E. J. Lonnen

Edwin Jesse Lonnen (1860 – 31 October 1901), credited as "E. J." or "Teddy", was an English actor, comedian and singer known for his performances in musical burlesques, operettas and musical comedies, particularly at the Gaiety Theatre, London at the end of the Victorian era.

Lonnen began acting as a child in pantomime and other theatre in the British provinces. He made his London debut in 1885 and appeared in several of the famous Gaiety burlesques from 1887 to 1891. He starred in such other major works as ''Little Christopher Columbus'' (1893), ''Baron Golosh'' (1895) and '' The Messenger Boy'' (1900) before dying at the age of 41.

Biography

Lonnen was born in Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire into a theatrical family. His father William Rooles Lonnen (1833–1890) was an actor-manager, well known in the provinces under his stage name, Champion."A Chat with E. J. Lonnen", ''The Era'', 25 November 1893, p. 11 His brother Victor was an orchestra conductor under the name Victor Champion. Lonnen appeared in his father's productions from an early age. "I have a distinct recollection of playing a speaking part in a pantomime when I was five years old. I have been the baby in ''East Lynne''; Prince Arthur – in fact I have played the whole round of juvenile parts." As a teenager, Lonnen acted for Harry Wright's "booth" company of travelling players, and shortly before he was 20, he was engaged to appear with Barry Sullivan, and then with Edward Terry playing Tootles in ''Weak Woman'' and the Dougal Creature in ''Robbing Roy''. He made a hit in a Liverpool pantomime with Frank Emery, who engaged him for his burlesque company for a provincial tour that brought him to wider attention.

Lonnen made his London debut as Tancred in '' Falka'' at the Avenue Theatre in 1885 and subsequently starred in a series of successful musical burlesques at the Gaiety Theatre in London, including ''Monte Cristo Jr.'' as De Villefort (1886), ''Miss Esmeralda'' as Frollo (1887, in which he sang '' Killaloe'', perhaps his most popular song),'' The Times'', 2 November 1901, p. 8 ''Frankenstein, or The Vampire's Victim'' (1887), ''Faust up to date'' as Mephistopheles (1888), '' Carmen up to Data'' as José (1890) and '' Cinder Ellen up too Late'' as Prince Belgravia (1891). In 1892–1893 Lonnen toured with the London Gaiety Burlesque Company to Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. Later, back in England, he starred in another burlesque hit, ''Little Christopher Columbus'', as O'hoolegan (1893 at the Lyric Theatre), in the title role of the operetta ''Baron Golosh'' (1895 at the Trafalgar Theatre), and in ''La Béarnaise'' as Girafo (1896 at the Prince of Wales's Theatre). In the burlesque ''Monte Cristo Jr.'' at the Gaiety, he sang the song "Ballyhooly". He also starred in the musical comedy hit '' The Messenger Boy'' as Cosmos Bey (1900 at the Gaiety).

Lonnen married Emily Inman, a dancer. They had a daughter, actress Jessie Lonnen, who performed with George Edwardes's company in England and the J. C. Williamson company in Australia. His son, Lieut. Edwin John Leslie Lonnen, a pilot with the RFC, was killed in action in World War I on 16 August 1916 at the age of 27. Lonnen died of tuberculosis at the Sanatorium, Hailey, Ipsden at the age of 41. He is buried at the Norwood Cemetery.London Metropolitan Archives, ''Church of England Parish Register of Burials'' (1813–1906), Norwood Cemetery Transcript of Burials, (January 1901 – December 1903), p. 2645

Notes

References

*Adams, William Davenport
''A Dictionary of the Drama''
London: Chatto & Windus (1904)

External links

Photo of Lonnen in
'' Carmen up to Data''
Several photos of Lonnen at the V&A Images archiveImage of sheet music for "Ballyhooly"Image of sheet music for one of Lonnen's songs

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lonnen, E. J.
English male musical theatre actors
English male comedians
19th-century British male singers
1860 births
1901 deaths