Robert Courtneidge

Robert Courtneidge (June 29 1859 – April 6 1939), was a British theatrical manager-producer and playwright. He is best remembered as the writer of "Tom Jones" (1907) and the producer of "The Arcadians" (1909).

Life and career

Courtneidge was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He was the father of actress Cicely Courtneidge.

Early career

Courtneidge appeared as an amateur actor in his native Scotland, moving on to supporting roles in musical theatre at Prince's Theatre, Manchester, with the Charles Dillon and Barry Sullivan companies. He later toured with Kate Santley in her "Vetah" (1886). In 1892 he toured Australia, playing comic roles in the Gaiety company's burlesques, "Carmen up to Data", [ [http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Archive/August/prog1detail1.htm Program for "Carmen up to Data"] ] "Faust up to Date", "Miss Esmeralda" and "Joan of Arc". He stayed in Australia to play in the 1893–94 season with J. C. Williamson, Garner and Musgrove's productions of "La Mascotte", "Paul Jones" and in pantomimes. His other roles as a musical performer included Pepin in the British production of Coedes's "Girouette" (1889) and Major Styx in the Scots musical "Pim Pom".

In 1896 Courtneidge became manager of the Prince's Theatre (Manchester). In 1898, he produced the successful George Dance and Carl Kiefert musical "The Gay Grisette", which led him to a directing assignment for George Edwardes's production of Ivan Caryll's operetta, "The Duchess of Dantzic" and then to an extended career as a producer-director beginning in 1904 with "The Blue Moon". This was followed by the successful "The Dairymaids" (1906) and "Tom Jones" (1907). Courtneidge made several trips to the United States before World War I to purchase American musicals which had successful theatrical runs and to hire American talent. He then repackaged them for the British stage, especially for the theatre he owned, the Shaftesbury Theatre. "The Arcadians " (1909) was an American musical he successfully brought to England which had a 2-year run and starred his daughter Cicely.

Later years

"The Mousmé" (1911), was less successful, but an English version of Leo Fall's "Der liebe Augustin", staged as "Princess Caprice" (1912) and Ivan Caryll's American musical "Oh! Oh! Delphine" (1913) were both successes. The musical comedy "The Pearl Girl" (1913) was another disappointment, and his hit production of the German musical "The Cinema Star" (1914), a version of Jean Gilbert's "Die Kino-Königin", was forced to close because of the beginning of World War I. His next shows, "My Lady Frayle" (1916) and "The Light Blues" (1916, which included a young Noel Coward in its cast) both flopped, and the patriotic operetta "Young England" was only a modest success. Cicely appeared in most of these.

Courtneidge next produced less expensive extravaganzas in the provinces, including "Oh, Caesar!" "Petticoat Fair", "Fancy Fair" (the last two of which he wrote) and "Too Many Girls". He directed the hit musical "The Boy" at the Adelphi Theatre. After producing a few more London failures, Courtneidge returned to producing provincial tours, including the old-fashioned "Gabrielle" (1921), which was successful for several years, and "The Little Duchess" and "Lavender", which were less so. Other London operettas were Albert Szirmai's "Princess Charming" (1926), Franz Lehar's "The Blue Mazurka" (1927) and "The Damask Rose" (1930) with Chopin music.

Courtneidge was often credited as a co-author of the works that he produced, but he often contributed only what was needed to allow him to claim an interest in the copyright and royalties of the pieces in question.

A socialist, Courtneidge often gave opportunities to socialist authors, notably Alexander M. Thompson, and he is said to have been the first producer to pay chorus members for rehearsals and to give his casts holidays with pay.

Courtneidge died in Brighton, England at the age of 79.

References

*Courtneidge, Robert, Autobiography: "I Was an Actor Once" (Hutchinson, London, 1930)
* [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/british/authors/courtneidge.html Profile of Courtneidge]

External links

* [http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=8360 Robert Courtneidge] at the IBDB database
* [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/stage2/produce/arcad/th-arcad.html Information about "The Arcadians" and Courtneidge]