Percy Greenbank

Percy Greenbank (24 January 1878 -- 9 December 1968) was an English lyricist, best known for his contribution of lyrics to a number of successful musical comedies around the turn of the 20th Century.

Life and career

Greenbank was born in London and died in Rickmansworth. He was Harry Greenbank's younger brother. Percy studied law, but instead decided to become a journalist, contributing to such journals as "Punch", "The Sketch" and "The Tatler", and to write for the theatre.

After Harry's death, George Edwardes asked the younger Greenbank to collaborate with Adrian Ross on the lyrics for "The Messenger Boy" and also interpolated two of his lyrics into "San Toy" when that score was revised ("Somebody" and "All I Want is a Little Bit of Fun"). He began to collaborate with composers Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton, as well as with Ross and the deviser of the Gaiety show plots and outlines, James T. Tanner.

For the remaining 14 years of the Edwardes era Greenbank worked at the Gaiety Theatre, London, Daly's Theatre and later the Adelphi Theatre, contributing sometimes much and sometimes only a few lyrics to most of Edwardes's shows, including hits like "The Toreador" (1901), "A Country Girl" (1902), "The Orchid" (1903), "The Earl and the Girl" (1903), "Lady Madcap" (1904), "Véronique" (1904), "The Cingalee" (1904), "The Little Michus" (1905), "The Spring Chicken" (1905), "The Girl Behind the Counter" (1906), "The New Aladdin" (1906), "Our Miss Gibbs" (1909), "The Quaker Girl" (1910) and "The Girl From Utah" (1913). During this time, he also produced shows at other theatres, such as "Three Little Maids" (1902), "My Lady Molly" (1902), "The Blue Moon" (1904), "Lady Madcap" (1904), "See-See" (1906), "Princess Caprice" (1912) and "To-Night's the Night" (opening in New York in 1914).

After Edwardes' death in 1915, Greenbank continued for a further decade to supply lyrics and occasionally libretti to the musical stage, including such successful shows as "The Boy" (1917), only rarely venturing into the world of revue ("Half Past Eight" and "Vanity Fair"). His last major work for the West End was the adaptation from the German of what was to become the book to the Jean Gilbert and Vernon Duke musical "Yvonne". He subsequently did occasional work as a play doctor ("El Dorado") or an adapter through the 1920s. He modernized "San Toy" with Percy Barrow for its 1931 revival, but slowed down into a long retirement.

Greenbank died at the age of 90, and as a result, the Edwardian musical comedies to which he contributed remain in copyright well into the 21st century.

References

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External links

* [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/british/authors/greenbank_p.html Profile of Greenbank and list of works at the British Musical Theatre website]
* [http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?id=8096 Percy Greenbank at the IBDB database]
* [http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwidb/people/Percy_Greenbank/ Links to many Greenbank shows including lyrics and other information]
* [http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital_dev/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=182342&imageID=G99C151_001&parent_id=446130&word=&snum=&s=&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=0&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&total=28&num=0&imgs=20&hex=&pNum=&pos=8 Sheet music from "The Girl from Utah"]