Willie Edouin
Encyclopedia
Willie Edouin was an English comedian, actor, dancer, singer, writer, director and theatre manager.
After performing as a child in England, Australia and elsewhere, Edouin moved to America, where he joined Lydia Thompson
's burlesque troupe, performing with this company both in the U.S. and Britain. He returned to America in 1877, where, by 1880, he managed his own company. For over a decade, starting in 1884, Edouin managed theatres in London, particularly the Strand Theatre
, producing and starring in comedies, farce
s and burlesques. From the 1890s, he appeared as the comic lead in several hit Edwardian musical comedies, including Florodora
.
under the name William Frederick Bryer, the youngest of five children of John Edwin Bryer, an English dance instructor, and his wife Sarah Elizabeth (née May). He and his siblings played together in children's shows in London and Brighton. By 1849, the children were appearing as "The Living Marionettes" in London in farces, ballets d'action, and extravaganza
s. In 1852 and 1854, the Edouin children played in pantomime
s at the Strand Theatre
. In 1857, Edouin's parents took the family on a six-year tour of Australia, India, China and Japan. In 1863, Edouin and his sister Rose (later Mrs. G. B. Lewis of the Maidan Theatre, Calcutta) played in Fawcett's stock company at the Princess's Theatre, Melbourne, in burlesque.
Edouin moved to the United States in 1869, where he first appeared with Laurence Barrett and John McCullough
at the California Theatre
in San Francisco. He soon became popular for his burlesques of popular plays and local celebrities. He made his New York debut in 1870 in The Dancing Barber as Narcissus Fitzfrizzle. Edouin next played the role of Murphy in Handy Andy with the Bryant's Minstrels
. In 1871, he joined Lydia Thompson
's burlesque company, as its leading male comedian, and met his future wife, Alice Atherton (1854–99), who was also appearing with the troupe. The couple had two daughters, Daisy and May, who also became actresses. Edouin played with Thompson for six seasons in burlesques, many of them by H. B. Farnie, of Bluebeard, The Princess of Trébizonde! St. George and the Dragon! The Forty Thieves, Lurline, Robin Hood, Mephisto and the Fourscore, and others. He earned particular praise in Robinson Crusoe, for his acrobatics and clowning as Friday, and in Bluebeard, for his portrayal of Chinaman Washee-Washee. He returned to England with Thompson in 1874 and repeated the latter role in London that year. Edouin continued to perform with the troupe both in London and on tour in Britain for three seasons.
In 1877, Edouin returned with Thompson to New York. He soon appeared with Colville's Folly Company, an American farce-comedy troupe, and then with E. E. Rice's Surprise Party in pantomime
s such as Babes in the Woods
, The Lost Children
, and Horrors. In 1880 he formed his own company, Willie Edouin's Sparks, co-authoring and starring in a successful farce, Dreams. In 1881, Edouin purchased a photo gallery in Philadelphia but sold it the following year.
, to produce the successful burlesque The Babes, or, Whines from the Wood, by Harry Paulton. The play was performed at Toole's Theatre and starred Edouin and his wife. In August 1886, Edouin played Carraway Bones with much success in the farce Turned Up by Mark Melford. From 1888 he mostly starred under his own management at the Strand Theatre
in London. There he produced Katti, the Family Help, starring himself and his wife. In 1889, however, he managed Our Flat at the Opera Comique
, in which he was popular as Nathaniel Glover. The play ran for nearly 600 nights. At the Strand in the early 1890s, he continued to manage and appear in comedies. In 1894, he had another success as Jeremiah Grubb in The Jerry Builder, by Melford, in which his daughter May débuted.
Edouin appeared in a number of very successful Edwardian musical comedies in London, including New Market at the Opera Comique under his own management, La poupée
(1897), The Royal Star (1898), A Bunch of Keys, Fun in a Photograph Gallery and Dreams. He had his greatest success in the international hit Florodora
(1899 in London and 1900 in New York), after which he appeared in The Silver Slipper (1901), before taking his own company to tour South Africa. He returned to London, appearing in more musicals, such as The Girl from Kays
(1902), Sergeant Brue, The Little Michus
(1905), The Blue Moon and The Little Cherub.
In 1906, Edouin toured in Britain and then returned to the United States in 1907, playing in vaudeville. By this time, however, he was losing his mental acuteness and decided to return to London. Although a very successful comedian, Edouin did not fare well as a manager and left a small estate. During his career, Edouin portrayed as many as five hundred characters.
Edouin died in 1908 and is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery
in London.
After performing as a child in England, Australia and elsewhere, Edouin moved to America, where he joined Lydia Thompson
Lydia Thompson
Lydia Thompson, born Eliza Hodges Thompson , was an English dancer, actress and theatrical producer....
's burlesque troupe, performing with this company both in the U.S. and Britain. He returned to America in 1877, where, by 1880, he managed his own company. For over a decade, starting in 1884, Edouin managed theatres in London, particularly the Strand Theatre
Royal Strand Theatre
The Royal Strand Theatre was located in Strand in the City of Westminster. The theatre was built on the site of a panorama in 1832, and in 1882 was rebuilt by the prolific theatre architect Charles J. Phipps...
, producing and starring in comedies, farce
Farce
In theatre, a farce is a comedy which aims at entertaining the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases,...
s and burlesques. From the 1890s, he appeared as the comic lead in several hit Edwardian musical comedies, including Florodora
Florodora
Florodora is an Edwardian musical comedy and became one of the first successful Broadway musicals of the 20th century. The book was written by Jimmy Davis under the pseudonym Owen Hall, the music was by Leslie Stuart with additional songs by Paul Rubens, and the lyrics were by Edward Boyd-Jones...
.
Early years
Edouin was born in BrightonBrighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
under the name William Frederick Bryer, the youngest of five children of John Edwin Bryer, an English dance instructor, and his wife Sarah Elizabeth (née May). He and his siblings played together in children's shows in London and Brighton. By 1849, the children were appearing as "The Living Marionettes" in London in farces, ballets d'action, and extravaganza
Extravaganza
An extravaganza is a literary or musical work characterized by freedom of style and structure and usually containing elements of burlesque, pantomime, music hall and parody. It sometimes also has elements of cabaret, circus, revue, variety, vaudeville and mime...
s. In 1852 and 1854, the Edouin children played in pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
s at the Strand Theatre
Royal Strand Theatre
The Royal Strand Theatre was located in Strand in the City of Westminster. The theatre was built on the site of a panorama in 1832, and in 1882 was rebuilt by the prolific theatre architect Charles J. Phipps...
. In 1857, Edouin's parents took the family on a six-year tour of Australia, India, China and Japan. In 1863, Edouin and his sister Rose (later Mrs. G. B. Lewis of the Maidan Theatre, Calcutta) played in Fawcett's stock company at the Princess's Theatre, Melbourne, in burlesque.
Edouin moved to the United States in 1869, where he first appeared with Laurence Barrett and John McCullough
John Edward McCullough
John Edward McCullough was an American actor.He was born in Coleraine, Ireland. He went to America at the age of sixteen, and made his first appearance on the stage at the Arch Street Theatre, Philadelphia, in 1857...
at the California Theatre
California Theatre (San Francisco)
The California Theatre , was located at 414 Bush Street, San Francisco. It was built in 1869 by William Ralston, at that time the treasurer of the Bank of California. S. C. Bugbee & Son were the architects and the theatre cost $250, 000 to build.Anpther source puts the figure at $150,000...
in San Francisco. He soon became popular for his burlesques of popular plays and local celebrities. He made his New York debut in 1870 in The Dancing Barber as Narcissus Fitzfrizzle. Edouin next played the role of Murphy in Handy Andy with the Bryant's Minstrels
Bryant's Minstrels
Bryant's Minstrels was a blackface minstrel troupe that performed in the mid-19th century, primarily in New York City. The troupe was led by the O'Neill brothers from upstate New York, who took the stage name Bryant....
. In 1871, he joined Lydia Thompson
Lydia Thompson
Lydia Thompson, born Eliza Hodges Thompson , was an English dancer, actress and theatrical producer....
's burlesque company, as its leading male comedian, and met his future wife, Alice Atherton (1854–99), who was also appearing with the troupe. The couple had two daughters, Daisy and May, who also became actresses. Edouin played with Thompson for six seasons in burlesques, many of them by H. B. Farnie, of Bluebeard, The Princess of Trébizonde! St. George and the Dragon! The Forty Thieves, Lurline, Robin Hood, Mephisto and the Fourscore, and others. He earned particular praise in Robinson Crusoe, for his acrobatics and clowning as Friday, and in Bluebeard, for his portrayal of Chinaman Washee-Washee. He returned to England with Thompson in 1874 and repeated the latter role in London that year. Edouin continued to perform with the troupe both in London and on tour in Britain for three seasons.
In 1877, Edouin returned with Thompson to New York. He soon appeared with Colville's Folly Company, an American farce-comedy troupe, and then with E. E. Rice's Surprise Party in pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
s such as Babes in the Woods
Babes in the Woods
Babes in the Woods is a 1932 Silly Symphonies animated film.It is a re-working of the British folk tale Babes in the Wood, with some material incorporated from Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm, and the addition of a village of friendly elves and a happy ending.-External links:* at...
, The Lost Children
The Lost Children
The Lost Children is a New Zealand drama series set in 1867. It follows four children, three of whom were shipwrecked and landed on the coast off New Plymouth, New Zealand, siblings Ethan and Amy, who were travelling with their mother, Charlotte, from England to Canterbury; Meg, a young thief and...
, and Horrors. In 1880 he formed his own company, Willie Edouin's Sparks, co-authoring and starring in a successful farce, Dreams. In 1881, Edouin purchased a photo gallery in Philadelphia but sold it the following year.
Later years
Edouin returned to England in 1884, partnering with Lionel BroughLionel Brough
Lionel Brough was a British actor and comedian. After beginning a journalistic career and performing as an amateur, he became a professional actor, performing mostly in Liverpool during the mid-1860s...
, to produce the successful burlesque The Babes, or, Whines from the Wood, by Harry Paulton. The play was performed at Toole's Theatre and starred Edouin and his wife. In August 1886, Edouin played Carraway Bones with much success in the farce Turned Up by Mark Melford. From 1888 he mostly starred under his own management at the Strand Theatre
Royal Strand Theatre
The Royal Strand Theatre was located in Strand in the City of Westminster. The theatre was built on the site of a panorama in 1832, and in 1882 was rebuilt by the prolific theatre architect Charles J. Phipps...
in London. There he produced Katti, the Family Help, starring himself and his wife. In 1889, however, he managed Our Flat at the Opera Comique
Opera Comique
The Opera Comique was a 19th-century theatre constructed in Westminster, London, between Wych Street and Holywell Street with entrances on the East Strand. It opened in 1870 and was demolished in 1902, to make way for the construction of the Aldwych and Kingsway...
, in which he was popular as Nathaniel Glover. The play ran for nearly 600 nights. At the Strand in the early 1890s, he continued to manage and appear in comedies. In 1894, he had another success as Jeremiah Grubb in The Jerry Builder, by Melford, in which his daughter May débuted.
Edouin appeared in a number of very successful Edwardian musical comedies in London, including New Market at the Opera Comique under his own management, La poupée
La poupée
La poupée is an opéra comique in a prelude and three acts composed by Edmond Audran with a libretto by Maurice Ordonneau. It opened at the Théâtre de la Gaîté, Montparnasse, Paris on 31 October 1896. Along with Miss Helyett La poupée was one of Audran's late successes. The libretto was based on...
(1897), The Royal Star (1898), A Bunch of Keys, Fun in a Photograph Gallery and Dreams. He had his greatest success in the international hit Florodora
Florodora
Florodora is an Edwardian musical comedy and became one of the first successful Broadway musicals of the 20th century. The book was written by Jimmy Davis under the pseudonym Owen Hall, the music was by Leslie Stuart with additional songs by Paul Rubens, and the lyrics were by Edward Boyd-Jones...
(1899 in London and 1900 in New York), after which he appeared in The Silver Slipper (1901), before taking his own company to tour South Africa. He returned to London, appearing in more musicals, such as The Girl from Kays
The Girl from Kays
The Girl from Kays is an English musical comedy with music by Ivan Caryll, Paul Rubens, Wilhelm Meyer Lutz and Edward Jones, book by Cecil Cook and lyrics by Adrian Ross and Claude Aveling...
(1902), Sergeant Brue, The Little Michus
The Little Michus
Les p'tites Michu is an opérette in three acts, composed by André Messager. The libretto was by Albert Vanloo and Georges Duval.Dismayed by the Paris reception for his 1896 piece, Le Chevalier d’Harmental, Messager retreated to London vowing to write no more...
(1905), The Blue Moon and The Little Cherub.
In 1906, Edouin toured in Britain and then returned to the United States in 1907, playing in vaudeville. By this time, however, he was losing his mental acuteness and decided to return to London. Although a very successful comedian, Edouin did not fare well as a manager and left a small estate. During his career, Edouin portrayed as many as five hundred characters.
Edouin died in 1908 and is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
in London.
External links
- Willie Edouin at the IBDB database
- Portrait of Edouin at the Picture History site
- Photo of Edouin in costume as an Asian woman
- Photo of Edouin and Thompson in Robinson Crusoe
- Photo from The Girl from Kays