Fred Emney Sr
Frederick Charles Emney (5 March 1865 – 7 January 1917),[1] was an English comedian and actor, known for his appearances in farce, comic opera, musical comedy, music hall and pantomime. He was a member of a theatrical family: among his uncles was the popular comedian Arthur Williams, and he was the father of Fred Emney, a comic character actor frequently seen on stage and screen in the mid-20th century.
Life and career
Emney was born in Islington, London.[1] His family had theatrical connections; his uncles were the comic performers Arthur Williams and Fred Williams (c.1847–1916). Emney made his stage debut in 1885 at Sadler's Wells Theatre in a cast led by Nellie Farren.[2] One of his earliest successes was as Lurcher, the sheriff's officer, in the comic opera Dorothy, succeeding Arthur Williams in the role; the uncle played it more than 900 times, and the nephew made over 800 appearances in it.[2] A provincial critic wrote in 1888, "Mr Emney is a born humorist, and he enters into the spirit of the thing with such abandon as keeps the house in a round of merriment during his presence".[3] Theatre historian Roy Busby described him as "an outstanding burlesque comedian."[1] From 1907 Emney began to appear in music hall shows, in a long-running sketch A Sister to Assist 'er, which he played around the country, first with Sydney Fairbrother and later with Louise Tinsley.[2] After touring the sketch for three years he followed it with a sequel, The Arrival of a Rival, which was still in his repertoire at the time of his death.[2] In 1913 he was among the performers in a celebrated all-star royal variety show at the London Coliseum organised for charity by Sarah Bernhardt.[4] In 1914 he received warm notices for his portrayal of the Empress in Sinbad opposite George Robey.[5] During a performance of a pantomime version of Cinderella at the London Opera House in 1917, Emney slipped on stage, fell heavily and damaged his spine, and despite two emergency operations he died a few days later, at the age of 51.[6] His son, Fred Emney Jr., was chief mourner at the funeral, which was attended by members of Emney's profession, led by George Graves and Harry Tate.[7]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Busby, Roy (1976). British Music Hall: An Illustrated Who's Who from 1850 to the Present Day. London: Paul Elek. p. 50. ISBN 0 236 40053 3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Mr Fred Emney", The Times, 8 January 1917, p. 6
- ↑ "The Blackburn Theatres", The Blackburn Standard: Darwen Observer, and North-East Lancashire Advertiser, 4 February 1888, p. 7
- ↑ "Their Majesties at the Coliseum", The Times, 15 September 1913, p. 10
- ↑ Cotes, Peter (1972). George Robey: The Darling of the Halls. London: Cassell & Company Ltd. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-304-93844-5.
- ↑ "Mr Fred Emney's Death", The Times, 12 January 1917, p. 3
- ↑ "News in Brief", The Times, 13 January 1917, p. 3