FARREN, ELLEN (NELLIE) English actress, was born on April 16, 1848, of a family of actors. Her first London appearance was at the Sadler's Wells theatre in 1862. From 1864 to 1868 she was at the Olympic in burlesque and light comedy parts, including Nerissa in the Merchant of Venice. In 1868 she joined Hollingshead at the Gaiety, where she played Robert in Gilbert's Robert the Devil. Here she stayed till she retired in 1891, playing every sort of part, farce, burlesque, old comedy and Shakespeare. Her first association with Fred Leslie in the partnership which became so famous was in Little Jack Sheppard, as Jack. In addition to innumerable burlesque parts of this type, she played Prue in Love for Love, both the leading girls' parts in The Rivals, Ursula in Much Ado about Nothing, and Maria in Twelfth Night. With Fred Leslie she visited Amer ica in 1889 and Australia in 1891. She was forced to retire by gout, and died of it on April 28, 1904. Chiefly famous for her acting in burlesque, she had an amazingly vivid personality, and was easily the favourite actress of the lighter stage of her day. She was the incarnation of the Cockney spirit. Hollingshead says of her in My Lifetime, "She could play anything, dress in any " thing, say and do anything," and that she ought to go down to posterity as the best Principal Boy since women were admitted to the stage.