Lewis Waller - Postcard, 1915
Title
Lewis Waller - Postcard, 1915
Date
1 March 1915
Description
Promotional postcard of Lewis Waller, starring in 1915 double-bill touring production of The Three Musketeers and Monsieur Beaucaire.
What's the story?
Lewis Waller starred in The Three Musketeers, playing D’Artagnan, and Monsieur Beaucaire at the Theatre Royal from 1 to 6 March 1915.
During the week-long run, The Three Musketeers, based on Dumas’ 1844 novel was performed on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Monsieur Beaucaire, based on a 1900 novel by Booth Tarkington, was performed Tuesday, Friday and Saturday matinee.
Born in Spain, Lewis Waller was a hugely popular and famous actor, who in 1893 moved into theatre management and production with his own theatre company, as well as maintaining his successful acting career, particularly in the regions.
A frequent visitor to the Theatre Royal Nottingham, later in 1915 Waller made his second visit to the venue, after this double-bill, with the play Gambler’s All by May Martindale, which opened on 18 October. He was taken ill during the run of the show and died during the morning of 1 November in his bed at the Rufford Hotel, next door to the theatre. His death was just two days short of his 55th birthday.
This postcard forms part of a large scrapbook collection donated to the Theatre Royal archive by Diane Meadwell from Sandiacre. Her great grandfather was Bernard Hill, the former landlord of The Sun Inn on Parliament Street and who later became the Stage Door Keeper at the Theatre Royal. Bernard’s daughter Edith also worked at the Theatre Royal as an usherette.
Whilst in his stage door job, Bernard collected a large number of postcards of the numerous artists who performed at the venue, many of which he got them to autograph, as well as writing the date and if necessary the show on the reverse, making the future archivist’s job that little bit easier. We have then been able to cross-reference this information with the list of Theatre Royal shows being compiled by volunteer researcher Lynn Whitley.
We are grateful to Diane for sharing her family memories with us and for donating such a valuable resource to the archive.
During the week-long run, The Three Musketeers, based on Dumas’ 1844 novel was performed on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Monsieur Beaucaire, based on a 1900 novel by Booth Tarkington, was performed Tuesday, Friday and Saturday matinee.
Born in Spain, Lewis Waller was a hugely popular and famous actor, who in 1893 moved into theatre management and production with his own theatre company, as well as maintaining his successful acting career, particularly in the regions.
A frequent visitor to the Theatre Royal Nottingham, later in 1915 Waller made his second visit to the venue, after this double-bill, with the play Gambler’s All by May Martindale, which opened on 18 October. He was taken ill during the run of the show and died during the morning of 1 November in his bed at the Rufford Hotel, next door to the theatre. His death was just two days short of his 55th birthday.
This postcard forms part of a large scrapbook collection donated to the Theatre Royal archive by Diane Meadwell from Sandiacre. Her great grandfather was Bernard Hill, the former landlord of The Sun Inn on Parliament Street and who later became the Stage Door Keeper at the Theatre Royal. Bernard’s daughter Edith also worked at the Theatre Royal as an usherette.
Whilst in his stage door job, Bernard collected a large number of postcards of the numerous artists who performed at the venue, many of which he got them to autograph, as well as writing the date and if necessary the show on the reverse, making the future archivist’s job that little bit easier. We have then been able to cross-reference this information with the list of Theatre Royal shows being compiled by volunteer researcher Lynn Whitley.
We are grateful to Diane for sharing her family memories with us and for donating such a valuable resource to the archive.
Type
Postcard
Location of item
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Rights
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Contributor
Researchers: David Longford / Lynn Whitley
