Sir Henry Lytton, né Henry Alfred Jones (3 January 1865 â€" 15 August
1936), was an English actor and singer who was the leading exponent of
the comic patter-baritone roles in Gilbert and Sullivan operas from
1909 to 1934. He also starred in musical comedies. His career with the
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company spanned 50 years, and he is the only person
ever knighted for achievements as a Gilbert and Sullivan
performer.Lytton was born in London; he studied there with a painter
but then went on the stage in defiance of his family's wishes. At the
age of 19 he married Louie Henri, an actress and singer who helped him
gain a place in a D'Oyly Carte touring company in 1884. After briefly
playing in other companies, he and his wife rejoined D'Oyly Carte. He
had an early breakthrough in 1887 when the Savoy Theatre star George
Grossmith fell ill, and the 22-year-old Lytton went on for him in
Ruddigore. Lytton starred in D'Oyly Carte touring companies from 1887
to 1897, playing mostly the comic patter roles in the Gilbert and
Sullivan (and other) operas. From 1897 to 1903 he appeared with the
company continuously at the Savoy Theatre, playing a range of baritone
parts, from romantic leads to character parts in new operas and
revivals. During this time a brief and costly attempt at theatrical
production in London led to him abandoning thoughts of being an
impresario.The D'Oyly Carte company left the Savoy Theatre in 1903,
and Lytton appeared in half a dozen West End musical comedies over the
next four years, including The Earl and the Girl, The Spring Chicken
and The Little Michus. He also wrote for, and performed in, music hall
and wrote a libretto. During the two D'Oyly Carte repertory seasons at
the Savoy between 1906 and 1909, Lytton rejoined the company, again
playing a variety of roles, but mostly not the patter roles. Beginning
in 1909, and continuously to 1934, he was the principal comedian of
the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in London and on tour.
1936), was an English actor and singer who was the leading exponent of
the comic patter-baritone roles in Gilbert and Sullivan operas from
1909 to 1934. He also starred in musical comedies. His career with the
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company spanned 50 years, and he is the only person
ever knighted for achievements as a Gilbert and Sullivan
performer.Lytton was born in London; he studied there with a painter
but then went on the stage in defiance of his family's wishes. At the
age of 19 he married Louie Henri, an actress and singer who helped him
gain a place in a D'Oyly Carte touring company in 1884. After briefly
playing in other companies, he and his wife rejoined D'Oyly Carte. He
had an early breakthrough in 1887 when the Savoy Theatre star George
Grossmith fell ill, and the 22-year-old Lytton went on for him in
Ruddigore. Lytton starred in D'Oyly Carte touring companies from 1887
to 1897, playing mostly the comic patter roles in the Gilbert and
Sullivan (and other) operas. From 1897 to 1903 he appeared with the
company continuously at the Savoy Theatre, playing a range of baritone
parts, from romantic leads to character parts in new operas and
revivals. During this time a brief and costly attempt at theatrical
production in London led to him abandoning thoughts of being an
impresario.The D'Oyly Carte company left the Savoy Theatre in 1903,
and Lytton appeared in half a dozen West End musical comedies over the
next four years, including The Earl and the Girl, The Spring Chicken
and The Little Michus. He also wrote for, and performed in, music hall
and wrote a libretto. During the two D'Oyly Carte repertory seasons at
the Savoy between 1906 and 1909, Lytton rejoined the company, again
playing a variety of roles, but mostly not the patter roles. Beginning
in 1909, and continuously to 1934, he was the principal comedian of
the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in London and on tour.
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