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with the
Bancrofts at the Comedy. He continued acting in plays and musical pieces, mostly at the Court Theatre, and sometimes at the Comedy, Globe, Avenue and other houses, often reprising one of his successful roles. In 1895 at the Court, he made one of his last successes in
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179:, London, England. His parents were Joseph Blunt, a solicitor, and Mary Blunt, nÊe James. He studied for the legal profession, but he acted in amateur theatricals, and decided to pursue acting instead.
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at the
Gallery of Illustration in the role of Mr. Box, a part that became his signature role. There Cecil started a successful association with the
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Cecil began performing as an amateur at the
Richmond Theatre. In 1867, he appeared in the role of Bouncer in an amateur production of the one-act
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and Arthur
Chudleigh when the theatre closed in 1887, although Cecil continued acting at the theatre after it was rebuilt.
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Born in London, Cecil took up amateur dramatics at an early age. In 1869, he made his professional debut in the one-act
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for five years thereafter. With that company, he appeared in numerous comedies, farces, operettas and
239:
69:
567:, and songs, some of which became popular or were interpolated into musical theatre pieces, such as
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also in the cast, all in 1879, and later in other
Robertson pieces. Cecil joined a company at the
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40:. He is probably best remembered for playing the role of Box in the long-running production of
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Throughout his career, Cecil wrote comedy sketches such as "Bright Idea" (1881) with composer
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in 1881 and was a co-manager of that theatre from 1883. There, he played in farces including
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723:, at Archive: Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan, an exhibition of Gilbert and Sullivan memorabilia
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573:(1885). He supplemented his income by entertaining at private events and parties.
213:. Coincidentally, on Easter Monday 1869, Cecil made his professional debut at the
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422:(with the Bancrofts), as Sam Gerridge, all in 1879. The Bancrofts moved to the
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by
Saville Rowe and B. C. Stephenson, as Sir Woodbine Grafton (together with
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during the following three years. There, he played in many pieces, including
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article calling Cecil "One of the cleverest comedians on the
English stage".
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Cecil appeared at many London theatres during his career including the
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434:, as Mr. Graves. He then played in other Robertson comedies at the
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304:(1872). He also wrote some works for the German Reeds, including
172:
280:, he appeared in other Gilbert works at the Gallery, including
21:
920:, London borough of Richmond upon Thames website (2007), also
500:(1888). Cecil and Clayton yielded management at the Court to
187:
1043:, with notes from the diary of Wm. Blanchard, 2 vols. (1891)
639:, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 7 October 2008,
492:, as Mr. Guyon, and created the role of Miles Henniker in
911:"People of historical note buried in the borough A to L"
221:, this time as Mr. Box. The first piece on the bill was
72:, appearing in numerous comedies, farces, operettas and
482:(1887), as Blore, the butler; and in the title role of
16:
British actor, comedian and theatre manager (1843â1896)
924:
in the Burial
Register for Old Mortlake Burial Ground.
356:, as Box. The next year, he was back at the Gaiety in
344:, as Mr Justice Jones. In September, Cecil was at the
84:
in 1872. He remained with the company for five years.
525:, at the Comedy Theatre in 1889 and Lord Burnham in
511:
The Old
Mortlake Burial Ground where Cecil is buried
454:Beginning in 1881, Cecil joined the company at the
982:
826:, at the GilbertandSullivanOnline memorabilia site
332:later in 1874, playing in such works as Gilbert's
488:(1890) He also appeared there in G. W. Godfrey's
36:, was an English actor, comedian, playwright and
1068:
706:, 3 April 1869, p. 234, J. Alfredo Novello, 1869
537:in 1891. In 1893, he appeared as Baron Stein in
426:in 1880, and Cecil went with them, appearing in
547:and B. C. Stephenson with the Bancrofts at the
32:(1 June 1843 â 16 April 1896), better known as
1041:The life and reminiscences of E. L. Blanchard
656:
654:
652:
790:
788:
786:
758:, at The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive (1996)
596:described him as "late of Clarence-chambers
191:Cecil played Mr. Box in this 1874 production
1077:People associated with Gilbert and Sullivan
580:at the age of 52 and was buried at the Old
99:. He appeared in such successful pieces as
649:
155:in 1890. Later productions there included
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631:Knight, Joseph, rev. Nilanjana Banerji.
252:Beggar My Neighbour: A Blind Man's Bouffe
78:Beggar My Neighbour: A Blind Man's Bouffe
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316:
186:
20:
1087:19th-century English male opera singers
637:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
310:(1873), in which he also performed, at
238:This was Cecil's first appearance in a
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590:London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
985:Arthur Sullivan: A Victorian Musician
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592:. An official notice relating to his
242:, and he remained steadily with the
1132:Actors from the City of Westminster
989:. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
588:, Surrey and now maintained by the
13:
1039:Scott, C. W. and C. Howard (eds.)
750:Walters, Michael and George Low.
614:
14:
1143:
1047:
352:opposite the composer's brother,
1112:19th-century English male actors
1021:. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
1017:Dictionary of National Biography
678:Adams, p. 349; and Jacobs, p. 51
328:Cecil joined the company at the
1032:Reid, E. and H. Compton (eds.)
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688:"Royal Gallery of Illustration"
576:Cecil died on 16 April 1896 at
515:Cecil played the title role in
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149:, as well as the title role in
892:, 29 April 1895, p. 11, col. F
870:, Grant Richards, London, 1908
856:Rutland Barrington, by Himself
794:"Obituary. Mr. Arthur Cecil",
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1:
1122:19th-century theatre managers
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798:, 17 April 1896, p. 10, col C
717:Several programmes featuring
56:Royal Gallery of Illustration
1004:Knight, John Joseph (1901).
943:. 9 June 1896. p. 3411.
690:, Review of the premiere of
378:as Sir Peter Teazle, and in
166:
7:
963:, Chatto & Windus, 1904
661:"Death of an English Actor"
633:"Cecil, Arthur (1843â1896)"
586:Municipal Borough of Barnes
584:Burial Ground, then in the
551:. In 1894, he was again in
336:, as Jonathan Wagstaff and
10:
1148:
957:Adams, William Davenport.
771:, 6 September 1874, p. 11.
521:by Burnand, with music by
476:(1886), as Vere Queckett;
359:The Merry Wives of Windsor
70:German Reed Entertainments
1082:English male stage actors
1029:(1879) and 2nd ed. (1880)
960:A Dictionary of the Drama
394:Prince of Wales's Theatre
362:as Dr. Caius; and at the
240:German Reed Entertainment
103:as Sir Woodbine Grafton,
97:Prince of Wales's Theatre
916:22 December 2015 at the
866:, Chapter 6, mentioning
862:16 December 2008 at the
607:
412:, as Noel Haygarth; and
348:, reprising his role in
254:adapted by Burnand from
217:in a bill that included
1036:(1891); rev. ed. (1892)
981:Jacobs, Arthur (1984).
767:"The London Theatres",
472:(1885), as Mr. Posket;
215:Gallery of Illustration
111:, as Noel Haygarth and
1127:English male comedians
853:Barrington, Rutland.
512:
466:, as Connor Hennessy;
375:The School for Scandal
346:Gaiety Theatre, London
325:
321:Cartoon of Cecil from
266:Charity Begins at Home
192:
82:Charity Begins at Home
26:
1054:NPG portrait of Cecil
1007:"Cecil, Arthur"
822:20 April 2006 at the
817:"Programmes/Ephemera"
645:10.1093/ref:odnb/4974
510:
381:She Stoops to Conquer
320:
190:
163:, as Miles Henniker.
24:
1034:The dramatic peerage
1025:Pascoe, C. E. (ed.)
973:Hollingshead, John.
570:Little Jack Sheppard
485:The Cabinet Minister
372:, as Touchstone, in
159:, as Mr. Guyon, and
152:The Cabinet Minister
1107:People from Mayfair
604:London, Comedian".
456:Royal Court Theatre
334:Committed for Trial
127:Royal Court Theatre
968:Nights at the play
940:The London Gazette
922:Arthur Cecil Blunt
666:The New York Times
560:by G. W. Godfrey.
531:Henry Arthur Jones
513:
474:The Schoolmistress
428:Lord Bulwer-Lytton
326:
193:
171:Cecil was born in
141:The Schoolmistress
30:Arthur Cecil Blunt
27:
1092:English humorists
1027:The dramatic list
975:Gaiety chronicles
888:"Court Theatre",
721:with Cecil as Box
704:The Musical World
424:Haymarket Theatre
312:St. George's Hall
295:A Sensation Novel
262:Jacques Offenbach
257:Les deux aveugles
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392:. He was at the
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669:, 17 April 1896
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549:Garrick Theatre
490:The Millionaire
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420:T. W. Robertson
289:Our Island Home
211:Arthur Sullivan
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157:The Millionaire
119:T. W. Robertson
48:Arthur Sullivan
38:theatre manager
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1102:1896 deaths
1097:1843 births
1012:Lee, Sidney
935:"No. 26747"
719:Cox and Box
699:Cox and Box
558:Vanity Fair
450:Later years
408:by Albery;
350:Cox and Box
298:(1871) and
264:(1870) and
233:Cox and Box
219:Cox and Box
202:Cox and Box
197:comic opera
177:Westminster
66:Cox and Box
63:comic opera
43:Cox and Box
1071:Categories
952:References
565:Arthur Law
479:Dandy Dick
464:The Rector
386:Miss Gwilt
268:(1872) by
250:, such as
248:burlesques
146:Dandy Dick
131:The Rector
76:, such as
74:burlesques
890:The Times
796:The Times
598:Haymarket
540:Diplomacy
167:Biography
54:, at the
1060:NY Times
914:Archived
868:Pickwick
860:Archived
820:Archived
693:No Cards
600:and the
582:Mortlake
578:Brighton
518:Pickwick
292:(1870),
286:(1869),
283:Ages Ago
278:No Cards
276:. After
228:No Cards
1014:(ed.).
769:The Era
533:at the
440:Society
173:Mayfair
993:
977:(1898)
970:(1883)
594:estate
95:, and
93:Gaiety
91:, the
1010:. In
608:Notes
553:Money
498:Mamma
432:Money
415:Caste
398:Peril
366:, in
161:Mamma
121:with
114:Caste
101:Peril
89:Globe
46:, by
991:ISBN
696:and
444:Ours
442:and
406:Duty
272:and
209:and
143:and
105:Duty
80:and
50:and
702:in
641:doi
543:by
496:'s
430:'s
418:by
404:);
388:by
340:by
323:Spy
260:by
225:'s
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117:by
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58:.
999:.
643::
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