F. M. Alexander successfully sued the actor Robert Loraine for non-payment of lessons in 1909.
The Case
On the evening of 5 March 1909 the actor Robert Loraine contacted F. M. Alexander because he had lost his voice. Loraine was due to perform in The School for Scandal the next day and asked Alexander for help. Alexander started work with him that evening, and proceeded to give him 15 lessons. Loraine then discontinued having lessons. Alexander sent Loraine an invoice for 50 guineas for 30 lessons, as his terms were that payment was due in advance. Loraine refused to pay and the case...
In 1945 Alexander sued the South African journal Manpower for defamation and won the case in 1948.
The official name of the case is:
‘Frederick Matthias Alexander, Plaintiff,
versus
Ernst Jokl, Eustace Henry Cluver, Bernard Maule Clarke, Defendants’
The case was heard February – March 1948. Judgment was given in Alexander’s favour 19 April 1948, and he was awarded £1,000 in damages. The judgment was appealed 21 April 1948, but the judgment was upheld 3 June 1949.
Background
Irene Tasker had moved to South Africa in 1935 and established a...
