Jack and Bettie De Leon created the De Leon Drama School in Richmond upon Thames. It went to become the Richmond Drama School, part of the borough's Adult Community College.
They were also responsible for creating The Q Theatre in 1924. A small theatre, seating just 490 in 25 rows.
Situated near Kew Bridge in west London The Q Theatre was one of a number of small, committed, independent theatre companies which included the Hampstead Everyman, the Arts Theatre Club and the Gate Theatre Studio.
These theatres took risks by producing new and experimental plays which, although often at first thought to be commercially unviable on the West-End stage, later went on to transfer successfully.
Actors including Dirk Bogarde, Joan Collins, Vivien Leigh, Margaret Lockwood and Anthony Quayle started their theatrical careers here. Peter Brook, Tony Richardson and William Gaskell directed plays here and the theatre staged the first plays of Terence Rattigan and William Douglas-Home.
