Herbert Gresham (1852,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

- February 23, 1921) was an English-born American theatre director,

choreographer Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

, and

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

Life and career

Herbert Gresham was born in

in 1852. He began his career as an actor as a member of Augustin Daly's theatre troupe. He made his New York stage debut in 1883 as Gabriel Gadforth in ''The Frolics of a Day''. In 1884 he scored a big success as the villain Marquis de Baccarat in Broadway's first hit musical, William Gill's '' Adonis''. He remained in that part for several seasons. In 1891 Gresham starred opposite

Eddie Foy Edwin Fitzgerald (March 9, 1856 – February 16, 1928Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; and McNeilly, Donald. ''Vaudeville, Old and New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America''. Routledge Press, September 2006, . pp. 406–410), ...

in '' Sinbad'' in Chicago. He then went back with Daly's company, and with that company he portrayed Little John in the United States premiere of Alfred Tennyson's '' The Foresters'' in 1892. He performed on and off with Daly's company for many years; occasionally leaving to pursue other projects. Other roles he performed with Daly's company included Dandie Dinmont in '' Guy Mannering'', Flutter in

Hannah Cowley Hannah Cowley may refer to: *Hannah Cowley (writer) Hannah Cowley (14 March 1743 – 11 March 1809) was an English playwright and poet. Although Cowley's plays and poetry did not enjoy wide popularity after the 19th century, critic Melinda Finb ...

's ''

The Belle's Stratagem ''The Belle's Stratagem'' is a romantic comedy of manners, the most successful work of its playwright, Hannah Cowley. It received its premiere on 22 February 1780,Winter, William. Preface to "Two Old Comedies: The Belle's Stratagem and The Wond ...

'', Gratiano in ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

'',

Malvolio Malvolio is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's comedy ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will''. His name means "ill will" in Italian, referencing his disagreeable nature. He is the vain, pompous, authoritarian steward of Olivia's househo ...

in ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...

'', Meddle in

Dion Boucicault Dionysius Lardner "Dion" Boucicault (né Boursiquot; 26 December 1820 – 18 September 1890) was an Irish actor and playwright famed for his melodramas. By the later part of the 19th century, Boucicault had become known on both sides of the ...

and

John Brougham John Brougham (9 May 1814 – 7 June 1880) was an Irish-American actor and dramatist. Biography He was born at Dublin. His father was an amateur painter, and died young. His mother was the daughter of a Huguenot, whom political adversity had f ...

's '' London Assurance'', Speed in ''

The Two Gentlemen of Verona ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1589 and 1593. It is considered by some to be Shakespeare's first play, and is often seen as showing his first tentative steps in laying ...

'', Stephano in '' The Tempest'', and

Touchstone Touchstone may refer to: * Touchstone (assaying tool), a stone used to identify precious metals * Touchstone (metaphor), a means of assaying relative merits of a concept Entertainment * ''Touchstone'' (album), a 1982 album by Chick Corea * T ...

in ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...

''. Other United States premieres he performed in at Daly's Theatre, Broadway included the roles of Dick Cunningham in Sidney Jones's musical ''

The Geisha ''The Geisha, a story of a tea house'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts. The score was composed by Sidney Jones to a libretto by Owen Hall, with lyrics by Harry Greenbank. Additional songs were written by Lionel Monckton and James Ph ...

'', and Sir John Garnett in

Cecil Raleigh Cecil Raleigh was the pseudonym of Abraham Cecil Francis Fothergill Rowlands (27 January 1856 – 10 November 1914, London, England), an English actor and playwright. Personal life Abraham Cecil Francis Fothergill Rowlands was born on 27 Janu ...

and Henry Hamilton's '' The Great Ruby'' (1899). In 1898 Gresham choreographed his first Broadway musical, the United States premiere of '' A Runaway Girl'' in which he also portrayed Professor Tamarind. In 1900 he directed his first Broadway play Joseph Arthur's ''Lost River'' at Haverly's 14th Street Theatre. He went on to form a prolific partnership with Broadway producers

Klaw and Erlanger Klaw and Erlanger was an entertainment management and production partnership of Marc Klaw and Abraham Lincoln Erlanger based in New York City from 1888 through 1919. While running their own considerable and multi-faceted theatrical businesses ...

for whom he directed numerous Broadway plays and musicals over an eighteen-year period; sometimes also working as a choreographer. With

Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the ''Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He also p ...

he notably was the director of '' The Follies of 1907'', the very first " Ziegfeld Follies". Gresham died in

Mount Vernon, New York Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County, New York (state), New York, United States. It is an inner suburb of New York City, immediately to the north of the Borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx. As of t ...

on February 23, 1921. He was married to the stage actress Martha Ford with whom he had two daughters.

Partial list of Broadway credits

*''

The Messenger Boy ''The Messenger Boy'' is a musical comedy in two acts by James T. Tanner and Alfred Murray, lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank, with music by Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton, with additional numbers by Paul Rubens (composer), Paul Rubens ...

'' (1901, director) *''

The Billionaire ''The Billionaire'', also known as ''Top Secret: Wai Roon Pan Lan'' ( th, วัยรุ่นพันล้าน, ), is a Thai biographical film produced by Nadao Bangkok and released by GTH. It was directed by Songyos Sugmakanan, and stars Pa ...

'' (1902, director) *''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...

'' (1903, director) *'' The Ham Tree'' (1905, director) *'' Fritz in Tammany Hall'' (1905, director and choreographer) *'' Lifting the Lid'' (1905, director and choreographer) *'' The Follies of 1907'' (1907, director) *''

Ziegfeld Follies of 1908 Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the ''Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He also p ...

'' (1908, director) *'' The Silver Star'' (1909, director) *'' The Pink Lady'' (1911 original and 1912 revival, director) *''

Miss Springtime Miss (pronounced ) is an English language honorific typically used for a girl, for an unmarried woman (when not using another title such as "Doctor" or " Dame"), or for a married woman retaining her maiden name. Originating in the 17th century, i ...

'' (1916, director) *'' The Riviera Girl'' (1917, director) *'' The Rainbow Girl'' (1918, director) *''

La La Lucille ''La La Lucille'' is a musical with a book by Fred Jackson, primary lyrics by Arthur J. Jackson and Buddy DeSylva, additional lyrics by Lou Paley and Irving Caesar, and music by George Gershwin. Plot overview The plot involves a wealthy society ...

'' (1919, director)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gresham, Herbert 1852 births 1921 deaths American choreographers American stage actors American musical theatre actors American theatre directors