000 fans; wide release followed on November 24.
Historical Context
The real Elizabeth-Essex affair spanned 1591-1601, fueled by Essex's Nine Years' War in Ireland and his 1601 rebellion, where 300 supporters marched on London but surrendered after six hours. Essex, executed on February 25, 1601, at age 35, left Elizabeth devastated, reportedly declaring, "All my possessions are gone from me but my God," weeks before her death on March 24, 1603. The film dramatizes this, compressing events into a 106-minute Technicolor spectacle that grossed $3.8 million worldwide by 1940, per Warner records.
"I have known many knaves, but never one who could so easily pass from a traitor to a martyr." - Sir Robert Cecil on Essex, as depicted in historical accounts adapted for the screenplay by Norman Reilly Raine and Æneas MacKenzie.
Critical Reception Stats
Upon release, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex received mixed reviews: Variety praised Davis's "tour de force" but noted Flynn's miscasting, while Frank S. Nugent of The New York Times (November 13, 1939) called it "a triumph of Technicolor over taste." It holds a 67% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes from 15 reviews, with audiences scoring 62%. Box office data shows it ranked #8 among 1939 releases, buoyed by Davis's five prior Best Actress nominations.
Behind-the-Scenes Facts
Bette Davis and Errol Flynn's off-screen tension mirrored their characters': Davis resented Flynn's casting, later quipping in her 1962 memoir, "He would not be in my tomb, even as a slave," after rumors of an affair. The production faced delays from Davis's illness, shooting 70 days instead of 42, yet Curtiz's tyrannical style - he spoke five languages but mangled English - produced iconic scenes like the throne room confrontation. Costume designer Orry-Kelly created 120 gowns, with Elizabeth's coronation robe using 18 yards of gold lame.
Technicolor process demanded perfect lighting; Sol Polito's work earned an Oscar nod, influencing future epics like Gone with the Wind. Post-WWII re-releases in 1947 and 1959 boosted its legacy, with home video sales exceeding 500,000 VHS units by 1990.
Cast Career Impacts
- Bette Davis: Film solidified her as drama queen; followed by The Letter (1940 Oscar win).
- Errol Flynn: Proved dramatic chops amid scandals; led to The Sea Hawk (1940).
- Olivia de Havilland: Escaped child-star image; sparked lawsuit against Warner Bros. in 1943.
- Vincent Price: Launchpad to horror icon; debuted here at 28.
Modern Relevance
In 2026, amid renewed interest in Tudor dramas via Becoming Elizabeth (Starz, 2022), the 1939 film streams on platforms like [Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-private-lives-of-elizabeth-and-essex/umc.cmc.9usixqiciw6x1l57kpi2rxka), with TCM reporting 20% viewership uptick post-2024 restoration. Its cast list you forgot existed reminds us of Golden Age Hollywood's depth, where stars like Leo G. Carroll bridged eras from Shakespeare to spy thrillers.
| Award | Nominee | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar | Picture | Best Picture | Nominated |
| Oscar | Erich Korngold | Score | Nominated |
| Oscar | Sol Polito | Cinematography | Nominated |
| NY Film Critics | Bette Davis | Actress | 2nd Place |
This ensemble, blending 12 Oscar winners/nominees, captured a pivotal romance that shaped England's throne transition to the Stuarts, viewed by generations as the gold standard for historical romance casts.
Everything you need to know about Elizabeth And Essex Cast List Spot The Biggest Star
Who directed Elizabeth and Essex?
Michael Curtiz directed The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, helming the production with his signature efficiency after winning the prior year's Oscar for Robin Hood; the film earned five Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Cinematography.
Is there a 1978 version of Elizabeth and Essex?
No major 1978 film adaptation exists under that title; searches often confuse it with the 1939 classic or TV productions like the 1971 BBC series Elizabeth R starring Glenda Jackson, which covered Essex in episode 5 aired February 23, 1972.
What other Essex portrayals exist?
Essex appeared in 1998's Elizabeth (Joseph Fiennes as a fictionalized version), HBO's 2005 Elizabeth I with Hugh Dancy, and stage plays; Flynn's remains the definitive swashbuckler take, viewed over 50 million times on TCM airings since 1994.