David Tree was a talented British actor who was born on July 15, 1915, and was the son of drama critic Alan Leonard Romaine Parsons and stage actress Viola Tree. His mother was the daughter of renowned classical stage actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree and his actress wife, Helen Maude Holt, who billed herself as Lady Tree. Tree's younger sister, Virginia, would grow up to become the Marchioness of Bath.
Tree took his first acting bow at the age of six alongside his mother in a small role in "The Tempest". He was educated at Eton and gained repertory experience at the Old Vic, the Playhouse, and the Oxford theatre companies, among others. He received good notices for his portrayals of Ferdinand in "The Tempest" and Feste in "Twelfth Night".
Tree began his film career in 1937 with "Knight Without Armor" and quickly found a future with major parts in "The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel" (1937) and "The Drum" (1938). His star-making role came in "Pygmalion" (1938) as the dapper Freddy Eynsford-Hill, the suitor who briefly comes between Wendy Hiller's Eliza Doolittle and Leslie Howard's Professor Henry Higgins. His mother had a minor part in the film as well.
Tree's career progressed beautifully, and he played a co-lead in "French Without Tears" (1940),a U.S. film with Ray Milland. He also displayed a strong, stalwart gait in war films, with a top role in "Clouds Over Europe" (1939). Before World War II, he appeared in "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1939) and "Major Barbara" (1941).
However, tragedy occurred when Tree lost his arm during his duty in the Royal Artillery. Following his discharge, Tree abandoned acting and retired to become a farmer. Although he was seen on stage, including a role in "Billy Budd" in 1951, he was little heard from until his director friend Nicolas Roeg persuaded him to take a role in "Don't Look Now" (1973) after more than 30 years. It was to be his one and only reappearance.
