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Charles Henry Collette (29 July 1842 – 10 February 1924) was an English stage actor, composer and writer noted for his work in comedy in a long career onstage. He appeared, beginning in the late 1860s, in many Bancroft productions and was engaged by other managers, including J. L. Toole, John Hollingshead, Mary Anderson, Lydia Thompson and Herbert Beerbohm Tree, as well as performing in his own companies. He toured for some years as the title character in F. C. Burnand's ''The Colonel'' and played many military men. Collette continued acting in London and in the British provinces until 1907, a career of nearly four decades, but he is probably best remembered today for the presence of his musical play ''Cryptoconchoidsyphonostomata'' on the bill with the historic 1875 premiere of Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Trial by Jury''. ==Early life and acting career== Collette was born in London, the son of Charles Hastings Collette, a solicitor, and his wife, Frances Mary, ''née'' Sharpe,〔"Marriages", ''Gentleman's Magazine'', January 1842, p. 90〕 and the grandson of General Collette of the Madras Cavalry.〔Obituary, ''The Times'', 12 February 1924, p. 10〕 As a young man, he held a commission in the Dragoon Guards. He left the army in 1868, and, having enjoyed amateur theatricals while serving in India, he was attracted by a stage career.〔 A mutual friend put him in touch with Marie Bancroft, who cast him as Charles Hampton, a light romantic role, in a comedy, ''Tame Cats'' at the Prince of Wales's Theatre.〔 He made an immediate impression. The magazine ''Fun'' published an article with the title "Tame Cats; Or, The Triumph of Collette";〔''Fun'', 26 December 1868, p. 161〕 this, however, was not so much a tribute to the actor as a rebuke to his over-enthusiastic friends in the audience.〔The same charge was made in the magazine ''The Orchestra'', 19 December 1868, p. 196〕 Over the succeeding years, Collette appeared in many Bancroft productions, including ''School'' by T. W. Robertson, Sheridan's ''The School for Scandal'' (as Sir Oliver Surface), ''The Merchant of Venice'', and Lord Lytton's ''Money''. Another classic role that Collette played was Mr. Puff in ''The Critic''.〔"Biographical Sketch of Mr. Charles Collette", ''The Belfast News-Letter'', 23 June 1877, p. 3〕 He was engaged by other managers, notably J. L. Toole, John Hollingshead, Mary Anderson, Lydia Thompson and Herbert Beerbohm Tree, among others, as well as touring his own companies. He appeared in plays by a wide variety of authors besides Shakespeare, Sheridan and Robertson, including stage adaptations of Dickens novels.〔Walters, Michael. "Crypto", ''W. S. Gilbert Society Journal'', Vol. 4, No. 28: Winter 2011, pp. 35–36〕 In 1879, his attempt at theatrical management ended in financial disaster, sending him into bankruptcy for several years and drawing his solicitor father to the brink of professional ruin.〔"The Charge Against Mr. Collette", ''The Morning Post'', 12 December 1879, p. 3〕 Collette toured for some years as Colonel Woottwweell Woodd in F. C. Burnand's ''The Colonel''.〔(Information about actors who played in ''The Colonel'' ), Pierre Marteau, accessed 17 December 2013〕 Woodd was one of his favourite roles; others included Sergeant Jones in Robertson's ''Ours'', Colonel Berners in They're Smith's ''Cut off with a Shilling'', Adonis Evergreen in Charles Mathews's ''My Awful Dad'', Autolycus in ''The Winter's Tale'', and Private Saunders in ''Bootles' Baby'', an adaptation by Hugh Moss of a popular novelette by J. S. Winter.〔 He was often referred to as the "soldier-actor"; not only did he play a large number of military men, there was, ''The Times'' said, "no mistaking that he had been in the Army. Tall and upright, with a broad chest and shoulders, he looked even when quite old the perfect type of a healthy Englishman."〔 In 1887, Collett performed his own comic sketch at the Alhambra Theatre, called ''Charles Collette at Home''. The sketch included several patter songs and a comic lecture upon Natural History.〔''The Dramatic Review'', London, 8 January 1887, p. 234b〕 Collette continued acting in London and in the British provinces until 1907, when he played Mr. Micawber in an adaptation of ''David Copperfield'', and in ''In the Bishop's Carriage'' at the Waldorf Theatre. He also appeared in concerts, and, towards the end of his life performed in "variety" shows. He also created illustrations later in his life.〔Ince, Bernard. "Natural-Born Showman: The Stage Career of Charles Collette, Actor & Comedian", ''Theatre Notebook'', vol. 63 (no. 1), 2009, pp. 20–37〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Charles Collette」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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