Wallace Brownlow

Wallace Brownlow (died September 1919) was an opera singer of the Victorian era best known for baritone roles in the operas of Gilbert and Sullivan.

D'Oyly Carte Opera Company

Brownlow joined a D'Oyly Carte Opera Company touring company in 1884 and was assigned to the chorus. He travelled to the United States in 1885 in the chorus of "The Mikado" with D'Oyly Carte's first American "Mikado" company in New York City and Boston. He next toured Germany and Austria with D'Oyly Carte in 1886. During this tour, Brownlow appeared as the Foreman of the Jury in "Trial by Jury", his first principal role. He first appeared at the Savoy Theatre in London in the chorus in the original 1887 production of "Ruddygore". As the understudy to Richard Temple, Brownlow played the character of Sir Roderick Murgatroyd in August 1887.

Brownlow continued in the chorus at the Savoy Theatre during the first London revivals of "H.M.S. Pinafore", "The Pirates of Penzance", and "The Mikado". A one-act comic opera, "Mrs. Jarramie's Genie", written by Frank Desprez and composed by Alfred Cellier and his brother Francois was the curtain raiser for these revivals, and Brownlow appeared as the retired upholsterer, Harrington Jarramie.

in 1892. [cite book
title=A Dictionary of the Drama
author=William Davenport Adams
year=1904
publisher=Chatto & Windus
isbn=
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=1UM5AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=%22wallace+brownlow%22&source=web&ots=mOpHXEc7Wv&sig=GJjG62Wm2v4Uut3gsWgaOQOi-wI]

Australia, U.S., and later years

". [cite book
title=Leslie Stuart
author=Andrew Lamb
year=2002
publisher=Routledge
isbn=0415937477
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=arsbsDewXqIC&pg=PA114&lpg=PA114&dq=%22wallace+brownlow%22&source=web&ots=HWJDHFfgsa&sig=6LNYP65DMs6flmvevBf5_HnKqPM] He also played the title role in "The Mikado" and in "A Trip to Chinatown". [ [http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=HNS19000115.2.8&cl=&srpos=0&st=1&e=-------en--1----0-all Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXVX, Issue 5088, 15 January 1900, Page 2] ] In 1902, Brownlow was injured by falling through a door and recovered substantial damages. [ [http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=HNS19020327.2.32.11&cl=&srpos=0&st=1&e=-------en--1----0-all Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7422, 27 March 1902, Page 3] ]

Brownlow's alcoholism contributed to his failure in a venture managing a hotel in Western Australia. Stewart wrote in her memoirs [ Nellie Stewart, "My Life's Story," John Sands, Sydney, (1923)] of Brownlow's great success with Australian audiences, the "ease and grace and dash" that he brought to his roles, his huge popularity with the women who pursued him, and of his weakness for alcohol that led to his unhappy end.

Brownlow then went to the United States, where he appeared in several Broadway productions of comic operas, including "Love's Lottery" in 1904, appearing as Sergeant Bob Trivet, [ [http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?id=33413 Information about Brownlow in "Love's Lottery"] ] "Girofle-Girsofla" from January to February 1905, and in "Boccaccio" in March 1905. [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/whowaswho/B/BrownlowWallace.htm Information from the WhoWasWho in the D'Oyly Carte website] ] Later, theatrical manager Hugh McIntosh found Brownlow in California, where he had gone to act in silent films, [imdb name|0115247|Wallace Brownlow] including the 1913 movie "The Hoyden's Awakening", now living in dereliction, and brought him back to Australia under contract, but he soon "lapsed into his old habit."

While living in Australia, Brownlow wrote the lyrics for several songs, including those to the ballad "Without Thy Love", the music to which was written by fellow D'Oyly Carte artiste Charles Kenningham.

Brownlow died in Melbourne, Australia in September 1919.

Notes

External links

*imdb name|0115247|Wallace Brownlow on the Internet Movie Database
* [http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?id=33413 Brownlow] on the Internet Broadway Database
* [http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/artist-b.html Brownlow at the "Memories of the D'Oyly Carte" website, with a link to photos]
* [http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:VxVyehK08gYJ:www.musicaustralia.org/apps/MA%3Ffunction%3DsearchResults%26term1%3DBrownlow,%2520Wallace.%26scope%3Dscope%26parameter1%3Dphrase%26location1%3DAnywhere+wallace+brownlow&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=12&gl=uk Brownlow on Music Australia]
* [http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/sayrepublic&CISOPTR=7183&REC=17 1909 photo of Brownlow]