461:
288:
380:
22:
336:. Rudolph de Cordova, in a 1909 biographical sketch notes, "During this period, few theatres played regular afternoon performances, so that the actors were, for the most part, engaged only in the evening. Many matinees were, however, given to introduce new plays and new players; and in this way Mr. Waller acted a large number of new parts, all of an ephemeral character." In particular he played several
128:
53:'s companies from 1883, Waller became known, by the late 1880s, for romantic leads, both in Shakespeare and in popular costume dramas of the Victorian and Edwardian eras. He attracted a large number of female admirers, who formed themselves into a vocal and conspicuous fan club. He also tried his hand at management of tours in 1885 and 1893 and then became an
500:
praised Waller for "his good looks his virile acting and his vibrant voice" which "rang through the theatre like a bell and stirred like a trumpet". Waller had a large following of enthusiastic women fans, who formed a club known as the K.O.W. Brigade. Pearson lamented, "the puerile nature of the
472:
After leaving Tree's company, Waller returned to management, and remained an actor-manager for the rest of his career. Although he loved playing
Shakespeare, adding the roles of Romeo, Othello and Henry V to his repertoire, for commercial reasons he was best known as the star of swashbuckling
376:. The ODNB comments that Archer was "delighted that an established West End actor had contributed to the Ibsen revival but was aware that Waller could overcome neither the plays' inadequate rehearsal period nor his background of florid West End performances."
501:
plays he usually put on, and the adolescent behaviour of his female admirers, prevented many people from appreciating his superb gift as a declaimer of
Shakespeare's rhetoric, and frequently exposed him to ridicule."
119:
in south west London, after which, intending to pursue a commercial career, he studied languages on the continent. From 1879 to 1883 he was a clerk in a London firm owned by his uncle. In 1882 he married
430:
Waller remained with Tree for three years, playing a wide range of roles, including romantic leads in popular costume dramas and, in Tree's lavish
Shakespeare productions, Laertes in
179:. He remained in Toole's company for a year, playing light comedy and juvenile parts. He joined a touring company, playing the central role, the blind Gilbert Vaughan, in
61:
in the mid-1890s. After the turn of the century, he returned to management, and remained an actor-manager for the rest of his career, both in London and on tour.
649:
401:
called it "a tolerable travelling company in which nobody gains great distinction." Returning to London, Waller, in partnership with H. H. Morrell, leased the
84:, Waller greatly preferred acting in Shakespeare, in which his roles ranged from Romeo to Othello. Among the roles he created was Sir Robert Chiltern in
236:
thought him "a trifle too melodramatic". The tour was modestly successful, but not such as to lead Waller to mount further productions for the moment.
524:
called the production "a personal acting triumph for Lewis Waller". After the West End run, Waller took the play on tour, during which he contracted
147:, in which he was billed as "Waller Lewis". By May of the same year, he had adopted the stage name Lewis Waller. In that month he appeared at the
423:
as Lord Goring. Waller and
Morrell remained in management until 1897, when Tree invited Waller to join his company at the newly rebuilt
504:
In 1911 and 1912, Waller made a tour of the US, Canada and
Australia. In his absence his wife died. His last play was May Martindale's
628:, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, January 2011, accessed 26 September 2012
124:(1858–1912), who shortly afterwards became a professional actress under the name of Florence West. They had a son and a daughter.
568:
258:
552:
340:
roles in these matinees in the early 1890s, bringing him to the attention of people of influence in the theatre such as
937:
797:
942:
908:
326:. When Rutland Barrington took over the management of the St. James's in 1888, Waller played George Sabine in
420:
225:
said of the latter that he "kept
Orlando properly ingenuous, and made him a taking and gallant young wooer."
151:, in a charity matinee for the Actors' Benevolent Fund with Toole's company and such contemporary stars as
209:
42:, was an English actor and theatre manager, well known on the London stage and in the English provinces.
479:
203:
70:
860:
135:
After acting in amateur performances, Waller decided to make a career on the stage and was engaged by
228:
Towards the end of 1885, Waller ventured into management for the first time, touring a production of
148:
424:
402:
393:
116:
58:
111:, Spain, the eldest son of an English civil engineer, William James Lewis, and his wife, Carlotta
341:
309:
277:
194:
186:
406:
301:
932:
927:
509:
438:
322:
249:
27:
8:
349:
181:
136:
46:
880:
541:
484:
473:
romances. He was particularly identified with the title roles in the stage versions of
372:
152:
75:
904:
887:
866:
513:
332:
305:
140:
595:
1443: "Charge of the Light
Brigade" (Tennyson) (matrix y13915e), also issued on E164
517:
489:
474:
465:
444:
411:
293:
245:
168:
90:
80:
65:
862:
Parts I have played: a photographic and descriptive biography of Mr. Lewis Waller
497:
415:, playing Sir Robert Chiltern in a cast that included his wife as Mrs. Cheveley,
198:
50:
460:
625:
588:
560:
215:
190:
921:
870:
416:
354:
287:
263:
164:
156:
121:
54:
360:
337:
221:
172:
160:
891:
397:, in which he played Lord Illingworth and his wife played Mrs Arbuthnot.
388:
366:
345:
176:
85:
529:
272:
127:
901:
Gramophone
Records of the First World War: an HMV Catalogue 1914-1918
575:
525:
387:
In
October 1893 Waller returned to management, mounting a tour of
64:
Despite his commercial success in such parts as the title roles in
432:
379:
108:
21:
207:, and then toured with her, playing such roles as Mortimer in
409:
was on tour in the US. He began with the premiere of Wilde's
262:
describes as his first substantial success in London. At the
139:
in 1883. His first role was the Hon. Claude
Lorrimer in
38:(3 November 1860 – 1 November 1915), known on stage as
232:, switching to the role of Dr. Basil North, in which
193:. He returned to London in March 1885 to play at the
592:(Shakespeare) (matrix y13914e), also issued on E164
879:
248:, working for a succession of managements. At the
800:, British Film Institute, accessed 1 October 2012
540:Waller made a small number of recordings for the
919:
493:. He starred in a film of the latter in 1915.
16:English actor and theatre manager (1860–1915)
829:
827:
701:
699:
697:
695:
693:
652:, Ancestry.co.uk, accessed 18 April 2021
459:
378:
286:
252:in early 1887, he played Roy Carlton in
126:
20:
877:
858:
650:"William Waller Lewis Aka Lewis Waller"
312:, where he played the Duc de Bligny in
259:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
920:
824:
808:
806:
782:
620:
618:
616:
614:
612:
610:
608:
690:
634:
532:two days short of his 55th birthday.
898:
455:
903:. Newton Abbot: David and Charles.
803:
687:Theatre Royal playbill, 29 May 1883
605:
13:
97:
45:After early stage experience with
14:
954:
239:
569:The Ballad of the 'Clampherdown'
840:
815:
791:
769:
756:
747:
734:
661:Cordova, p. 1, and "Theatres",
586:1442: Henry V at Harfleur from
721:
708:
681:
668:
655:
643:
256:, which his biographer in the
102:
1:
852:
535:
859:Cordova, Rudolph de (1909).
564:(Shakespeare) (matrix 9639b)
512:, London in June 1915, with
280:he played Jacques Rosney in
7:
626:'Waller, Lewis (1860–1915)'
555:" (Tennyson) (matrix 9641b)
553:Charge of the Light Brigade
201:'s company, as the Abbé in
10:
959:
578:" (Kipling) (matrix 9640b)
571:" (Kipling) (matrix 9640b)
405:while its regular tenant,
352:. Waller played Oswald in
938:English male stage actors
878:Pearson, Hesketh (1950).
740:"Opera Comique Theatre",
547:Recorded 3 January 1907:
450:A Midsummer Night's Dream
266:he played Ernest Vane in
149:Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
122:Florence Isabella Brandon
115:Vyse. He was educated at
837:, 2 November 1915, p. 10
731:, 17 November 1885, p. 8
599:
582:Recorded 4 August 1911:
528:, from which he died in
403:Theatre Royal, Haymarket
394:A Woman of No Importance
316:, Sir George Barclay in
270:and Captain Absolute in
59:Theatre Royal, Haymarket
943:Male actors from Bilbao
882:The Last Actor-Managers
865:. London: Abbey Press.
835:The Manchester Guardian
766:, 31 October 1893, p. 5
764:The Manchester Guardian
729:The Manchester Guardian
716:The Manchester Guardian
630:(subscription required)
522:The Manchester Guardian
399:The Manchester Guardian
244:Waller returned to the
234:The Manchester Guardian
222:The Manchester Guardian
131:Waller as Orlando, 1885
779:, 6 January 1895, p. 7
469:
384:
383:Waller playing croquet
330:and Ralph Crampton in
297:
132:
32:
744:, 27 March 1887, p. 3
665:, 25 March 1883, p. 4
463:
425:Her Majesty's Theatre
419:as Lady Chiltern and
407:Herbert Beerbohm Tree
382:
302:William Hunter Kendal
290:
130:
117:King's College School
24:
899:Rust, Brian (1975).
833:"Mr. Lewis Waller",
762:"Prince's Theatre",
727:"Prince's Theatre",
678:, 30 May 1883, p. 10
320:, and Lord Arden in
145:Uncle Dick's Darling
36:William Waller Lewis
25:Waller as Brutus in
886:. London: Methuen.
718:, 4 June 1885, p. 5
624:Emeljanow, Victor.
442:, Faulconbridge in
328:The Dean's Daughter
310:St. James's Theatre
300:Waller then joined
204:Adrienne Lecouvreur
107:Waller was born in
798:"Brigadier Gerard"
558:1359: Speech from
542:Gramophone Company
508:, which opened at
485:Arthur Conan Doyle
480:Monsieur Beaucaire
470:
385:
373:The Master Builder
298:
153:Rutland Barrington
133:
76:Arthur Conan Doyle
71:Monsieur Beaucaire
33:
714:"Theatre Royal",
514:Gerald du Maurier
510:Wyndham's Theatre
456:Twentieth century
333:Brantinghame Hall
323:The Wife's Secret
950:
914:
895:
885:
874:
847:
844:
838:
831:
822:
819:
813:
810:
801:
795:
789:
786:
780:
773:
767:
760:
754:
753:Cordova, pp. 2–3
751:
745:
738:
732:
725:
719:
712:
706:
703:
688:
685:
679:
672:
666:
659:
653:
647:
641:
638:
632:
631:
622:
518:Madge Titheradge
490:Brigadier Gerard
475:Booth Tarkington
466:Brigadier Gerard
448:and Lysander in
412:An Ideal Husband
294:An Ideal Husband
189:, dramatised by
169:George Grossmith
91:An Ideal Husband
81:Brigadier Gerard
66:Booth Tarkington
958:
957:
953:
952:
951:
949:
948:
947:
918:
917:
911:
855:
850:
845:
841:
832:
825:
820:
816:
811:
804:
796:
792:
787:
783:
775:"At the Play",
774:
770:
761:
757:
752:
748:
739:
735:
726:
722:
713:
709:
704:
691:
686:
682:
673:
669:
660:
656:
648:
644:
639:
635:
629:
623:
606:
602:
538:
498:Hesketh Pearson
458:
421:Charles Hawtrey
370:and Solness in
268:Masks and Faces
254:Jack-in-the-Box
242:
213:and Orlando in
199:Helena Modjeska
105:
100:
98:Life and career
88:'s 1895 comedy
51:Helena Modjeska
17:
12:
11:
5:
956:
946:
945:
940:
935:
930:
916:
915:
909:
896:
875:
854:
851:
849:
848:
839:
823:
821:Pearson, p. 42
814:
812:Pearson, p. 41
802:
790:
781:
768:
755:
746:
733:
720:
707:
689:
680:
667:
654:
642:
633:
603:
601:
598:
597:
596:
593:
580:
579:
572:
565:
556:
537:
534:
457:
454:
342:William Archer
318:Lady Clancarty
314:The Ironmaster
278:Gaiety Theatre
250:Strand Theatre
241:
240:West End roles
238:
216:As You Like It
195:Lyceum Theatre
191:J. Comyns Carr
104:
101:
99:
96:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
955:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
925:
923:
912:
906:
902:
897:
893:
889:
884:
883:
876:
872:
868:
864:
863:
857:
856:
843:
836:
830:
828:
818:
809:
807:
799:
794:
788:Cordova, p. 4
785:
778:
772:
765:
759:
750:
743:
737:
730:
724:
717:
711:
705:Cordova, p. 2
702:
700:
698:
696:
694:
684:
677:
671:
664:
658:
651:
646:
640:Cordova, p. 1
637:
627:
621:
619:
617:
615:
613:
611:
609:
604:
594:
591:
590:
585:
584:
583:
577:
573:
570:
566:
563:
562:
557:
554:
550:
549:
548:
545:
543:
533:
531:
527:
523:
520:co-starring.
519:
515:
511:
507:
502:
499:
494:
492:
491:
486:
482:
481:
476:
467:
462:
453:
451:
447:
446:
441:
440:
439:Julius Caesar
435:
434:
428:
426:
422:
418:
417:Julia Neilson
414:
413:
408:
404:
400:
396:
395:
390:
381:
377:
375:
374:
369:
368:
363:
362:
358:, Lovborg in
357:
356:
351:
347:
343:
339:
335:
334:
329:
325:
324:
319:
315:
311:
307:
303:
296:
295:
289:
285:
283:
279:
276:; and at the
275:
274:
269:
265:
264:Opera Comique
261:
260:
255:
251:
247:
237:
235:
231:
226:
224:
223:
218:
217:
212:
211:
206:
205:
200:
196:
192:
188:
184:
183:
178:
174:
170:
166:
165:Nellie Farren
162:
158:
157:Lionel Brough
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
129:
125:
123:
118:
114:
110:
95:
93:
92:
87:
83:
82:
77:
73:
72:
67:
62:
60:
56:
55:actor-manager
52:
48:
43:
41:
37:
30:
29:
28:Julius Caesar
23:
19:
900:
881:
861:
842:
834:
817:
793:
784:
777:The Observer
776:
771:
763:
758:
749:
742:The Observer
741:
736:
728:
723:
715:
710:
683:
675:
670:
663:The Observer
662:
657:
645:
636:
587:
581:
559:
546:
539:
521:
506:Gamblers All
505:
503:
495:
488:
478:
471:
449:
443:
437:
436:, Brutus in
431:
429:
410:
398:
392:
386:
371:
365:
364:, Rosmer in
361:Hedda Gabler
359:
353:
350:Bernard Shaw
331:
327:
321:
317:
313:
299:
292:
281:
271:
267:
257:
253:
243:
233:
229:
227:
220:
214:
208:
202:
180:
173:Henry Irving
161:Arthur Cecil
144:
134:
112:
106:
89:
79:
69:
63:
44:
40:Lewis Waller
39:
35:
34:
26:
18:
933:1915 deaths
928:1860 births
846:Rust, p. 52
674:"Notices",
496:The critic
367:Rosmersholm
346:Jacob Grein
230:Called Back
210:Mary Stuart
187:Hugh Conway
182:Called Back
177:Ellen Terry
141:H. J. Byron
137:J. L. Toole
103:Early years
86:Oscar Wilde
47:J. L. Toole
922:Categories
910:0715368427
853:References
536:Recordings
530:Nottingham
291:Waller in
273:The Rivals
871:220723248
676:The Times
576:Snarleyow
526:pneumonia
445:King John
306:John Hare
282:Civil War
246:West End
589:Henry V
574:1361: "
567:1360: "
561:Henry V
551:1351: "
308:at the
57:at the
49:'s and
907:
892:236244
890:
869:
468:, 1906
433:Hamlet
355:Ghosts
109:Bilbao
31:, 1898
600:Notes
389:Wilde
338:Ibsen
905:ISBN
888:OCLC
867:OCLC
516:and
483:and
348:and
304:and
175:and
74:and
487:'s
477:'s
464:As
391:'s
197:in
185:by
143:'s
113:née
78:'s
68:'s
924::
826:^
805:^
692:^
607:^
544::
452:.
427:.
344:,
284:.
219:;
171:,
167:,
163:,
159:,
155:,
94:.
913:.
894:.
873:.
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