Edwin Jesse "E. J." Lonnen (1860 â€" 31 October 1901) was an English
actor, comedian and singer known for his performances in musical
burlesques, operettas and musical comedies, particularly at the Gaiety
Theatre, London at the end of the Victorian era.Lonnen began acting as
a child in pantomime and other theatre in the British provinces. He
made his London debut in 1885 and appeared in several of the famous
Gaiety burlesques from 1887 to 1891. He starred in such other major
works as Little Christopher Columbus (1893), Baron Golosh (1895) and
The Messenger Boy (1900) before dying at the age of 41.Lonnen was born
in Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire into a theatrical family. His father
William Rooles Lonnen (1833â€"1890) was an actor-manager, well known
in the provinces under his stage name, Champion. Lonnen appeared in
his father's productions from an early age. "I have a distinct
recollection of playing a speaking part in a pantomime when I was five
years old. I have been the baby in East Lynne; Prince Arthur â€" in
fact I have played the whole round of juvenile parts." As a teenager,
Lonnen acted for Harry Wright's "booth" company of travelling players,
and shortly before he was 20, he was engaged to appear with Barry
Sullivan, and then with Edward Terry playing Tootles in Weak Woman and
the Dougal Creature in Robbing Roy. He made a hit in a Liverpool
pantomime with Frank Emery, who engaged him for his burlesque company
for a provincial tour that brought him to wider attention.
actor, comedian and singer known for his performances in musical
burlesques, operettas and musical comedies, particularly at the Gaiety
Theatre, London at the end of the Victorian era.Lonnen began acting as
a child in pantomime and other theatre in the British provinces. He
made his London debut in 1885 and appeared in several of the famous
Gaiety burlesques from 1887 to 1891. He starred in such other major
works as Little Christopher Columbus (1893), Baron Golosh (1895) and
The Messenger Boy (1900) before dying at the age of 41.Lonnen was born
in Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire into a theatrical family. His father
William Rooles Lonnen (1833â€"1890) was an actor-manager, well known
in the provinces under his stage name, Champion. Lonnen appeared in
his father's productions from an early age. "I have a distinct
recollection of playing a speaking part in a pantomime when I was five
years old. I have been the baby in East Lynne; Prince Arthur â€" in
fact I have played the whole round of juvenile parts." As a teenager,
Lonnen acted for Harry Wright's "booth" company of travelling players,
and shortly before he was 20, he was engaged to appear with Barry
Sullivan, and then with Edward Terry playing Tootles in Weak Woman and
the Dougal Creature in Robbing Roy. He made a hit in a Liverpool
pantomime with Frank Emery, who engaged him for his burlesque company
for a provincial tour that brought him to wider attention.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.