John Norman Hulbert (24 April 1892 â€" 25 March 1978) was a British
actor, director, screenwriter and singer, specializing primarily in
comedy productions, and often working alongside his wife (Dame) Cicely
Courtneidge.Born in Ely, Cambridgeshire, he was the elder and more
successful son of Henry Harper Hulbert, a physician, being the brother
of the actor Claude Hulbert. He was educated at Westminster School and
Caius College, Cambridge and appeared in many shows and revues, mainly
with the Cambridge Footlights. He was one of the earliest famous
alumni of the comedy club.After Cambridge, he earned recognition and
fame performing in musicals and light comedies. However the First
World War delayed his rise to fame; on 14 February 1916, while still
an actor, he married Cicely Courtneidge, the daughter of Robert
Courtneidge, a theatrical manager, in Hampstead. On 2 March, the
Military Service Act 1916 came into force and Hulbert was expecting to
be conscripted into the army for the remainder of the conflict.
However, he appears to have been exempted. In June 1916, Hulbert and
Courtneidge were appearing together in a sketch called “A Lucky
Mistake†, and in December 1916 he was appearing at the Comedy Revue
in “See-Saw†. In May 1917, he opened at the Comedy in
“Bubbly†, and the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News commented
that “Mr. Jack Hulbert, Miss Winnie Melville, and Miss Irene
Greville also stay on at this same munition factory for high
explosives of laughter†. After the war, Hulbert continued his career
in the theatre.
actor, director, screenwriter and singer, specializing primarily in
comedy productions, and often working alongside his wife (Dame) Cicely
Courtneidge.Born in Ely, Cambridgeshire, he was the elder and more
successful son of Henry Harper Hulbert, a physician, being the brother
of the actor Claude Hulbert. He was educated at Westminster School and
Caius College, Cambridge and appeared in many shows and revues, mainly
with the Cambridge Footlights. He was one of the earliest famous
alumni of the comedy club.After Cambridge, he earned recognition and
fame performing in musicals and light comedies. However the First
World War delayed his rise to fame; on 14 February 1916, while still
an actor, he married Cicely Courtneidge, the daughter of Robert
Courtneidge, a theatrical manager, in Hampstead. On 2 March, the
Military Service Act 1916 came into force and Hulbert was expecting to
be conscripted into the army for the remainder of the conflict.
However, he appears to have been exempted. In June 1916, Hulbert and
Courtneidge were appearing together in a sketch called “A Lucky
Mistake†, and in December 1916 he was appearing at the Comedy Revue
in “See-Saw†. In May 1917, he opened at the Comedy in
“Bubbly†, and the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News commented
that “Mr. Jack Hulbert, Miss Winnie Melville, and Miss Irene
Greville also stay on at this same munition factory for high
explosives of laughter†. After the war, Hulbert continued his career
in the theatre.
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