Henry Lytton

Sir Henry Lytton (3 January 1865 – 15 August 1936) was an English actor and singer who was the leading exponent of the comic baritone roles in Gilbert and Sullivan operas in the early part of the twentieth century. His career in these Savoy operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company spanned 50 years, and he is the only person ever knighted for achievements as a Gilbert and Sullivan performer.

Lytton began his career singing in operettas and plays, also doing odd jobs in the early 1880s. His wife, Louie Henri, performed with him and helped him get started in theatre, also serving as his music and acting coach. Lytton joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and toured extensively with the company and then performing with them at the Savoy Theatre in London from the mid-1880s to 1903. He then starred in a number of Edwardian musical comedies for the next four years. From 1909–1934, Lytton rejoined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as its principal comedian.

Life and career

Lytton was born Henry Alfred Jones in Kensington, London, England, the son of Henry Jones, a jeweller, and Martha Lavinia Harris. He was attended St Mark's School, Chelsea, where he took part in amateur theatricals and boxing. He wrote that he was also a boy soloist in the choir of St. Philip's Church, Kensington, London. [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/books/lytton_secrets/ch1.html Lytton ("Secrets"), chapter 1] , accessed May 8, 2008] Biographer Brian Jones concludes that Lytton tells a number of untruths about his teenage years and early career in his 1922 memoir, "Secrets of a Savoyard". In fact, at the age of fourteen Lytton left school and was apprenticed to the young artist William Henry Hamilton Trood to study painting and sculpture around 1880. Lytton's father hoped that he would outgrow his interest in the theatre. [Jones, pp. 13–14] Lytton probably met his future wife, Louisa Webber, later known on stage as Louie Henri, at St. Philip's. [Jones, p. 16]

Early career

In 1879, Louie Henri had been engaged by Florence St. John's operetta company but left to help Lytton begin his acting career. In 1881, they joined the company at Philharmonic Theatre, Islington, appearing in several plays, including "The Obstinate Bretons" and "The Shaughraun" by Dion Boucicault, and then, with Kate Santley, played at the Royalty Theatre. There they appeared in "Ixion, or the Man at the Wheel" by F. C. Burnand, but the theatre closed soon afterwards. [Jones, p. 23] Henri rejoined St. John's company, where she played in several operettas and had a small role in "Olivette" at the Avenue Theatre. She then rejoined Santley's company in 1883, but Lytton was out of acting work all this time and was forced to take a variety of odd jobs. Henri then played in the lavish Christmas pantomime of "Cinderella" at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. [Jones, pp. 24–25] They married in early 1884, both aged 19, at St. Mary Abbot's Church, Kensington. Lytton was estranged from his father, who disapproved of his profession and his bride's, and neither family attended the ceremony. [Jones, pp. 30–31]

[
left|thumb|Lytton_as_Gama_in_Princess Ida"] Henri left the Drury Lane to join the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company to play the small role of Ada in the first provincial tour of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Princess Ida", beginning in February 1884, [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/whowaswho/L/LyttonHenryA.htm Biography of Lytton in the "Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte" website] , accessed May 11, 2008] in which Courtice Pounds played Hilarion and Fred Billington played Hildebrand. [Jones, pp. 13 and 32] She obtained an audition for Lytton, claiming that he was her brother, and he was also engaged in the chorus and small parts, and immediately as the understudy for the role of King Gama in "Princess Ida". The "Ida" tour continued for almost a year, and then the couple toured in additional D'Oyly Carte productions, interspersed with other engagements until May 1885. Also, in January 1885, Henri gave birth to the couple's first child, Ida Louise Jones, taking off only a few weeks before returning to the stage.Jones, p. 72]

After this, they joined with other out-of-work actors and travelled from town to town in Surrey for three months, performing a drama called "All of Her", a comedy entitled "Masters and Servants", and an operetta, "Tom Tug the Waterman". The plays were augmented by songs and dances. The income provided by this work was not adequate, and the struggling young actors experienced hunger. [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/books/lytton_secrets/ch2.html Lytton ("Secrets"), chapter 2] , accessed May 8, 2008] In the fall of 1885, Lytton and Henri joined a D'Oyly Carte tour, playing in "Trial by Jury" (with Henri as the Plaintiff), "The Sorcerer", "Patience" and "The Pirates of Penzance". The two then played in the Christmas pantomime of "Cinderella" at the Theatre Royal, Manchester. [Jones, p. 41] In the summer of 1886, Lytton and Henri joined the chorus of "Erminie" and "The Lily of Leoville" by Ivan Caryll and Clement Scott, at the Comedy Theatre, and then toured in "Erminie" into the fall of that year. Whenever out of work, Lytton took more odd jobs, putting his artist training to use part of the time by painting decorative plaques. [Jones, p. 42] At the end of the year, Lytton was engaged in the chorus of "The Mikado", which was nearing the end of its original run at the Savoy Theatre.

Not only did Henri help Lytton get started in the theatre world and nurture his career, but since Lytton was nearly musically illiterate, Henri played the piano for him to prepare him for his roles, as well as coaching him in acting. [http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/h-lytton.html Profile of Lytton at the "Memories of the D'Oyly Carte" website] , accessed May 11, 2008]

Principal comedian on tour: 1887 to 1897

In early 1887, Eric Lewis, who had been understudying George Grossmith in the comic "patter" roles, resigned from the company in frustration that Grossmith had rarely taken ill in three years. Lytton, luckily in the right place at the right time, was appointed understudy, and a week later Grossmith did fall ill, [On 29 January 1887, one week after the opening night of "Ruddygore", Grossmith fell dangerously ill (Lytton wrote that the diagnosis was peritonitis, but sources vary on what the illness was). As reported in "The Times", 2 February 1887, p. 10, col. F: "It is feared that a severe cold, caught on Friday [28 January] , has turned to inflammation." He resumed the role of Robin by 18 February. "The Times", 18 February 1887, p. 12, col. B.] giving Lytton, at the age of 22, the chance to appear as Robin Oakapple for more than two weeks in the original run of "Ruddigore". [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/books/lytton_secrets/ch3.html Lytton ("Secrets"), chapter 3] , accessed May 8, 2008] When Grossmith returned, Lytton returned to the chorus in "Ruddigore". [Jones, p. 49] After his success at the Savoy, Lytton was sent on tour in April 1887 playing Robin and earning good notices. Early in his career, Lytton was credited on stage as "H. A. Henri" (to match Louie Henri's stage name),Parker, J., rev. K. D. Reynolds. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/34658"Lytton, Sir Henry Alfred (1865–1936)",] "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 5 Oct 2008, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/34658] but on this 1887 tour, he changed his stage name to H. A. Lytton at the suggestion of W. S. Gilbert, in memory of Gilbert's old friend Marie Litton and the author-playwright-politician Edward Bulwer-Lytton. [Jones, pp. 52-55]

Lytton continued to serve almost continuously in D'Oyly Carte touring companies as principal comedian until 1897. [Jones, pp. 59-70. [http://library.kent.ac.uk/library/special/html/specoll/BOUCSTR4.HTM This reference states that Lytton played in "Falka" in 1888.] ] On tour, by the end of 1888, Lytton had played several more of the Gilbert and Sullivan principal comic roles. In addition to Robin, he began to play Ko-Ko in "The Mikado", Major-General Stanley in "Pirates", Sir Joseph Porter in "H.M.S. Pinafore", and Jack Point the jester in "The Yeomen of the Guard", which became his favourite role. Unlike Grossmith, who gave the opera a comic ending, Lytton's Jack Point, following the example of George Thorne (another D'Oyly Carte touring artist), died of a broken heart at the end. Carte and Gilbert blessed the departure from Grossmith's interpretation. [Jones, pp. 59-60] In subsequent years, he portrayed these and the other principal comic Gilbert and Sullivan roles played by the D'Oyly Carte touring companies in which he played.

In 1890, Lytton was called to New York City along with other D'Oyly Carte principals, to bolster the weak cast of the original New York production of "The Gondoliers" as the Duke of Plaza-Toro. [ [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/books/lytton_secrets/ch5.html Lytton ("Secrets"), chapter 5] , accessed May 9, 2008] Thereafter, he played the Rev. William Barlow in "The Vicar of Bray", the McCrankie in "Haddon Hall", and Captain Flapper in "Billee Taylor". In late 1893, he added to his repertoire the role of King Paramount in the original touring company of "Utopia, Limited". In 1895, the tour included non-G&S pieces mounted by the company at the Savoy, and Lytton played Bobinet in "Mirette" and Peter Grigg in "The Chieftain". In 1896, he played Ludwig in the first provincial tour of "The Grand Duke. [Jones, pp. 69-70]

Return to London: 1897 to 1908

Lytton was called to the Savoy Theatre in 1897 to play King Ferdinand in a new piece mounted by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, "His Majesty", replacing George Grossmith, who had returned to the stage after many years, only to fail in the role. Walter Passmore had taken over the principal comedian parts in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas at the Savoy Theatre when Grossmith retired. Therefore, when he returned to the Savoy, over the next half dozen years, Lytton played other baritone roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan revivals (except that he did play the Major General in "The Pirates of Penzance" in 1990). These included Wilfred Shadbolt in "Yeomen", Giuseppe in "The Gondoliers", the Learned Judge in "Trial", Dr. Daly in "The Sorcerer", Captain Corcoran in "Pinafore", Archibald Grosvenor in "Patience", and Strephon in "Iolanthe". He also played roles in a number of additional non-Gilbert and Sullivan roles, including Prince Paul in "The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein" (1897-98), Simon Limal in "The Beauty Stone" (1898), Baron Tabasco in "The Lucky Star" (1899), Sultan Mahmoud in "The Rose of Persia" and Charlie Brown in the curtain raiser, "Pretty Polly" (1899-90), Ib's Father in "Ib and Little Christina" (1901), Pat Murphy in "The Emerald Isle" (1901), the Earl of Essex in "Merrie England" (1902), and William Jelf in "A Princess of Kensington" (1903). [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/books/lytton_secrets/notes.html Lytton ("Secrets"), Editorial Notes by Robert Morrison] ]

Lytton was stung financially by two attempts at theatrical management. He and some partners leased the Criterion Theatre in 1899 to produce "The Wild Rabbit", a farce by George Arliss, who later became a famous actor in America. The production opened during a heat wave and played for only three weeks in London (after more successful tryouts out of town), sustaining over £1,000 in losses, a serious loss for Lytton this early in his career. [Jones, p. 89] Later, Lytton bailed out some friends who had run out of money while producing a tour of "Melnotte", an operatic version of the comedy, "The Lady of Lyons". This also lost money. [ [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/books/lytton_secrets/ch8.html Lytton ("Secrets"), chapter 8] ]

Beginning in 1903, Lytton took a four year break from D'Oyly Carte, starring in a number of successful West End musicals, including in the title role in "The Earl and the Girl" (1903-04), as Lieut. Reggie Drummond in "The Talk of the Town" (1905, a Seymour Hicks production), as Lieut. Reginald Armitage in "The White Chrysanthemum" (1905), as Boniface in "The Spring Chicken" (1905), as Aristide in "The Little Michus" (1905), as Captain Flapper in "Billee Taylor" (revival, c. 1906), as the Hon. Jack Hylton in "My Darling" (1907, also a Hicks production), and in the title role in "The Amateur Raffles" (1907) Lytton performed in music hall between these engagements, performing in comic sketches with Connie Ediss for a time. [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/books/lytton_secrets/ch6.html Lytton ("Secrets"), chapter 6] , accessed May 9, 2008]

He also returned to the Savoy Theatre, during this period, for some guest appearances and appeared in the D'Oyly Carte repertory seasons in 1907 and 1908-09. His roles there were the title role in "The Mikado", Dick Deadeye in "Pinafore", Strephon in "Iolanthe", the Pirate King in "Pirates", 'Giuseppe in "The Gondoliers", and briefly, Ko-Ko in "The Mikado" and Sir Joseph in "Pinafore". He also wrote lyrics for a number of operettas, including "Knights of the Road", with a book by Richard Turpin and music by Alexander Mackenzie, which played at the Palace Theatre.

Years as principal comedian

In 1909, Lytton joined the D'Oyly Carte Principal Repertory Opera Company on tour – this time as principal comedian, replacing Charles R. Walenn. From 1909 until 1934, Lytton served the D'Oyly Carte organisation as principal comedian. [Fortunately for Lytton, C. H. Workman was banned by Gilbert, around this time, from playing in any further Gilbert and Sullivan operas in Britain. See Morrison, Robert. [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/other_gilbert/fallen_fairies/article.html "The Controversy Surrounding Gilbert's Last Opera",] The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive. It is likely that, otherwise, Workman would have continued as principal comedian at the Savoy. See Murray, Roderick. "A review of "Lytton – Gilbert and Sullivan's Jester" by Brian Jones" in "The Gaiety" (Summer, 2006)] During his tenure with the company, he played an unparalleled range of roles, including Counsel and the Learned Judge in "Trial by Jury", Dr. Daly and John Wellington Wells in "The Sorcerer", Captain Corcoran, Dick Deadeye, and Sir Joseph Porter in "H.M.S. Pinafore", the Pirate King and Major-General Stanley in "Pirates", Bunthorne and Grosvenor in "Patience", Strephon and the Lord Chancellor in "Iolanthe", King Gama in "Princess Ida", Ko-Ko and The Mikado in "The Mikado", Robin in "Ruddigore", Jack Point and Wilfred Shadbolt in "The Yeomen of the Guard", Giuseppe and the Duke of Plaza-Toro in "The Gondoliers", King Paramount in "Utopia Limited", and Ludwig in "The Grand Duke".

[
left|thumb|Lytton_as_Major-General_Stanley_from_The Pirates of Penzance"] Although Lytton had played lyric baritone roles in his earlier years, by the 1920s his voice had deteriorated to the point that he was not included in most of the D'Oyly Carte recordings of the period. As "The Times" noted in its 20 September 1926 review of the refurbished Mikado production, Lytton "shows more respect for Gilbert's words than for Sullivan's notes, though he still manages to give the gist even of the latter." Lytton was knighted in 1930, the only person to receive the accolade for achievements as a Gilbert and Sullivan performer.

In 1931, Lytton was injured in a car accident in which D'Oyly Carte principal contralto Bertha Lewis was killed. Martyn Green, his understudy and eventual successor, took over Lytton's roles until Lytton's return a few months later. Lytton's final appearance with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company was at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, in June 1934, as Jack Point in "The Yeomen of the Guard", and he made his final stage appearance as the Emperor of China in "Aladdin" in the Birmingham Prince of Wales Theatre's Christmas season of pantomime in 1934–35.

Lytton died at his home in Earls Court, London, survived by Lady Lytton (neé Louie Henri), who died in 1947, by two sons, including Henry Lytton, Jr., whose high profile marriage to Jessie Matthews in 1925 ended in divorce in 1930, and two daughters, including, Ena Elverstone. Another son was killed in February 1918 while serving in the Royal Flying Corps and two others died in infancy. Lytton and Henri had lost a son in World War I, who served as a pilot, and two more died in infancy.

Recordings

He made many recordings between 1901 and 1905, including songs from "The Sorcerer", "Iolanthe", "Merrie England", "A Princess of Kensington", "A Country Girl", "The Toreador", "The Earl and the Girl" (his recording of "My Cosy Corner Girl" from this musical was a big success) and many others. [Jones, p. 96] By the time HMV began using D'Oyly Carte principals in its recordings of the Savoy Operas, however, Lytton’s voice was not thought suitable for the gramophone. Of the many HMV recordings issued in the inter-war years, he was included in only "Princess Ida" in 1924 (acoustic) and 1932 (electrical), "The Mikado" in 1926, "The Gondoliers" in 1927, and "H.M.S. Pinafore" in 1930. He also sang Ko-Ko in a 1926 BBC radio broadcast of "The Mikado" and appeared in the same role in a four-minute long silent promotional film made of the D'Oyly Carte organisation in 1926. On most of the other recordings of the period, George Baker replaced him.

A photograph of Lytton and D'Oyly Carte colleagues with the huge recording horn used in the acoustic recording process can be seen [http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/ida1924.htm here] .

Notes

References

*
* Introduction by Martyn Green.
*cite book|last=Jones|first=Brian|year=2005|title=Lytton, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Jester|location=London|publisher=Trafford Publishing ISBN 1-4120-5482-6
*cite book|last=Lytton|first=Henry|year=1922|title=Secrets of a Savoyard|location=London|publisher=Jarrolds This book is available online [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/books/lytton_secrets/index.html here.]
*cite book|last=Lytton|first=Henry|year=1933|title=A Wandering Minstrel|location=London|publisher=Jarrolds
*cite book|last=Parker|first=John (ed.)|year=1936|title=Who's Who in the Theatre, 8th edn|location=London|publisher= *"The Times" obituary, 17 August 1936
*"Daily Telegraph" obituary 17 August 1936

External links

* [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/whowaswho/L/LyttonHenryA.htm Henry Lytton at "Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte]
* [http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/artist/lytton_farewell.htm Henry Lytton's Farewell at The Gilbert & Sullivan Discography]
* [http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/h-lytton.html Profile of Lytton]
* [http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/artist/lytton_farewell.htm#broadcast Articles regarding Lytton's farewell from the stage]