- Leo Sheffield
.
Life and career
Leo Sheffield was born in Malton,
Yorkshire . His real surname was Wilson. Sheffield was married to D'Oyly Carte Opera Company chorister Dorothy Gates. Two of his brothers, Thorpe Sheffield and Wilson Sheffield, appeared with D'Oyly Carte in the 1890s. He died inKingsbury ,London .Early career
Sheffield joined D'Oyly Carte in 1906, appearing as Second Yeoman and then Lieutenant of the Tower in "
The Yeomen of the Guard ", and Annibale and then Luiz in "The Gondoliers ".From 1907–09, he toured with D'Oyly Carte, playing the Counsel for the Plaintiff in "
Trial by Jury ", Boatswain in "H.M.S. Pinafore ", Samuel in "The Pirates of Penzance ", Archibald Grosvenor in "Patience", Strephon in "Iolanthe ", Arac in "Princess Ida ", Pish-Tush in "The Mikado ", Sergeant Meryll in "Yeomen", and Luiz in "The Gondoliers", and in London playing Private Willis in "Iolanthe", Samuel, the Lieutenant, Luiz, Owen Rhys in the companion piece "A Welsh Sunset ", Pish-Tush, and Boatswain.Sheffield left the D'Oyly Carte organization in 1909, soon appearing at the
Savoy Theatre as the original Sir Phyllon in Gilbert andEdward German 's "Fallen Fairies ". He then spent the next several years touring in a number of musicals, including "The Chocolate Soldier ", and "The Girl in the Taxi ". He also appeared in London as Feste in "Twelfth Night ", in 1913, before rejoining D'Oyly Carte in 1915.Principal baritone and later career
From 1915 to 1928, Sheffield was the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company's principal baritone, appearing as the Learned Judge in "Trial", Doctor Daly in "
The Sorcerer ", first Dick Deadeye and then Captain Corcoran in "Pinafore", the Sergeant of Police in "Pirates", Grosvenor in "Patience", Willis and sometimes Strephon in "Iolanthe", King Hildebrand and sometimes Florian in "Princess Ida", Pooh-Bah in "The Mikado ", Sir Despard Murgatroyd in "Ruddigore ", Wilfred Shadbolt in "Yeomen", and Don Alhambra in "The Gondoliers". Sheffield left D'Oyly Carte briefly in 1928, appearing in 1929 in "The Lady and the Rose", and returning later that year to play his old roles through the end of the London season at the Savoy. He then left the D'Oyly Carte organization permanently.Sheffield appeared regularly in London and on tour throughout the 1930s, also making several films during the decade. His last role in London was Popoff in "
The Chocolate Soldier " in 1940. He later toured in "The Beggar's Opera " in 1941, served withEntertainments National Service Association in 1942, and toured in "The Chocolate Soldier" and "Blossom Time " in 1943. In 1944 Sheffield played Sir Lester Deadlock in a serialization of "Bleak House " for theBBC , and in 1945 he toured in "Naughty Marietta", "The Gypsy Baron ", and "The Melody of Love". In 1947 he appeared as himself and as Pooh-Bah in the original radio biography, "Gilbert and Sullivan " written by Leslie Baily.Recordings
With the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, Sheffield recorded the Learned Judge (1928), the Sergeant of Police (1929), King Hildebrand (1925), Pooh-Bah (1927), Sir Despard (1924), Wilfred Shadbolt (1929), and Don Alhambra (1927). He participated in a 1926 BBC radio broadcast of "The Mikado", and as Pooh-Bah in a four minute promotional silent film made to publicize the new production of "The Mikado" in 1926. A photograph of Sheffield 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] .
Films
Sheffield also appeared in a number of films in the 1930s, including "Lord Richard in the Pantry" (1930), as Carter; "Compromising Daphne" (1930), as Mr. Bannister; "Rodney Steps In" (1931), as Tapper; "High Society" (1932), as Lord Halkirk; "Falling for You" (1933), as The Butler; and others.
References
*cite book|last=Ayre|first=Leslie|year=1972|title=The Gilbert & Sullivan Companion|location=London|publisher=W.H. Allen & Co Ltd Introduction by
Martyn Green .External links
* [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/whowaswho/S/SheffieldLeo.htm Leo Sheffield] at Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte
* [http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/l-sheffield.html Profile of Sheffield]
*imdb name|id=0790793|name=Leo Sheffield
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