Huntley Wright - Early Years

Early Years

Born Walter Thomas Curtis Wright in London, he was one of five children of Frederick Wright, Sr. (1828–1911) and his wife Jessie, née Francis (born 1841), both actors and comedians. His brother, Fred Wright Jr. (1865–1928), was also a successful actor in musical comedy, and his sisters, Maria "Marie" Wright (born 1864) and Ada "Haidee" Wright (1867–1943), and brother, Albert "Bertie" Wright (born 1871), were all actors.

Wright was educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh, where he became a fine footballer at both forms of the game. He continued to play until his sporting injuries put his stage career at risk. He wished for a naval career, but his eyesight precluded it, and, despite his parents' disapproval, he pursued a career in the theatre.

Apart from an appearance as a baby in his mother's arms in a melodrama, his stage début was as a teenager in the role of Dr Winsley Andrewes in False Lights at the Royal Edinburgh Theatre with his family's touring theatre company, the Frederick Wright Dramatic Company. Ada Reeve performed as a child with this company and also performed with Wright in 1896 in Dick Whittington and His Cat in Leeds. He performed under the name Walter Huntley before taking on his better-known stage name of Huntley Wright in 1889.

In 1887, aged 18, Wright appeared in The Artist's Model at the Lyric Theatre, London. After four more years playing a variety of roles on tour, including Danny Man in Dion Boucicault's The Colleen Bawn, he was again in the West End in 1891 as Springe the birdcatcher in Fate and Fortune. He toured for three years in his own burlesque, Dashing Prince Hal. In 1894, he had a short engagement at Terry's Theatre, where he played in King Kodak, a topical burlesque, and The Foundling, a farce. He played Dr. Montague Brierly during part of the run of A Gaiety Girl at Daly's Theatre. He then went to South Africa with one of George Edwardes's companies, playing Miggles in The Shop Girl.