Joseph Coyne (27 March 1867 – 17 February 1941) was an American-born vaudevillian and musical comedy actor whose career spanned nearly 50 years, from 1883-1931. A popular performer in the U.S., he achieved major stardom in the role of Prince Danilo in George Edwardes' London adaptation of The Merry Widow, which led to other leading roles in Edwardian musical comedy and many other productions in London, New York, and Australia.
Early life and breaking into theater
The son of Irish immigrants James P. Coyne of Queens County, and Margaret Downey of West Meath County, Coyne was born in New York City,Interview in The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 Feb 1921, p. 7 the middle of three children. His father worked as a seaman"1870 US Federal Census" 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. and, later, a waiter, while his mother kept house.Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Having shown talent for drawing "and the like," Coyne's parents apprenticed him to a sculptor where his job was to keep the clay moist for modeling, particularly over the weekends. But Coyne so loved the theater that he'd sneak off to watch shows instead of keeping the clay wet, and fled the job after breaking a statue that was supposed to be under his care.
Instead Coyne, having "of his own accord discovered himself as a dancer," went to a casting call for boys who could dance, and was one of six out of hundreds who was cast, thanks to his natural talent. He made his stage debut in New York at 16 as a performer in one of The Kiralfy Brothers spectacular productions (Excelsior 1883-1885). He performed in Excelsior for its year-long run, and went on tour with the show following that.Fortune's Favourite: The Life and Times of Franz Lehar, written by W. J. MacQueen-Pope & D.L. Murray, Hutchinson & Co., 1953
Coyne spent the next 10 years in Vaudeville, perfecting his comedic skills as half of a duo known as 'Evans and Coyne,' with his friend, actor Frank Evans."Obituary", The Times, 21 February 1941, p. 7 They performed in music halls and anywhere else that would book them, including joining a circus and performing in blackface.
Theatrical career
A "real" actor Coyne first appeared in legitimate theatre in 1895, joining the Rose Lyall Dramatic Company. The years that followed were referred to by Coyne as a period of "arduous stock work in drama," playing in several variety farce-comedies beginning with The District Attorney (1985), and The Good Mr. Best (1897). The work was hard and unrewarding, yet provided great experience.
Joseph's first starring role was in Charles Hale Hoyt's A Stranger in New York at the Garrick Theatre in NY 1897. In 1899 Hale wrote a leading role especially for Coyne in the short-lived The Dog in the Manger at the Washington National Theater. This was followed by roles in The Girl in the Barracks (1899), Star and Garter (1900), The Night of the Fourth (1901).
Somewhere in this timeframe Charles Frohman, who liked to go out in search of talent himself, saw Coyne playing "a very cheap theatre in New York" and knew he had found something special.
London and Broadway and London Thanks to Charles Frohman's discovery, it was in 1901 that Coyne made his first appearance on the London stage, playing opposite Edna May in Frohman's The Girl from Up There.
Returning to America he got his Broadway break playing the role of Archie in The Toreador (1902). Following that were a string of roles in which he played the "silly-ass" drunken English gentleman to great effect: The Rogers Brothers in London (1903–04), In Newport (1904–05), Abigail (1905), The Rollicking Girl (1905–06), The Social Whirl (1906), and My Lady's Maid (1906). According to the Biographical Dictionary of Dance (1982), Coyne became known for his drunk act and physical comedy: falling down staircases, over tables, and on top of comic leads. It was a typecasting that obscured his other abilities, but one that brought wide recognition.
In 1906, Coyne returned to England with Edna May for his second London West End show, as the comic-aristocrat Billy Rickets in Frohman's Nelly Neil (1907). It was here, on opening night, 10 January 1907, that George Edwardes first saw Joseph Coyne, previously unknown to him, perform, and recognized "the possibilities in this young man who could not sing at all, but who could certainly dance, and who could most certainly act. Edwardes saw Coyne as a new type. His pioneering spirit was awake; here was a complete change from the rather stiff, if handsome and stagily dashing, young man whose voice, as a rule, made his success. This young man had no voice, but he had personality, he had charm, he had individuality. Here was a man who could play Prince Danilo in The Merry Widow as Edwardes now thought it should be played, not as a romantic hero of the light operatic stage, but as a lover in real life with actual flesh and blood and feelings." Edwardes offered Coyne the role that same night, meeting with him in his dressing room after the show.
London theatre-goers were clearly as entranced by Coyne as was Edwardes. One newspaper headline proclaimed "Edna May eclipsed again [...] most of the honors of Nelly Neil have gone to Joseph Coyne." The article goes on to say that long after curtain call on opening night the audience continued calling "Coyne, Coyne!" and claim that, if not for him, the play would likely have a short career."Edna May Eclipsed Again, but Not Angry This Time", The Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA), 3 Feb 1907, sec. 3, p. 11
The Merry Widow, the reluctant hero, and major stardom The casting of Joseph Coyne as romantic lead Prince Danilo in his enormously successful adaptation of Franz Lehár's German operetta The Merry Widow surprised the musical theater world. Not only couldn't Coyne sing, he was respected as a comedic actor and not viewed as a romantic lead least of all by himself. Coyne had never played a romantic lead, did not want to play a romantic lead. To quote eminent theatre historian W. J. MacQueen-Pope, who worked on the show with Edwardes and Coyne, Joe was "horrified" and "begged to be let off. But Edwardes was adamant. He told Coyne to leave it to him. 'You are going to be an enormous success, Joe,' he said; 'you wait and see.'
"But Coyne was most unhappy. Even when he discovered that he was to play it in the way which suited his personality, that he was not expected to sing some of the more difficult numbers, that he was to let his own ability and charm carry him along, he was still afraid. This was not his line of country at all, this Ruritanian stuff; he wanted to be slick and modern and American, as those things were understood in 1907. Even at the dress rehearsal he was scared stiff. He told [music publisher] William Boosey that he was in for the failure of his life. Boosey told him that, on the contrary, he was going to make the biggest hit of his career and would establish himself as a real and lasting favorite in London. Coyne shook his head dolefully. But both Edwardes and Boosey were right, for as a result of Danilo Joe Coyne was to be a favorite with London audiences until the day he died. ... But despite his enormous success in the part, Coyne never liked playing Danilo, and when it was all over said he was glad. ... To the end of his life he never understood why the chief comedy part was given to George Graves."
Of his performance in the part Coyne said, more than a decade later during an interview in Australia, "Prince Danilo was originally played at Carlsbad by an eminent German actor, [Louis] Treumann, as a purely romantic singing-role. At Daly's I presented it as a light, irresponsible young prince, whose love scenes, always sincere, yet possessed a touch of quaint humor."
Coyne's solution to overcoming his limited vocal skills was to recite lines in rhythm, originating the 'speak-style singing' technique popularized by—and often incorrectly credited to--Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady.Popular Musical Theatre in London and Berlin 1890 to 1939, edited by Len Platt, Tobias Becker, and David Linton, p. 65 Edwardes loved the effect, and that is how the show was rehearsed. But trouble was looming. The composer himself was coming to conduct opening night, and had no idea his romantic lead was a comedic actor who could not sing.
During the first rehearsal with Lehár, Edwardes explained that Coyne had a bad cold and must rest his voice. Whenever a Danilo song was imminent Edwardes would tell Coyne to cut the number and save his voice. As rehearsals progressed Lehár got antsy, he still had not heard Coyne sing. Seeing his frustration building, Edwardes suggested that Coyne could recite the next number to save his voice. Coyne did, remarkably well, and Edwardes used the opportunity to posit that the recitation was so beautiful, feeling, and dramatic, shouldn't they keep it that way instead of singing it? Lehár was dubious, Edwardes didn't press."The Magic World of Operetta" by Robin May, Look and Learn Magazine, No 321, 9 Mar 1968, p.14
When, at the dress rehearsal, Joe finally performed by speaking his songs to the music, "Lehár was horrified. He stopped the rehearsal; he put down his baton. 'What was this?' he demanded. Edwardes assured Lehár that Mr. Coyne was a very funny man. 'But I have not written funny music," retorted Lehár. 'Herr Lehár,' he said, 'that man will put a fortune in your pocket, even if he does not sing your beautiful music.' The rehearsal dragged its weary way along. At last it was over. Lehár did not seem distressed, rather pleased than otherwise, though still doubtful of Joe."
First night ticket sales had not been as robust as usual for an Edwardes production. The first night audience was more quiet than usual. Lehár, who had not been able to do anything about the casting of Joe Coyne as Danilo, was still doubtful. The audience did not know what to make of Joe Coyne. He was not the romantic hero they were used to. He made his entrance "without dash, with absolute reluctance, with an odd walk, not handsome, not even good-looking, but round, a bit blank and, above all, worried. In Coyne's first number, he told of the joys of Maxim's, and of the girls there. Literally he told it, speaking the words, but speaking them so clearly, with such quiet meaning, and in such perfect time, that the melody behind them, with all the lilt of Maxim's and ladies in its dancing notes, was brilliantly enhanced by it." By the end of the first act Lehár was amazed. Though the audience seemed reserved and did not clap with typical enthusiasm, Lehár felt that Coyne had "unquestionably got his audience. He himself had felt the power this odd man Coyne was putting over the footlights."
By the time the curtain fell the audience was completely won over. "The applause went across the footlights like a prairie fire, accompanied by roars of cheers, warm and glowing with pleasure and affection, such cheers as are seldom heard by players. The particular triumph of [Joseph Coyne and Lily Elsie] had not been gained by boosting or publicity; it had been gained by themselves and their talent, and by the understanding of George Edwardes. They had won despite themselves. Neither had wanted to play their parts. [...] It seemed the applause would never stop; shouts for the players filled the air" and there were many rounds of curtain calls for the cast. In the end everyone was happy except for [...] Joseph Coyne. Joe could not see what the fuss was about; he still did not like the part; he still thought he was rotten, and he thought so to the end."