Frank Thornton (Savoyard)

: "This article is about the 19th-century Savoyard. For the English television actor, see Frank Thornton."

Frank Thornton (1845-December 18, 1918) was an English actor, comedian, and stage manager.

Life and career

Early in his career, Thornton gave evening entertainments in the London suburbs, while working during the day at a merchant's office in the city. He first appeared on stage as the Jury Foreman in a non-D'Oyly Carte production of "Trial by Jury". He joined Richard D'Oyly Carte's company at the Opera Comique, appearing during the original run of "The Sorcerer" (1877) as "the oldest inhabitant" of the village of Ploverleigh. For the first run of "H.M.S. Pinafore" (1878), he understudied both George Grossmith (as Sir Joseph Porter) and Richard Temple (as Dick Deadeye), on occasion substituting for the latter. During the run of "Pinafore", he also appeared briefly in a pair of companion pieces, "Cups and Saucers" and "After All!". Following this, Thornton played in the curtain raiser "In the Sulks". He also filled in for a time for both Grossmith and George Temple during the run of "The Pirates of Penzance".

Thornton created the small role of Major Murgatroyd in "Patience" (1881). He also filled in for Grossmith as Reginald Bunthorne, and appeared for a time in the curtain raiser "Uncle Samuel". Thornton was still Grossmith's understudy for the first run of "Iolanthe", but was given the role of Lord Chancellor when the production went on tour in 1883, also serving as stage manager for the touring company. He continued as stage manager in 1884 for the first American performances of "Princess Ida".

In 1885, Thornton traveled to Australia with the farce "The Private Secretary", whose rights he had obtained. This was an adaptation from the German by William Gillette. He also appeared in prductions "Charley's Aunt". The tour lasted fifteen months, with appearances in Sydney and Melbourne (where he appeared as the Lord Chancellor and as John Wellington Wells in the first Australian production of "The Sorcerer" in 1886 and as the Learned Judge in "Trial"). Thornton also stage managed and played a role in a successful Australian tour of Alfred Cellier's "Dorothy" later that year. Thornton returned to Australia on tour from 1888 to 1890 in "The Private Secretary" and shows like "Sweet Lavender", by Arthur Wing Pinero and Sydney Grundy's "Mamma".

In June 1891 Thornton created the role of Pyjama, the Grand Vizier, in "The Nautch Girl" for D'Oyly Carte. After this closed, he toured with the company in "The Vicar of Bray", leaving the company for good in 1892. Thornton later appeared in "La Rosiere" (1893) and "The Sin of St. Hulda" (1896), and produced "Facing the Music" (1900), among other productions until as late as 1910.

Thornton died in 1918.

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/T/ThorntonFrank.htm Brief bio]
* [http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~melbear/1886.htm Information about Thornton and his first Australia tour]
* [http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~melbear/1885.htm Information about "The Private Secretary"]
* [http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~melbear/1889.htm Information about Thornton's performances in 1889]
* [http://www.c20th.com/GSarchive.htm Lisings in programmes for several British performances by Thornton]