Huntley Wright - Musical Comedy Comedian

Musical Comedy Comedian

In 1896, Edwardes engaged Wright for regular work in his musical comedies at Daly's Theatre in London. According to The Times, "it is on that 10 years' engagement at Daly's, from 1896 to 1905, that the memories of his many devoted admirers most fondly dwell." Wright performed and created characters in many of Edwardes's most famous musical comedies, including: The Geisha (1896, as Wun-Hi), A Greek Slave (1898, as Heliodorus), San Toy (1899, as Li), A Country Girl (1902, as Barry), The Cingalee (1904, as Chambhuddy Ram), The Little Michus (1905, as Bagnolet) and See-See (1906, as Hang-Kee). The Times also said of this period of his career, "those who remember the neat, perky, birdlike little man in these musical comedies, with his precise diction and his finished movements, will quote to each other his drolleries, and hug his memory in unashamed, selfish, and inexhaustible enjoyment."

In 1898, Wright married the actress Christine Monica Margaret Taylor in London. They separated in 1907 and were divorced in 1911. They had no children. In the same year, Wright married Mary Smith, known by her stage name of Mary Fraser, the sister of actress Agnes Fraser, wife of the Savoyard Walter Passmore. They had three children, one of whom, Betty Huntley-Wright, went on to a successful television and film career.

In 1905, Wright was also engaged by Charles Frohman for productions at the Comedy Theatre. His roles included Montague Sibsey in The Mountain Climber. In 1907 he performed in the Broadway productions of Les p'tites Michu and The Dairy Maids. Back in England, his appearances included King of Cadonia (1908, as the Duke of Alasia), Dear Little Denmark (1909, as Hansen), The Girl in the Train (1910, as President Van Eyck),The Count of Luxembourg (1911, as Grand Duke Rutzinov), and Autumn Manoeuvres (1912, as Captain Withers). In 1913 he appeared with the Follies at the Coliseum in a successful "tabloid musical comedy", Simple 'Earted Bill.