''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was published as a serial in ''

St. Nicholas Magazine ''St. Nicholas Magazine'' was a popular monthly American children's magazine, founded by Scribner's in 1873. The first editor was Mary Mapes Dodge, who continued her association with the magazine until her death in 1905. Dodge published work by th ...

'' from November 1885 to October 1886, then as a book by

Scribner's Charles Scribner's Sons, or simply Scribner's or Scribner, is an American publisher based in New York City, known for publishing American authors including Henry James, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Kurt Vonnegut, Marjorie Kinnan Rawli ...

(the publisher of ''St. Nicholas'') in 1886. The illustrations by

Reginald B. Birch Reginald Bathurst Birch (May 2, 1856 – June 17, 1943) was an English-American artist and illustrator. He was best known for his depiction of the titular hero of Frances Hodgson Burnett's 1886 novel ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'', which started a cra ...

set fashion trends and the novel set a precedent in copyright law when Burnett won a lawsuit in 1888 against E. V. Seebohm over the rights to theatrical adaptations of the work.Rutherford

Etymology

The titular surname ''Fauntleroy'' is an Anglo-French term ultimately derived from ''Le enfant le roy'' ("child of the king"), evoking the image of being pampered and spoiled. More proximally, it is from a Middle English variant ''faunt'' from ''enfaunt'', meaning child or infant. It is attested as a real surname since the 13th Century.

Plot

In a shabby

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

side street in the mid-1880s, young Cedric Errol lives with his mother (known to him as "Dearest") in genteel poverty after the death of his father, Captain Cedric Errol. One day, they are visited by an English lawyer named Havisham with a message from young Cedric's grandfather, the Earl of Dorincourt, a millionaire who despises the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and was very disappointed when his youngest son married an American woman. With the deaths of his father's elder brothers, Cedric has now inherited the

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...

Lord Fauntleroy and is the heir to the earldom and a vast estate. Cedric's grandfather wants him to live in England and be educated as an English

aristocrat The aristocracy is historically associated with "hereditary" or "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the upper class of people (aristocrats) with hereditary rank and titles. In some, such as ancient Greece, ancient Ro ...

. He offers his son's widow a house and guaranteed income, but he refuses to have anything to do with her, even after she declines his money. However, the Earl is impressed by the appearance and intelligence of his American grandson and is charmed by his innocent nature. Cedric believes his grandfather to be an honorable man and benefactor, and the Earl cannot disappoint him. The Earl therefore becomes a benefactor to his tenants, to their delight, though he takes care to let them know that their benefactor is the child, Lord Fauntleroy. Meanwhile, back in New York, a homeless bootblack named Dick Tipton tells Cedric's old friend Mr. Hobbs, a New York City grocer, that a few years prior, after the death of his parents, Dick's older brother Benjamin married an awful woman who got rid of their only child together after he was born and then left. Benjamin moved to California to open a cattle ranch while Dick ended up in the streets. At the same time, a neglected pretender to Cedric's inheritance appears in England, the pretender's mother claiming that he is the offspring of the Earl's eldest son, Bevis. The claim is investigated by Dick and Benjamin, who come to England and recognize the woman as Benjamin's former wife. She flees, and the Tipton brothers and the pretender, Benjamin's son, do not see her again. Afterward, Benjamin goes back to his cattle ranch in California where he happily raises his son by himself. The Earl is reconciled to his American daughter-in-law, realizing that she is far superior to the impostor. The Earl planned to teach his grandson how to be an aristocrat. Instead, Cedric teaches his grandfather that an aristocrat should practice compassion towards those dependent on him. The Earl becomes the man Cedric always innocently believed him to be. Cedric is happily reunited with his mother and with Mr. Hobbs, who decides to stay to help look after Cedric.

Impact on fashion

The Fauntleroy suit (see also Buster Brown suit), so well described by Burnett and realised in Reginald Birch's detailed pen-and-ink drawings, created a fad for formal dress for American middle-class children: The Fauntleroy suit appeared in Europe as well but nowhere was it as popular as in America. The classic Fauntleroy suit was a velvet cut-away jacket and matching knee pants, worn with a fancy blouse and a large lace or ruffled collar. These suits appeared right after the publication of Burnett's story (1885) and were a major fashion for boys until after the turn of the 20th century. Many boys who did not wear an actual Fauntleroy suit wore suits with Fauntleroy elements, such as a fancy blouse or floppy bow. Only a minority of boys wore

ringlet The ringlet (''Aphantopus hyperantus'') is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is only one of the numerous "ringlet" butterflies in the tribe Satyrini. Range The ringlet is a widely distributed species found throughout much of the Pale ...

curls with these suits, but the photographic record confirms that many boys did. It was most popular for boys about 3–8 years of age, but some older boys wore them as well. It has been speculated that the popularity of the style encouraged many mothers to breech their boys earlier than before, and it was a factor in the decline of the fashion for dressing small boys in dresses and other skirted garments. Clothing that Burnett popularised was modelled on the costumes which she tailored herself for her two sons, Vivian and Lionel.

Reception

Polly Hovarth writes that ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' "was the ''

Harry Potter ''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...

'' of his time and Frances Hodgson Burnett was as celebrated for creating him as J. K. Rowling is for Potter". During the serialisation in ''St. Nicholas'' magazine, readers looked forward to new installments. The fashions in the book became popular with velvet Lord Fauntleroy suits being sold, as well as other Fauntleroy merchandise such as velvet collars, playing cards, and chocolates. During a period when sentimental fiction was the norm, and in the United States the "rags to riches" story popular, ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' was a hit. Edith Nesbit included in her own children's book ''

The Enchanted Castle ''The Enchanted Castle'' is a children's fantasy novel by Edith Nesbit first published in 1907. Plot summary The enchanted castle of the title is a country estate in the West Country seen through the eyes of three children, Jerry, Jimmy, and ...

'' (1907) a rather unflattering reference:

Gerald could always make himself look interesting at a moment's notice (...) by opening his grey eyes rather wide, allowing the corners of his mouth to droop, and assuming a gentle, pleading expression, resembling that of the late little Lord Fauntleroy who must, by the way, be quite old now, and an awful prig.

Adaptations

Stage

Elsie Leslie as Little Lord Fauntleroy cph

Little Lord Fauntleroy Broadway Theatre The Theatre Dec 8 1888 p503

In 1888, after discovering her novel had been plagiarized for the stage, Burnett successfully sued and then wrote her own theatrical adaptation of ''Little Lord Fauntleroy''. It opened on 14 May, at

Terry's Theatre Terry's Theatre was a West End theatre in the Strand, in the City of Westminster, London. Built in 1887, it became a cinema in 1910 before being demolished in 1923. History The theatre was built in 1887, near Fountain's Court, on the site of a ...

in London, and was presented in the English provinces, France, Boston and New York City. The Broadway production of Burnett's play opened on 10 December 1888, at the

Broadway Theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

, New York City. The original cast follows: * Earl of Dorincourt – J. H. Gilmour * Cedric Errol (Lord Fauntleroy) –

Elsie Leslie Elsie Leslie (August 14, 1881 – October 31, 1966) was an American actress. She was America's first child star and the highest paid and most popular child actress of her era. Life and career Leslie's first role in 1884 was Little Meenie in ...

and Tommy Russell * Mr. Havisham, a Solicitor – F. F. Mackay * Mr. Hobbs, a Grocer –

George A. Parkhurst George Augustus Parkhurst (March 18, 1841 – July 2, 1890) was an American stage actor who was one of the last surviving members of the company of actors present on the night of April 14, 1865, when John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraha ...

* Dick, a Bootblack – Frank E. Lamb * Higgins, a Farmer – John Swinburne * Wilkins, a Groom – Alfred Klein * Thomas, a Footman – John Sutherland * James, a Servant – T. J. Plunkett * Mrs. Errol ("Dearest") – Kathryn Kidder * Minna – Alice Fischer * Mary –

Effie Germon Mary Euphemia "Effie" Germon (June 13, 1845 – March 6, 1914) was an American stage actress of the late 19th century from Augusta, Georgia, a descendant of the Germons of Baltimore who were an old theatrical family. She excelled as a soubrette. ...

Touring versions of the play were common in the late 19th and early 20th century. A 1906 version cast 11 year old

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...

in the role of Lord Fauntleroy. In 1994, an Australian open-air/site specific theatre production of ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'', adapted by

Julia Britton Julia Britton (27 June 1914 - 5 November 2012) was an Australian playwright. Britton was perhaps best known for her literary adaptations and biographical plays. Life Julia Britton was born Hilda Hartt in Romiley, Cheshire in 1914, the daughter ...

and directed by Robert Chuter, was presented in the historical gardens of the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) property Rippon Lea.

Film and television

* '' Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (1914), a British silent film, one of the last made in Kinemacolor, directed by F. Martin Thornton, starring

Gerald Royston ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' is a 1914 British silent drama film directed by Floyd Martin Thornton and starring H. Agar Lyons, Gerald Royston in the title role, and Jane Wells. It was based on the 1886 novel ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' by Frances ...

(''Cedric''); H. Agar Lyons (''The Earl'');

Jane Wells Jane Wells (born March 31, 1961) is a CNBC special correspondent, based in Los Angeles, where she covers stories about funny business, strange successes and other special assignments. Wells writes offbeat stories for CNBC.com and serves as a c ...

(''Dearest'');

Bernard Vaughan Bernard Vaughan, SJ (1847–1922) was an English Catholic priest, brother of Bishops Herbert, Roger and John Stephen Vaughan. Biography Early life He was born in Herefordshire, the son of Lieutenant-Colonel John Francis Vaughan, of an old r ...

(''Mr. Havisham''); F. Tomkins (''Mr. Hobbs''); and Harry Edwards (''Dick''). * ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (''A Kis Lord'') (1918), a Hungarian silent film, directed by Alexander Antalffy, starring

Tibor Lubinszky Tibor Lubinszky (26 November 1909 - 1 April 1956) was a Hungarian film actor. Lubinszky became famous as a child actor, starring in a number of silent films during the 1910s and 1920s.Kulik p.30 In the 1920 Austrian film ''The Prince and the Paup ...

(''Cedric''); Alexander Antalffy (''The Earl''); Giza Báthory (''Dearest'');

József Hajdú József Hajdú (30 September 1884 – 24 June 1932) was a Hungarian actor. He was born in Debrecen and died in Budapest. Selected filmography * '' St. Peter's Umbrella'' (1917) * ''Faun The faun (, grc, φαῦνος, ''phaunos'', ) is a ...

(''Mr. Havisham''); Jenõ Horváth (''Mr. Hobbs''); Ernõ Kenessey (''Dick''). * '' Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (1921), an American silent film, directed by Alfred E. Green and Jack Pickford, starring

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

(''Cedric'' & ''Dearest'');

Claude Gillingwater Claude Benton Gillingwater (August 2, 1870 – November 1, 1939) was an American stage and screen actor. He first appeared on the stage then in more than 90 films between 1918 and 1939, including the Academy Award-nominated ''A Tale of Two ...

(''The Earl''); Joseph J. Dowling (''Mr. Havisham''); James A. Marcus (''Mr. Hobbs'');

Fred Malatesta Fred Malatesta (April 18, 1889 – April 8, 1952) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1915 and 1941. He was born in Naples, Italy, and died in Burbank, California. Selected filmography * ''Sherlock Holme ...

(''Dick''). * ''L'ultimo Lord'' (1926), an Italian silent film, directed by

Augusto Genina Augusto Genina (28 January 1892 – 18 September 1957) was an Italian film pioneer. He was a movie producer and director. Biography Born in Rome, Genina was a drama critic and wrote comedies for the ''Il Mondo'' Magazine, under advise of Aldo ...

, starring

Carmen Boni Carmen Boni (born Maria Carmela Bonicatti; 8 April 1901 – 18 November 1963) was an Italian actress. Biography Maria Carmela Bonicatti was born on 8 April 1901 in Rome to a colonel and Teresa Rovere di Bergeggi. Her birth date has also been gi ...

(''Freddie''). Based on ''L'ultimo Lord'' by

Ugo Falena Ugo Falena (25 April 1875 in Rome – 20 September 1931 in Rome) was an Italian silent film director and occasional opera librettist. His films include ''Otello'' (1909), ''Beatrice Cenci'' (1911), ''William Tell'' (1911), ''Romeo and Juliet'' ...

. * '' Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (1936), arguably the best-known adaptation, directed by John Cromwell, starring Freddie Bartholomew (''Cedric''); C. Aubrey Smith (''The Earl''); Dolores Costello (''Dearest''); Henry Stephenson (''Mr. Havisham''); Guy Kibbee (''Mr. Hobbs'');

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the ...

(''Dick''). * '' Il ventesimo duca'' (1945), an Italian film, directed by

Lucio De Caro Lucio De Caro (born 15 January 1922) is an Italian retired screenwriter and film director.Bondanella p.186 He also worked as a journalist. Selected filmography * ''Tragic Night'' (1942) * ''The Twentieth Duke'' (1945) * '' Processo per direttiss ...

, starring Paola Veneroni ("Freddie"). Based on ''L'ultimo Lord'' by

. * ''O Pequeno Lorde'' (1957), Brazilian TV movie, directed da Júlio Gouveia and Antonino Seabra, starring Rafael Neto (''Cedric''). * ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (1957), an American TV miniseries, starring Richard O'Sullivan (''Cedric''). * ''Il piccolo Lord'' (1960), an Italian TV miniseries (sceneggiato) aired on RAI, directed by Vittorio Brignole, starring Sandro Pistolini (''Cedric'');

Michele Malaspina Michele Malaspina (16 August 1908 – 13 January 1979) was an Italian actor and voice actor. Life and career Born in Bolzaneto, Genoa, the son of two shopkeepers, since childhood Malaspina has a passion for theater and was an actor in a co ...

(''The Earl''); Andreina Paul (''Dearest''); Attilio Ortolani (''Mr. Havisham''); Giuseppe Mancini (''Mr. Hobbs''); Ermanno Anfossi (''Dick''). * ''Der kleine Lord'' (1962), a German TV film aired on Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), directed by Franz Josef Wild, starring Manfred Kunst (''Cedric''); Albrecht Schoenhals (''The Earl'');

Gertrud Kückelmann Gertrud Christine Franziska Kückelmann (3 January 1929 – 17 January 1979) was a German actress. She appeared in more than sixty films from 1949 to 1979. Filmography References External links * 1929 births 1979 deaths German fil ...

(''Dearest''); Sigfrit Steiner (''Mr. Havisham''); Eric Pohlmann (''Mr. Hobbs''); Michael Ande. * ''Lille Lord Fauntleroy'' (1966), a Norwegian TV film, directed by

Alfred Solaas Alfred Solaas (April 15, 1912 – November 23, 1968) was a Norwegian actor, film director, and theater director. He was engaged for many years at the Oslo New Theater. Career Solaas debuted in 1934 at the Carl Johan Theater. After that, he was ...

, starring Gøsta Hagenlund (''Cedric''). * ''Il Piccolo Lord'' (1971), an Italian TV movie, directed by Luciano Emmer, starring Ellen and Alice Kessler, Johnny Dorelli, Dina Perbellini, and Alice Rossi. * ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (1976), a BBC TV miniseries, directed by Paul Annett, starring Glenn Anderson (''Cedric''); Paul Rogers (''the Earl'');

Jennie Linden Jennie Linden (born 8 December 1939) is an English actress. She is best known for her starring role in Ken Russell's film ''Women in Love'' (1969) as well as her starring role in the cult film ''Nightmare'' (1964). Life and career Linden was bo ...

(''Dearest''); Preston Lockwood (''Mr. Havisham''); Ray Smith (''Mr. Hobbs''); Paul D'Amato (''Dick''). * As one installment in 1977 of the late 1970s children's television show ''

Once Upon a Classic ''Once Upon a Classic'' was an American television program hosted by Bill Bixby. The program aired on PBS from 1976 to 1980 as a production of WQED in Pittsburgh. The episodes consisted of adaptations of such classic literature as ''A Connecticut ...

''. * '' Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (1980), a popular adaptation, directed by

Jack Gold Jacob M. "Jack" Gold (28 June 1930 – 9 August 2015) was a British film and television director. He was part of the Kitchen sink realism, British realist tradition which followed the Free Cinema movement. Career Jacob M. Gold was born in ...

, starring

Ricky Schroder Richard Bartlett Schroder (born April 13, 1970) is an American actor and filmmaker. As a child actor billed as Ricky Schroder he debuted in the film '' The Champ'' (1979), for which he became the youngest Golden Globe award recipient, and went o ...

(''Cedric'');

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing comedies, including ''Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (194 ...

(''The Earl'');

Connie Booth Connie Booth (born 2 December 1940) is an American-born actress and writer. She has appeared in several British television programmes and films, including her role as Polly Sherman on BBC Two's ''Fawlty Towers'', which she co-wrote with her the ...

(''Dearest'');

Eric Porter Eric Richard Porter (8 April 192815 May 1995) was an English actor of stage, film and television. Early life Porter was born in Shepherd's Bush, London, to bus conductor Richard John Porter and Phoebe Elizabeth (née Spall). His parents hope ...

(''Mr. Havisham''); Colin Blakely (''Mr. Hobbs''); and

Rolf Saxon Rolf Saxon is an American actor. He is well known for his voice over work in video games, movies and TV shows. Life and career Saxon was born at Fort Belvoir in Alexandria, Virginia. He has worked with American Conservatory Theatre, Cal Shakes, ...

(''Dick''). This film has become a Christmas classic in Germany. * ''The Adventures of Little Lord Fauntleroy'' was an 1982 TV movie, directed by Desmond Davis and starring

Jerry Supiran Jerry Michael Supiran (born March 21, 1973) is an American former child actor. Supiran is best known for playing Jamie Lawson on the science-fiction sitcom ''Small Wonder (TV series), Small Wonder'', which aired from 1985 to 1989. Career Supiran ...

(''Cedric'');

John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...

(''The Earl''), and Caroline Smith (''Dearest''). * '' Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (1988), a Japanese

anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...

series, also known as ''Shōkōshi Cedie'' (小公子セディ Shōkōshi Sedi, trans. Little Prince Cedie), directed by Kōzō Kusuba, spanning 43 episodes (20–25-minute each per episode) based on the same novel. The anime has been translated in many languages, notably French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Tagalog, Polish and Arabic. In this adaptation (and in the Filipino film adaptation based on it), Cedric's mother is named "Annie", and his father, "James" (in contrast to the novel's namesake), who was seen alive in the early episodes of the series until his untimely demise on episode five. * ''Il Piccolo Lord/Der kleine Lord'' (1994), an Italian and German co–production TV movie, aired on RAI and ARD, directed by Gianfranco Albano, starring Francesco De Pasquale (''Cedric'') and Mario Adorf (''The Earl''). * ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (1995), a BBC TV mini-series adaptation by

Julian Fellowes Julian Alexander Kitchener-Fellowes, Baron Fellowes of West Stafford, (born 17 August 1949) is an English actor, novelist, film director and screenwriter, and a Conservative peer of the House of Lords. He is primarily known as the author of s ...

, directed by Andrew Morgan, starring

Michael Benz Michael Benz (born ) is an English-American actor. Early life and education Benz was born in England to American parents Thomas and Margaret Benz. He attended The American School in London before graduating from Georgetown University in 200 ...

(''Cedric'') and George Baker (''The Earl''). * '' Cedie: Ang Munting Prinsipe'' (''Cedie: The Little Prince'') (1996), a Filipino film adaptation, directed by Romy Suzara, starring

Tom Taus ''Cedie'', also known as ''Cedie: Ang Munting Prinsipe'' (), is a 1996 Filipino family film loosely based on the popular anime ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' which was in turn based on the 1886 children's novel of the same name by English playwright ...

. * ''Radosti i pechali malenʹkogo lorda'' (''Little lord's joy and sorrow'') (''Радости и печали маленького лорда'') (2003), a Russian film, directed by Ivan Popov, starring Aleksey Vesyolkin (''Cedric''). * ''Die kleine Lady'' (2012), an Austrian TV movie aired on ZDF, directed by

Gernot Roll Gernot Roll (9 April 193912 November 2020) was a German cinematographer, film director and script writer. He collaborated on several films with directors Edgar Reitz and Sönke Wortmann. He was regarded as an expert on literary adaptations and f ...

, starring Philippa Schöne in the role of a little Countess.

References

Sources

* * Rutherford, L.M. (1994), "British Children's Writers 1880–1914", in Laura M. Zaldman, ''Dictionary of Literary Biography'', Volume 141, Detroit: Gale Research Literature Resource Center

External links

* * * * * *
Little Lord Fauntleroy suits
{{portalbar, children's literature, novels, United Kingdom, United States 1880s fashion 1886 British novels 1886 American novels American children's novels American novels adapted into films American novels adapted into plays British novels adapted into films British novels adapted into plays Children's clothing English-language novels Novels adapted into operas American novels adapted into television shows British novels adapted into television shows Novels by Frances Hodgson Burnett Novels first published in serial form Works originally published in St. Nicholas Magazine 1880s children's books