Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-04-18
Byron the DrninatIst,

Henry byron, the famous English dram
atist, who died on Sunday, was born in
Manchester in 1884, and came of the same
stock as Byron the poet. AT the age of 1S,
he went on the stage, let it because of
family objection, tried medicine, failed and
then, while thinking whether it was best for
him to go to the bar or enter the church. had
the good fortune to have piece which he
had "scrihbled off" accepted As he had
thrown 'physic to the dogs so he buried
Blackstone and clerical garments and became
a playwright. The burosque of ERA Di-
avolo," which Mrs. Scarborough had
brought cut, proved great success, aud his
many day. He also wrote bur-
lesques for the Adelphi and the Olympic,
and pantomime for Drury Lane
all of which were pecuniarily and profes-
sionally successful. Not satisfied, however.
with the success he had attained in dramatic
authorship, Byron aspired to be manager,
and, in company with the lady who is now
Mrs. Bancroft, he opened a since famous
theatre, from which the lady, who was
Marie Wilton, retired about three years ago.
The little theatre off Tottenham Court road
was then known as the Queens, but, by
special authority of his royal hghness, it
was renamed the Prince of Waes's Mr.. BY
ron's London seasons were great successes,
and Melted him good deal of money. But
he wanted to run more than one place Of
amusement. He went to Liverpool, under
took to answer for the three PRINCIPAL
theatres failed after hard struggle, and
came out of the venture without dollar in
pocket or in bank, Penness he returned to
London and straightway wrote three new
pieces, all of which are well known in
America. These were, elbow for Blow"
"The Lancashire Lass and Clearer than
Life While these were bringing him IN
money he determined to make his reap
pearancc on the stage, and so wrote "Not
Such Fool as lie Looks" with the charac.
ter of Sir Simon Simple especially cast for
himself. This was first produced in Man
chester, and subsequently at Liverpool,
where Sothern saw it, and, fancying the
leading character, arranged with Byron to
make it his own. But SOthern didn't do
well in it, and Byron declining to make GER
tain alterations suggested by Dundreary, the
character reverted to the author and has
since been played nearly thousand times.
But all that Byron wrote during an indus
trieus life was eclipsed by the success Of "Our
Boys" This was the most popular comedy,
so far as popularity can he measured by the
run of play, ever produced in England or,
probably, in any other cou ltry The annals
of the stage might be cOnsnltcdin vain for an
example of such a success as Byrons "Our
Boys" obtained. Perhaps no piece ever
written brought SO much money to the first
Adventures as this one has done. To the
fortunate individual who secured the privi-
ege of playing Our Boys" out of London,
the piece brought at least 100000.
Beside his dramatic work, Mr. Byron at
one time edited Fun, contributed to Punch,
and wrote numerous dramatic criticisms and
leading articles. He also wrote "Paid in
Full" and one other novel. 1t is said that
he brought out the late T. W. Robertson us
a dramatic writer, and that he was the frs
to discover W. S. Glibert's talent in that
direction.