Songwriter. He was the composer of songs for a number of successful West End and Broadway shows. He was born into a wealthy London family, and had no formal musical training, but composed the score for an Oxford University production of "Alice in Wonderland" while still a student. At age 19 his song "The Little Chinchilla" became part of "The Shop Girl", a show performed at the Gaiety Theatre by Ellaine Terriss. He went on to write songs for the shows "Dandy Dan the Lifeguardsman" (1898) and "San Toy" (1899), and also wrote his first play, "Young Mr Yarde" (1898). His contribution to the successful show "Florodora" won him a contract as an additional material writer for George Edwardes, for whom he wrote his most famous song, "Tell Me Pretty Maiden" in 1900. He soon followed this with his first complete musical, "Three Little Maids", which had a successful run of 348 London performances and an international tour. In 1905 he wrote "Mr Popple of Ippleton", regarded by some as his best musical, which ran for 173 performances. Many of his songs were performed on Broadway in shows such as "A Parisian Model" and there were also American productions of his British musicals. He went on to write many more songs for Edwardes's theatres and their stars, culminating with the popular "Les Dominos Roses, Tonight's the Night", before dying at age 41 after a lifetime of ill health.

Songwriter. He was the composer of songs for a number of successful West End and Broadway shows. He was born into a wealthy London family, and had no formal musical training, but composed the score for an Oxford University production of "Alice in Wonderland" while still a student. At age 19 his song "The Little Chinchilla" became part of "The Shop Girl", a show performed at the Gaiety Theatre by Ellaine Terriss. He went on to write songs for the shows "Dandy Dan the Lifeguardsman" (1898) and "San Toy" (1899), and also wrote his first play, "Young Mr Yarde" (1898). His contribution to the successful show "Florodora" won him a contract as an additional material writer for George Edwardes, for whom he wrote his most famous song, "Tell Me Pretty Maiden" in 1900. He soon followed this with his first complete musical, "Three Little Maids", which had a successful run of 348 London performances and an international tour. In 1905 he wrote "Mr Popple of Ippleton", regarded by some as his best musical, which ran for 173 performances. Many of his songs were performed on Broadway in shows such as "A Parisian Model" and there were also American productions of his British musicals. He went on to write many more songs for Edwardes's theatres and their stars, culminating with the popular "Les Dominos Roses, Tonight's the Night", before dying at age 41 after a lifetime of ill health.

Bio by: js