Hubert Henry Davies
Hubert Henry Davies (17 March 1869 – 17 August 1917) was a leading British playwright and dramatist of the early 20th century, following in the tradition of Arthur Wing Pinero and Henry Arthur Jones, but influenced profoundly by Thomas William Robertson. He was born in Woodley, Cheshire, and spent some time as a journalist in San Francisco.
Hubert Henry Davis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 March 1869 Woodley, Cheshire, England |
| Died | 17 August 1917 (aged 48) Robin Hoods Bay, Yorkshire, England |
| Occupation(s) | Dramatist, playwright, former journalist |
| Years active | 1899-? |
| Known for | The Mollusc |
Career
He began his career in New York with The Weldons (1899), and on his return to Britain, collaborated successfully with the actor-manager Charles Wyndham to produce four West End productions including Cousin Kate (Theatre Royal Haymarket, 1903) and Mrs. Gorringe's Necklace (Wyndham's Theatre, 1903).
His best known work was The Mollusc. Originally produced by and starring Charles Wyndham at the Criterion Theatre in 1907, it was revived in London at the Arts Theatre in 1949, at Liverpool Playhouse in 2006 (although the title was changed to The Lady of Leisure), and at the Finborough Theatre in 2007; the play also was made into a movie.[1] His plays were successful in New York.[2] Other published plays were Cynthia (1903), Captain Drew on Leave, Lady Epping's Lawsuit, Bevis, A Single Man, Doormats, and Outcast (1914[2]).[3]
Later life and death
During the First World War, he worked in France as a hospital orderly, which led to a nervous breakdown, and he was found dead at Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire in 1917.
Productions
Davies' Mrs. Gorringe's Necklace was a staple of Australian theatre since 1906 when it was produced by the Flemming-Brough Company.[4]
It was produced at the People's Theatre, Royal Archade, Newcastle upon Tyne, by the Clarion Theatre in October 1923.
References
- Hubert Henry Davies at IMDb
- "Hubert Henry Davies – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- "Mr. Hubert Davies". The Observer (Adelaide). South Australia. 1 September 1917. p. 14. Retrieved 18 January 2020 – via Trove.
- "Mummerings". The Gadfly (Adelaide). Vol. I, no. 22. South Australia. 11 July 1906. p. 12. Retrieved 8 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.