Editing Sybil Thorndike (section)

== Second World War ==
[[File:The work of the Council For the Encouragement of Music and the Arts- the Old Vic Travelling Theatre Company, Wales, 1941 D5653.jpg|thumb|upright|Thorndike, Casson and their daughter [[Ann Casson|Ann]] with miners in Wales, 1941|alt=two white men in flat caps, with a pram, talking to middle aged couple and young woman]]
When the [[Second World War]] began in September 1939, Thorndike, a convinced [[pacifism|pacifist]], protested against the conflict, but recognised that while it lasted the populace needed entertainment. In 1940 she took part in a film of Shaw's ''[[Major Barbara (film)|Major Barbara]]'' as General Baines, after which she and Casson joined a touring Old Vic company taking ''Macbeth'' to even the remotest corners of Wales. As there were few available hotels the actors frequently stayed with mining families, whom Thorndike found "wonderfully hospitable".<ref>Croall, p. 312</ref> By 1941, with the [[The Blitz|London blitz]] coming to an end, it was practical for the London theatre to revive, and the Old Vic company presented Shakespeare's rarely seen ''[[King John (play)|King John]]'', in which Thorndike played Constance. As its own theatre had been severely bombed, the company played at the New Theatre. Later in the year the Cassons again toured Wales, adding ''Candida'' and ''Medea'' to their repertory.<ref name=ww3/>

When [[Ralph Richardson]], Olivier and [[John Burrell (theatre director)|John Burrell]] were appointed to re-establish the Old Vic as a leading London company in 1944 they recruited Thorndike, who played Aase in ''[[Peer Gynt]]'', Catherine Petkoff in ''[[Arms and the Man]]'', Queen Margaret in ''[[Richard III (play)|Richard III]]'', Marina in ''[[Uncle Vanya]]'', Mistress Quickly in ''Henry IV, Parts [[Henry IV, Part 1|1]]'' and ''[[Henry IV, Part 2|2]]'', Jocasta in ''[[Oedipus Rex]]'' and the Justice's Lady in ''[[The Critic]]''. Between August 1944 and April 1946 the company played in London and toured for the armed forces in Belgium, Germany and France.<ref>Croall, p. 533</ref>

After the defeat of Germany in 1945 a Nazi blacklist was found in Berlin, naming eminent people to be arrested after an invasion of Britain. Among them was Thorndike, as a prominent member of the [[National Council for Civil Liberties]].<ref>Oldfield, pp. 71−72 and 100; and Croall, p. 356</ref>