Dan Leno (20 December 1860 – 31 October 1904) was an English comedian and stage actor, famous for appearing in music hall, comic plays, pantomimes, Victorian burlesques and musical comedies, during the Victorian and Edwardian eras.Newton, p. 30 He originated and popularised many songs, sketches and monologues in his music hall acts and made both soundAnthony, p. 177 and visualStreet, p. 113 recordings of some of his work shortly before he died. Although brief, Leno's recording period (1901–1903) produced around thirty recordings on one-sided shellac discs using the early acoustic recording process. They were released by the Gramophone and Typewriter Company, one of the early recording companies, which became the parent organisation for the His Master's Voice label."Columbia Graphophone-H.M.V. Merger In England by Morgan Deal Indicated", The New York Times, 27 April 1930

Before Leno's recording debut, music hall comedian Harry Bluff had recorded a number of Leno's songs, which were marketed by the Edison Bell Company in London in 1898. Leno was initially reluctant to adopt the new medium of sound recording, but he was eventually enticed into the studio with a lucrative commission of one shilling (£4.15 in 2012) per dozen discs sold. His records sold for five shillings each (£20.75 in 2012) and ran for three minutes. Some of the recorded songs differed from Leno's music hall versions by being condensed to incorporate part of the sketch from which the song was taken. It is unknown how many discs were sold, because no record was ever kept of their sales. Despite the success of the recordings and the praise he received from the record distributors, Leno felt uncomfortable in the recording studio. In an interview for Pearson's Magazine in 1903, he stated: "How the dickens can I patter and warble to that thing. Can't a few of you come round and smile and clap a bit?""Voice Reproduction", Pearson's Magazine, July 1903, p. 8, quoted in Anthony, p. 178

In his music hall acts, Leno created characters based on observations mostly about life in London, including shopwalkers, grocer's assistants, beefeaters, huntsmen, racegoers, firemen, fathers, henpecked husbands, garrulous wives, pantomime dames, a police officer, a fireman and a hairdresser.Bennett, pp. 28–31 For his London acts, Leno purchased songs from the foremost music hall writers and composers, including Harry King, who wrote many of Leno's early successes, Harry Dacre and Joseph Tabrar.Anthony, p. 100 From 1890, George Le Brunn composed the music to many of Leno's songs and sketches, including "The Detective", "My Old Man", "Chimney on Fire", "The Fasting Man", "The Jap", "All Through a Little Piece of Bacon" and "The Detective Camera". Le Brunn also wrote the music for three of Leno's best known sketches that depicted life in everyday occupations: "The Railway Guard" (1890), "The Shopwalker" and The Waiter" (both from 1891).Anthony, p. 101 Leno made 14 short films towards the end of his life, most as himself, and four as an actor. He generally portrayed a bumbling buffoon who struggles to carry out everyday tasks, such as riding a bicycle. In An Obstinate Cork (1902), one of Leno's few surviving films, he struggles to pull a cork out of a champagne bottle while on a picnic with his wife Lydia.Flanders, Judith. "1901 census", Who Do You Think You Are magazine, accessed 27 June 2013

Discography

Recording number Title Year recorded Issue number Description 1066 "Who Does the House Belong To?" 1901 GC–2–2518 Sketch 1067 1901 GC–1204 Sketch 1082 1901 GC–2435 Sketch 1084 1901 GC–2436 Sketch 1091 "Where Are You Going To, My Pretty Maid?" 1901 GC–2436 Song 1092 "My Wife's Relations" 1901 GC–1205 Monologue 1093 1901 GC–2–2515 Sketch 1094 1901 GC–2–2516 Sketch 1095 "Clever Mr. Green" 1901 GC–2–2517 Sketch 1096 "McGlockell's Men" 1901 GC–1206 Sketch 1127 "Poppies" 1901 GC–2–2530 Song 1128 "Mrs. Kelly" 1901 GC–2–2531 Sketch 1129 1901 GC–2435 Sketch 3222/3 1903 GC–2–2807 Song 3224/5 "Going to the Races" 1903 GC–2–2808 Monologue 3462/3 "Spiritualism" 1903 GC–1243 Monologue 3478/9 1903 GC–2–2830 Sketch 3480/1 1903 GC–2–2831 Song 3484/5 "Wait Till I'm His Father" 1903 GC–2–2832 Sketch 3486/5 1903 Unissued Sketch 3487/8 1903 GC–2–2854 Sketch 3489/90 1903 GC–2–2833 Sketch 3491/2 1903 GC–2–2855 Sketch 3496/7 "Dan Leno's Clog Dance" 1903 Unissued Monologue 43–R "I Am Waiting for Him Tonight" 1903 02006 Sketch 46–R 1903 01000 Monologue 47–R "Going to the Races" (re-recording) 1903 02001 Monologue 50–R 1903 02005 Sketch 23117 "Young Men Taken In and Done For" 1903 Unissued Sketch Note: Leno's recordings are listed in Gyles Brandreth's 1977 biography, The Funniest Man on Earth: The Story of Dan Leno.Brandreth, p. 96

Unrecorded songs, sketches and monologues

Year performed Title Notes Description "Pity the Poor Italian Boy" First performed in Ireland under his stage name The Great Little Leno, the Quintessence of Irish Comedians.Anthony, pp. 26–28 Song "Pongo the Monkey" First presented at Pullan's Theatre of Varieties, Brunswick Place, Bradford.Anthony, p. 32 Sketch "Torpedo Bill" Follow up sketch to Pongo the Monkey, first presented at Pullan's Theatre of Varieties, Brunswick Place, Bradford. Sketch Performed alongside The Leno Family at the People's Music Hall in Manchester.Anthony, p. 43 Sketch "I'm the Champion Still" First performed at the Scotia Theatre, Glasgow.Coborn, p. 150 Song "Sweet Black Pairs" Performed during the Christmas pantomime Dick Whittington.Anthony, p. 44The Era, 5 November 1883, p. 4 Song "Don't Lean Against a House that's Pulled Down" Written by Leno. First performed at the Parthenon Theatre, Liverpool.Newton, pp. 66–67Anthony, p. 53 Song "Gaffer Goliker" Written by Leno and first performed at Parthenon Theatre, Liverpool. Song "When Rafferty Raffled His Watch" First performed in Leno's London debut.Anthony, p. 61 Song "I'm Off to Buy Milk for the Twins" First performed at the Oxford Theatre, London. Song "It's More Than a Fellow Can Stand" First performed at the Forester's music hall, London.The Era, 12 March 1887, p. 7 Song First performed at the Oxford Theatre, London.The Era, 26 June 1886, p. 4 Song "Young Men Taken In and Done For" Written and composed by Harry King.Anthony, p. 82 Song "I'll Be Waiting for Him Tonight" Written by Leno.Anthony, p. 79 Song "Has Anyone Seen a Moving Job?" First monologue, written by Leno.The Era, 1 June 1889, p. 3 Song "My Old Man" Composed by George Le Brunn, words by Harry King.Anthony, p. 147 Song Written and composed by Harry King. Leno's first "trade song". Song "Dear Old Mike" First performed at the Empire Theatre, London. Song "Never More" Sketch written by Leno based on his early life touring.Anthony, p. 142 Leno sung the title song as the character Mr. Girkling. Words by Harry King, music by George Le Brunn.The Times, 27 January 1894, p. 3 Sketch "Her Mother's at the Bottom of It All" Written by Leno and sung in the character of Mr. Pipkins.Anthony, pp. 88–89 Song Composed by George Le Brunn. Leno's second "trade song".Anthony, pp. 103–04 Sketch "Mother Nature" Performed during the Christmas pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk.Anthony, pp. 91–92 Song Composed by George Le Brunn, words by Walter de Frece, another "trade song".Anthony, pp. 104–05 Sketch Trade song, composed by George Le Brunn.Anthony, pp. 105–06 Sketch Composed by J.H. Woodhouse. Sketch "All Through a Little Piece of Bacon" Composed by George Le Brunn. Song "Chimney on Fire" Composed by George Le Brunn. Song Composed by George Le Brunn. Sketch Composed by George Le Brunn. Song Composed by George Le Brunn. Song Featuring Leno's character Dr. McFabback.Anthony, p. 141 Sketch Words by Harry Wright, music by Fred Eplett. Leno performed as the character Sergeant Smirks.Anthony, p. 123Anthony, pp. 141–42 Sketch Performed during the production Little Bo-Peep, Little Red Riding Hood and Hop O' My Thumb.The Illustrated London News, 31 December 1892, p. 7Anthony, pp. 115–16 Song "My Sweet Face" Written and composed by Herbert Darnley for the Christmas pantomime Robinson Crusoe.Anthony, p. 132 Song "Mary Anne's Refused Me" Written by Leno about how to avoid marriage.Anthony, p. 145 Sketch "Courting the Widow" Written by Leno for his American audiences."Dan Leno in America", The Era, 24 April 1897, p. 19 Song Written by Leno for his American audiences. Song Written by Leno for his American audiences. Song "Our Nineteenth Century Stores" Sung in the style of Leno's inspiration Joseph Grimaldi. Leno dedicated this song to him.Anthony, p. 161 Song "I'll Marry Him" Featuring Leno's character Mrs. Kelly.Anthony, p. 163 Song Written by Leno. Later recorded as "The Swimming Master" in 1903.Anthony, p. 107 Song Written by Leno. Capitalising on the success of this, Leno recorded "Tower of London" in 1901.Anthony, p. 162 Sketch Written by Leno about a manual worker who came into a lot of money. Later recorded in 1903.Anthony, p. 159 Song Composed by George Le Brunn. Sketch "McFarlane's Men" Written by Leno about Scotland. Song Written by Leno. Later recorded as "Poppies" in 1901. Sketch First performed at the London Pavilion.The Playgoer June 1906, p. 2 Song Written by Leno. Later recorded as "The Robin" in 1903. Monologue Performed on a single occasion at the London Pavilion as part of the Doo-da-Day Minstrels; an act composed of Johnny Danvers, Herbert Campbell, Bransby Williams, Joe Elvin, Eugene Stratton, Fred McNaughton and Harry Randall.Anthony, p. 71 Song The last of his "trade songs", performed at the Empire Theatre, London. Sketch "My Wife's Relations" Written by Leno about his family. Monologue Written by Leno, performed during Mother Goose in 1903. Inspired by "The Honeysuckle and the Bee" as performed by Ellaline Terriss. Song First performed at the London Pavilion.Anthony, pp. 196–97 Song

Notes and references Notes

References

Sources

External links

Dan Leno profile and recordings of "The Huntsman" (1901) and "Going To The Races" (1903) The legacy of Dan Leno at Ward's Book of Days