Henry Lytton, Jr. (2 July 1906 – 16 September 1965) was a British actor and singer who after a career in film and

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

ended as a

pantomime dame A pantomime dame is a traditional role in British pantomime. It is part of the theatrical tradition of ''travesti'' portrayal of female characters by male actors in drag. Dame characters are often played either in an extremely camp style, or else ...

and Ringmaster of the famous Blackpool Tower Circus in

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...

. 'Harry' Lytton was born as Lord Alver Lytton in

Chiswick Chiswick ( ) is a district of west London, England. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist William Hogarth; Chiswick House, a neo-Palladian villa regarded as one of the finest in England; and Full ...

in 1906, the youngest child of

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...

performers

Henry Lytton Sir Henry Lytton (born Henry Alfred Jones; 3 January 1865 – 15 August 1936) was an English actor and singer who was the leading exponent of the starring comic patter-baritone roles in Gilbert and Sullivan operas from 1909 to 1934. He also sta ...

and

Louie Henri Louie may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Louie'' (American TV series), by comedian Louis C.K. * ''Louie'' (French TV series), animated series about a young rabbit who draws pictures which come to life * "Louie" (song), by Blood Raw * ''L ...

. He was disinherited from his father's will as Lytton Sr. disapproved of his son's marriage to

Jessie Matthews Jessie Margaret Matthews (11 March 1907 – 19 August 1981) was an English actress, dancer and singer of the 1920s and 1930s, whose career continued into the post-war period. After a string of hit stage musicals and films in the mid-1930s, Ma ...

and his following a career in the theatre. However, on her death in 1947 he found himself in the will of his mother. He was in ''The Charlot Show of 1925'', while in the following year he was appearing as Reggie opposite the singer and dancer

in ''The Charlot Show of 1926'' at the

Prince of Wales Theatre The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre in Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in London. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner. The theatre ...

in London;London Revues 1925-1929
Over the Footlights website following a whirlwind romance the two married in

Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. ...

in London on 17 February 1926, aged 19 and 18 respectively. They divorced in November 1929 owing to Lytton's numerous infidelities. Lytton played Lord Campton in the

''Virginia'' (1929) at the Palace Theatre in London and after on tour. In 1931 he was touring in the musical ''Here Comes The Bride'' opposite the Hollywood actress

Pola Negri Pola Negri (; born Apolonia Chalupec ; 3 January 1897 – 1 August 1987) was a Polish stage and film actress and singer. She achieved worldwide fame during the silent and golden eras of Hollywood and European film for her tragedienne and femme ...

. He married the actress Barbara Joan Weale (1906-2000) in

Kensington Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...

in London in 1931, and by 1939 the couple were living in

Sunbury-on-Thames Sunbury-on-Thames (or commonly Sunbury) is a suburban town on the north bank of the River Thames in the Borough of Spelthorne, Surrey, centred southwest of central London. Historically part of the county of Middlesex, in 1965 Sunbury and other ...

. Lytton appeared in the

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

''Goody Two Shoes'' at the Grand Theatre in

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

(1938); in ''High Time'' (1946-1947) with

Nat Jackley Nat Jackley (born Nathaniel Tristram Jackley Hirsch; 16 July 1909 – 17 September 1988) was an English comic actor who starred in revue, variety, film and pantomime from the 1920s to the mid-1980s. His trademark rubber-neck dance, skeletal fr ...

and

Tessie O'Shea Teresa Mary "Tessie" O'Shea (13 March 1913 – 21 April 1995) was a Wales, Welsh entertainer and actress. Early life O'Shea was born in Plantagenet Street in Riverside, Cardiff to newspaper wholesaler James Peter O'Shea, who had been a soldie ...

, and in ''Here There and Everywhere'' (1947-1948) opposite

Tommy Trinder Thomas Edward Trinder CBE (24 March 1909 – 10 July 1989) was an English stage, screen and radio comedian whose catchphrase was "You lucky people!". Described by cultural historian Matthew Sweet as "a cocky, front-of-cloth variety turn", he was ...

- both at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 an ...

. His film roles included George in ''After Dinner'' (1938) in which his wife Barbara Lytton also appeared, and George in '' Laugh It Off'' (1940), opposite Tommy Trinder in both, while his television appearances included four episodes of '' The Charlie Chester Show'' (1951). From 1954 to his death Lytton lived at 229 St Walburgas Road in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, having moved there to take over as Ringmaster each summer at the Blackpool Tower Circus, a position he held to his death. During the Christmas period Lytton would appear as a

, on one occasion appearing as such in ''Goody Two Shoes'' opposite

Roy Hudd Roy Hudd, OBE (16 May 1936 – 15 March 2020) was an English comedian, actor, presenter, radio host, author and authority on the history of music hall entertainment. Early life Hudd was born in Croydon on 16 May 1936 to Evalina "Evie" (née ...

at the Empire Theatre in Leeds. Other panto appearances included Dame Horner in ''Jack and Jill'' (1948-1949) at the Manchester Hippodrome, Dame Horner in ''Jack and Jill'' (1951-1952) and Queen Hysteria in ''Little Miss Muffet'' (1952-1953, 1958-1959), the latter all at the New Palace Theatre of Varieties in

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

. Henry Lytton, Jr. died of a heart attack in Blackpool in 1965 aged 59. In his will he left £1,205 to his widow Barbara Joan Lytton.England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 for Lord Alver Lytton, 1965: Ancestry.com
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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lytton, Jr., Henry 1906 births 1965 deaths People from Chiswick People from Blackpool English male singers English male musical theatre actors Ringmasters 20th-century British male singers