Arthur Cecil

Arthur Cecil Blunt, better known as Arthur Cecil (1 June 1843 – 16 April 1896) was an English actor, comedian, playwright and theatre manager. He is probably best remembered for playing the role of Box in the long-running production of "Cox and Box", by Arthur Sullivan and F. C. Burnand, at the Royal Gallery of Illustration.

Biography

Cecil was born in Mayfair, Westminster, London, England. His parents were Joseph Blunt, a solicitor, and Mary Blunt, née James. He studied for the legal profession, but he acted in amateur theatricals, and decided to pursue acting instead.Knight, Joseph, rev. Nilanjana Banerji. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/4974 "Cecil, Arthur (1843–1896)",] "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 7 October 2008, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/4974]

Early career

Cecil began performing as an amateur at the Richmond Theatre. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A03E0DC1E31E033A25754C1A9629C94679ED7CF "Death of an English Actor",] "The New York Times", 17 April 1896] In 1866, he appeared in the role of Bouncer in an amateur production of the one-act comic opera, "Cox and Box" by F. C. Burnand and Arthur Sullivan. [Adams, p. 349] Coincidentally, on Easter Monday 1869, Cecil made his professional début at the Gallery of Illustration in a bill that included "Cox and Box", this time as Mr. Box. The first piece on the bill was W. S. Gilbert's "No Cards", in which he played Mr Churchmouse. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=8Y0PAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA234&lpg=PA234&dq=%22Arthur+Cecil%22+actor&source=web&ots=A_zGd9Xuao&sig=HCESUsWXngWLkm_E2shHkXoyXTY&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA234,M1 "Royal Gallery of Illustration",] Review of the premiere of "No Cards" and "Cox and Box" in "The Musical World", 3 April 1869, p. 234, J. Alfredo Novello, 1869] Thereafter, Cecil often played Box in productions of "Cox and Box". [Moss, Simon. [http://www.c20th.com/GSarchivesass.htm Several programmes featuring "Cox and Box" with Cecil as Box,] at Archive: Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan, an exhibition of Gilbert and Sullivan memorabilia]

This was Cecil's first appearance in a German Reed Entertainment, and he remained steadily with the German Reeds for five years thereafter. With that company, he appeared in numerous comedies, farces, operettas and burlesques, such as "Beggar My Neighbour: A Blind Man's Bouffe" adapted by Burnand from "Les deux aveugles" by Jacques Offenbach (1870) [Adams, p. 134] and "Charity Begins at Home" (1872) by Alfred Cellier and B. C. Stephenson. [Adams, p. 273] After "No Cards", he appeared in other Gilbert works at the Gallery, including "Ages Ago" (1869), "Our Island Home" (1870), "A Sensation Novel" (1871) and "Happy Arcadia" (1872). He also wrote some works for the German Reeds, including "Dora's Dream" (1873), in which he also performed, at St. George's Hall, [Walters, Michael and and George Low. [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/companions/doras_dream/index.html "Dora's Dream",] "Curtain Raisers", at The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive (1996)]

Cecil joined the company at the Globe Theatre in 1874, playing in such works as Gilbert's "Committed for Trial", as Jonathan Wagstaff and "Wig and Gown" by James Albery, as Mr Justice Jones. The next year, he was at the Gaiety Theatre, London, in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" as Dr. Caius; and at the Opera Comique, in "As You Like It", as Touchstone, in "The School for Scandal" as Sir Peter Teazle, and in "She Stoops to Conquer", as Tony Lumpkin. In 1876, he was back at the Globe. There, he originated the role of Dr. Downward in "Miss Gwilt" by Wilkie Collins. He was at the Prince of Wales's Theatre during the following three years. There, he played in many pieces, including "Peril" by Saville Rowe and B. C. Stephenson, as Sir Woodbine Grafton (together with the Bancrofts); "Duty" by Albery in 1879; [Adams, p. 438] "The Vicarage", as Noel Haygarth;"Obituary. Mr. Arthur Cecil", "The Times", 17 April, 1896, p. 10, col C] and "Caste" by T. W. Robertson in 1879 (with the Bancrofts), as Sam Gerridge. [Adams, p. 259] The Bancrofts moved to the Haymarket Theatre in 1880, and Cecil went with them, appearing in Lord Bulwer-Lytton's "Money", as Mr. Graves. He then played in other Robertson comedies at the Comedy Theatre, including "Society" and "Ours". [ [http://www.gilbertandsullivanonline.com/programm.htm "Programmes/Ephemera",] at the GilbertandSullivanOnline memorabilia site]

Later years

Beginning in 1881, Cecil joined the company at the Royal Court Theatre. From 1883, he was co-manager, with John Clayton, of that theatre. There, he played in a number of farces by A. W. Pinero, including "The Rector", as Connor Hennessy; "The Magistrate" (1885), as Mr. Posket; "The Schoolmistress" (1886), as Vere Queckett; "Dandy Dick" (1887), as Blore, the butler; [Adams, p. 374] and in the title role of "The Cabinet Minister" (1890) [Adams, p. 238] He also appeared there in G. W. Godfrey's "The Millionaire", as Mr. Guyon, and created the role of Miles Henniker in Sydney Grundy's "Mamma" (1888). Cecil and Clayton yielded management at the Court to Mrs. John Wood and Arthur Chudleigh when the theatre closed in 1887, although Cecil continued acting at the theatre after it was rebuilt.

Cecil played the title role in "Pickwick" by Burnand, with music by Edward Solomon, at the Comedy Theatre in 1889 [Barrington, Rutland. [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/books/barrington/ch_06.html "Rutland Barrington, by Himself",] Chapter 6, mentioning "Pickwick", Grant Richards, London, 1908] and Lord Burnham in "The Crusaders", a comedy by Henry Arthur Jones at the Avenue Theatre in 1891. [Adams, p. 359] In 1893, he appeared as Baron Stein in "Diplomacy" by Clement Scott and B. C. Stephenson with the Bancrofts at the Garrick Theatre. In 1894, he was again in "Money" with the Bancrofts at the Comedy. He continued acting in plays and musical pieces, mostly at the Court Theatre, and sometimes at the Comedy, Globe, Avenue and other houses, often reprising one of his successful roles. In 1895 at the Court, he made one of his last successes in "Vanity Fair" by G. W. Godfrey. ["Court Theatre", "The Times", 29 April 1895, p. 11, col. F]

Throughout his career, Cecil wrote comedy sketches such as "Bright Idea" (1881) with composer Arthur Law, [Adams, p. 206] and songs, some of which became popular or were interpolated into musical theatre pieces, such as "Little Jack Sheppard" (1885). He supplemented his income by entertaining at private events and parties.

Cecil died on 16 April 1896 at Brighton at the age of 52 and was buried at the Old Mortlake Burial Ground in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. [ [http://www.richmond.gov.uk/home/leisure_and_culture/local_history_and_heritage/people_of_historical_note_buried_in_the_borough_a_to_l.htm "People of historical note buried in the borough A to L",] London borough of of Richmond upon Thames website (2007), also [http://www2.richmond.gov.uk/burials/DetailsD.asp?ID=229643 Arthur Cecil Blunt] in the Burial Register for Old Mortlake Burial Ground.] An official notice relating to his estate described him as "late of Clarence-chambers Haymarket and the Garrick Club London, Comedian". [LondonGazette|issue=26747|startpage=3411|date=9 June 1896|accessdate=2008-10-09]

Notes

References

*Adams, William Davenport. [http://books.google.com/books?id=TzwOAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22Arthur+Cecil%22+blunt&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0 "A Dictionary of the Drama",] Chatto & Windus, 1904
*Cook, E. D. "Nights at the play" (1883)
*Hollingshead, John. "Gaiety chronicles" (1898)
*Pascoe, C. E. (ed.) "The dramatic list" (1879) and 2nd ed. (1880)
*Reid, E. and H. Compton (eds.) "The dramatic peerage" (1891); rev. ed. (1892)
*Scott, C. W. and C. Howard (eds.) "The life and reminiscences of E. L. Blanchard", with notes from the diary of Wm. Blanchard, 2 vols. (1891)

External links

* [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp59363 NPG portrait of Cecil]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9B03EFD7123EE63BBC4851DFB2668382669FDE&oref=slogin "NY Times" article calling Cecil "One of the cleverest comedians on the English stage".]