Leedham Bantock (born Ernest Leedham Sutherland Bantock; 18 May 1870 – 16 October 1928) was a British singer,

Edwardian musical comedy Edwardian musical comedy was a form of British musical theatre that extended beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions, beginning in the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the A ...

actor, early

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

dramatist A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

and

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

. In 1912 he became the first actor to portray

Father Christmas Father Christmas is the traditional English name for the personification of Christmas. Although now known as a Christmas gift-bringer, and typically considered to be synonymous with Santa Claus, he was originally part of a much older and unrela ...

in film.Washington, Richard
"Santa @ the Movies: The Timeline"
KringleQuest.com, accessed 26 May 2019

Early life

Bantock was born at 12 Granville Place in

Marylebone Marylebone (usually , also , ) is a district in the West End of London, in the City of Westminster. Oxford Street, Europe's busiest shopping street, forms its southern boundary. An ancient parish and latterly a metropolitan borough, it me ...

in London. He was one of eight children of Sophia Elizabeth ''née'' Ransome (1843–1909) and George Granville Bantock (1836–1913), a Scottish surgeon and gynaecologist who was at one time President of the Royal Gynaecological Society.Hadden, J. Cuthbert, 1913, ''Modern Musicians'', Boston: Le Roy Phillips; London & Edinburgh: T. N. Foulis, pp. 42–46 His brothers included the composer

Sir Granville Bantock Sir Granville Ransome Bantock (7 August 186816 October 1946) was a British composer of classical music. Biography Granville Ransome Bantock was born in London. His father was an eminent Scottish surgeon.Hadden, J. Cuthbert, 1913, ''Modern Musi ...

(1868–1946) and Claude Ronald Bantock (1875–1921), who had a successful career in

musical theatre 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 ...

in Australia.1881 England Census Record for Ernest Leedham Sutherland Bantock Bantock's father was a remote and stern figure in his childhood and a man of strict principle in his work who challenged

Joseph Lister Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, (5 April 182710 February 1912) was a British surgeon, medical scientist, experimental pathologist and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery and preventative medicine. Joseph Lister revolutionised the craft of ...

in a famous scientific debate over surgical disinfectant and eventually proved his case at some cost to his reputation. However, Bantock's mother, "Bessie", created an affectionate atmosphere in their home, allowing her children to play cricket in the corridors and keeping a menagerie of animals in the house including snakes and a monkey. Her three sons inherited their artistic temperament from her. With his brother Granville, Bantock wrote a couple of music hall songs that met with some success.Budd, Vincent. "A Brief Introduction to the Life and Work of Sir Granville Bantock"
The Bantock Society, accessed 14 April 2019

Theatre career

bass-baritone A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing thr ...

, Bantock played Sharp in ''The Married Bachelor'' (1890) at the

Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...

and Peter Poddleson in ''The Refugees'' (1891) at the

Opera Comique The Opera Comique was a 19th-century theatre constructed in Westminster, London, between Wych Street, Holywell Street and the Strand. It opened in 1870 and was demolished in 1902, to make way for the construction of the Aldwych and Kingsway. ...

before appearing in the London companies of

George Edwardes George Joseph Edwardes (né Edwards; 8 October 1855 – 4 October 1915) was an English theatre manager and producer of Irish ancestry who brought a new era in musical theatre to the British stage and beyond. Edwardes started out in theatre ma ...

for 20 years in secondary roles in a string of musicals including Marius/Fill-up the Good in ''Joan of Arc'' (1891) at the Gaiety Theatre, Harry Fitzwarren in ''

A Gaiety Girl ''A Gaiety Girl'' is an English musical comedy in two acts by a team of musical comedy neophytes: Owen Hall (book, on an outline by James T. Tanner), Harry Greenbank (lyrics) and Sidney Jones (music). It opened at Prince of Wales Theatre in ...

'' (1893), James Cripps in ''

An Artist's Model ''An Artist's Model'' is a two-act musical by Owen Hall, with lyrics by Harry Greenbank and music by Sidney Jones, with additional songs by Joseph and Mary Watson, Paul Lincke, Frederick Ross, Henry Hamilton and Leopold Wenzel. It opened at Dal ...

'' (1895), Arthur Cuddy in ''

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 ...

'' (1896), The Emperor in ''

San Toy ''San Toy, or The Emperor's Own'' is a "Chinese" musical comedy in two acts, first performed at Daly's Theatre, London, on 21 October 1899, and ran for 768 performances (edging out the same composer's '' The Geisha'' as the second longest run f ...

'' (1894), Tubby Bedford in ''

The School Girl ''The School Girl'' is an Edwardian musical comedy, in two acts, composed by Leslie Stuart (with additional songs by Paul Rubens) with a book by Henry Hamilton and Paul M. Potter, and lyrics by Charles H. Taylor and others. It concerns a Fre ...

'' (1903), Douglas Verity in ''

A Country Girl ''A Country Girl, or, Town and Country'' is a musical play in two acts by James T. Tanner, with lyrics by Adrian Ross, additional lyrics by Percy Greenbank, music by Lionel Monckton and additional songs by Paul Rubens. The musical opened at D ...

'' (1902), Boobhamba in '' The Cingalee'' (1904) and Colonel Leyton in ''

Lady Madcap ''Lady Madcap'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts, composed by Paul Rubens with a book by Paul Rubens and Nathaniel Newnham-Davis, and lyrics by Paul Rubens and Percy Greenbank. The story concerns a mischievous Earl's daughter who ...

'' (1906), as well as in America and Australia where he played Hopkins in '' In Town'', Bertie Boyd in ''

The Shop Girl ''The Shop Girl'' was a musical comedy in two acts (described by the author as a musical farce) written by H. J. W. Dam, with Lyrics by Dam and Adrian Ross and music by Ivan Caryll, and additional numbers by Lionel Monckton and Ross. It premier ...

'', Dawson in ''

Gentleman Joe ''Gentleman Joe, The Hansom Cabbie'' is a farcical musical comedy with music by Walter Slaughter and a libretto by Basil Hood. The original production of the musical opened at the Prince of Wales's Theatre on 2 March 1895 and ran for a very su ...

'' and Sir Lewis in ''

''. Bantock also worked as both a director (including for

Marie Lloyd Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (12 February 1870 – 7 October 1922), professionally known as Marie Lloyd (), was an English music hall singer, comedian and musical theatre actress. She was best known for her performances of songs such as " T ...

's only appearance in musical theatre ''The ABC'' (1898)) and as an author and dramatist, collaborating with

Howard Talbot Richard Lansdale Munkittrick, better known as Howard Talbot (9 March 1865 – 12 September 1928), was an American-born, English-raised conductor and composer of Irish descent. He was best known for writing the music to several hit Edwardian musi ...

on the books for such musical comedies as ''

The Girl Behind the Counter ''The Girl Behind the Counter'' is an Edwardian musical comedy with a book by Arthur Anderson (dramatist), Arthur Anderson and Leedham Bantock, music by Howard Talbot and lyrics by Arthur Anderson (dramatist), Arthur Anderson (and additional lyr ...

'' (1906). He wrote the book to Talbot's music for '' The White Chrysanthemum'' (1905) and ''

The Belle of Brittany ''The Belle of Brittany'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts set in 'Daffodil Time' in rustic 18th-century Brittany. It premiered at the Sondheim Theatre, Queen's Theatre in London on 24 October 1908. The music is by Howard Talbot and Ma ...

'' (1908) which, like ''The Girl Behind the Counter'', proved to be successful in Britain and abroad.Leedham Bantock
British Musical Theatre at the Gilbert and Sullivan Archive, accessed 14 April 2019 Gänzl, Kurt, ''Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre'', Second edition. Three volumes. New York: Schirmer Books (2001) Other works on which Bantock worked as a librettist include ''

The Three Kisses ''The Three Kisses'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts which opened on 21 August 1907 at the Apollo Theatre in London with music by Howard Talbot and a book by Leedham Bantock and Percy Greenbank and lyrics by the latter. Directed by Aust ...

'' (1907) with Talbot and

Percy Greenbank Percy Greenbank (24 January 1878 – 9 December 1968) was an English lyricist and librettist, best known for his contribution of lyrics to a number of successful Edwardian musical comedies in the early years of the 20th century. His older brothe ...

; '' A Persian Princess'' (1909) with Sidney Jones and Percy Greenbank, and ''Physical Culture'' (1917) with Harold Simpson. On 1 December 1899 Bantock was initiated as a Freemason.

Film career

In 1912 Bantock became the first actor to be identified to have played

Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...

, in a film titled ''

'', which he also wrote and co-directed. From 1913 to 1915 Bantock was the Managing Director of Zenith Films Ltd, for whom he worked in

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

s as an actor, director and writer, writing and directing '' Ivanhoe'' (1913); directing and acting in '' Scrooge'' (1913) and directing '' David Garrick'' (1913), ''The Shopsoiled Girl'' (1915), ''The Beggar Girl's Wedding'' (1915) and ''The Veiled Woman'' (1917).

Marriage

In 1917 in

Barnet Barnet may refer to: People *Barnet (surname) * Barnet (given name) Places United Kingdom *Chipping Barnet or High Barnet, commonly known as Barnet, one of three focal towns of the borough below. *East Barnet, a district of the borough below; an ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...

he married Gaiety Theatre chorus girl Laura May Peacock (1886-1968) and with her had two sons: Paul Leedham Bantock (1921–1942) killed while serving as a Pilot Officer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

; and Granville Ransome Bantock (born 1925).

Later years

In his later years Bantock was the General Manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London and for which he wrote the annual

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 ...

,Granville Bantock and the Actors' Orphanage
The Noël Coward Society, accessed 14 April 2019 including that for ''The Sleeping Beauty'' (1920), ''Robinson Crusoe'' (1922), ''Jack and the Beanstalk'' (1923), ''The Forty Thieves'' (1924), ''Dick Whittington'' (1925) and ''Queen of Hearts'' (1927). He lived in a modest terraced house at 19 Beaumont Avenue in

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

in Surrey, where he died in 1928, aged 58, leaving just £140 10s 4d to his wife in his will.England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1861–1941 for Ernest L. S. Bantock By 1930 this sum was gone, causing financial hardship for his widow and sons and, on the advice of her late husband's brother Granville, after whom her youngest son was named, she put her two sons into the Actors' Orphanage at Langley Hall in order to take in lodgers. Her sons remained there for at least eight years.

Filmography

Film director

*''Seymour Hicks and Ellaline Terriss'' (1913)Leedham Bantock
on the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

database *'' Ivanhoe'' (1913) starring

Lauderdale Maitland Lauderdale Maitland (1878 – 28 February 1929) was a British stage and film actor. Selected filmography * ''Ivanhoe'' (1913) * '' The Beggar Girl's Wedding'' (1915) * ''Queen's Evidence'' (1919) * ''The Right to Strike'' (1923) * ''The Taming o ...

as IvanhoeFilmography for Leedham Bantock

(BFI) database *'' Scrooge'' (1913) starring

Seymour Hicks Sir Edward Seymour Hicks (30 January 1871 – 6 April 1949), better known as Seymour Hicks, was a British actor, music hall performer, playwright, actor-manager and producer. He became known, early in his career, for writing, starring in and p ...

and

Ellaline Terriss Mary Ellaline Terriss, Lady Hicks (born Mary Ellaline Lewin, 13 April 1871 – 16 June 1971), known professionally as Ellaline Terriss, was a popular British actress and singer, best known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies. Sh ...

''Scrooge''
(1913), BFI *'' David Garrick'' (1913) starring Seymour Hicks and Ellaline Terriss *''A Motorcycle Elopement'' (1914) *''Always Tell Your Wife'' (1914) *''A Patriotic English Girl'' (1914) *'' Kismet'' (1914) - film of the 1911 play starring

Oscar Asche John Stange(r) Heiss Oscar Asche (24 January 1871 – 23 March 1936), better known as Oscar Asche, was an Australian actor, director, and writer, best known for having written, directed, and acted in the record-breaking musical ''Chu Chin C ...

and

Lily Brayton Elizabeth "Lily" Brayton (23 June 1876 – 30 April 1953) was an English actress and singer, known for her performances in Shakespeare plays and for her nearly 2,000 performances in the First World War hit musical ''Chu Chin Chow''. Early life ...

*''From Flower Girl to Red Cross Nurse'' (1915) *''A Prehistoric Love Story'' (1915) starring Hicks and Terriss *''A Daughter of England'' (1915) *''The Beggar Girl's Wedding'' (1915) *''The Girl of My Heart'' (1915) *''The Girl Who Took the Wrong Turning'' (1915) *''The Shopsoiled Girl'' (1915) *''The Veiled Woman'' (1917)

Screenwriter

*''Mephisto'' (1912), directed by Alfred de Manby and F. Martin Thornton *''

'' (1912), directed by

Walter R. Booth Walter Robert Booth (12 July 1869 – 1938) was a British magician and early pioneer of British film. Collaborating with Robert W. Paul and then Charles Urban mostly on "trick" films, he pioneered techniques that led to what has been descri ...

, R. H. Callum and Thornton *'' Ivanhoe'' (1913), also directed by Bantock *''The Tempter'' (1913), directed by Callum and Thornton

Film actor

*''

'' (1912), directed by

, Callum and Thornton *'' Scrooge'' (1913), also directed by Bantock *''The Tempter'' (1913), directed by Callum and Thornton

References

External links

* *
''Physical Culture'' by Leedham Bantock and Harold Simpson on Great War Theatre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bantock, Leedham 1870 births 1928 deaths People from Marylebone English bass-baritones 19th-century British male singers 20th-century British male singers Singers from London English male stage actors English male silent film actors Male actors from London 19th-century English male actors 20th-century English male actors English male film actors English male dramatists and playwrights British film directors Silent film directors English Freemasons