English actor, born at Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Norwegian by descent, he studied for the stage at Christiania. After appearing at the Opéra Comique, London, in 1893, he joined F. R. Benson’s company for eight years, playing numerous parts in Shakespearean and old English comedy. He next played Maldonado in Pinero’s Iris at the Garrick theatre, London. In 1902 and again in 1904 he played in Shakespeare with Herbert Tree at His Majesty’s theatre. He began management at the Adelphi at the close of that year, and, with his wife, Miss Lily Brayton, presented The Taming of the Shrew, Midsummer Night’s Dream and Measure for Measure. In 1907 he presented Laurence Binyon’s Attila at His Majesty’s theatre and also As You Like It and other Shakespeare plays. Subsequently to 1911 he specialized in the presentation of spectacular Oriental dramas, the best known being Kismet, played at the Garrick theatre, London 1911–12, and Chu Chin Chow, first produced at His Majesty’s August 31 1916 which ran for nearly five years. In October 1921 he produced Cairo.
