THRASHING A MARRIED MAN

Evening Star, Issue 22463, 7 October 1936, Page 13

THRASHING A MARRIED MAN

THE LATE SIR HENRY LYTTON It was when the late Sir Henry Lytton, the famous Gilbert and Sullivan actor, was 17 and still at school that he made his first stage appearance. He became a chorister in ‘ The Mikado ' (says the ‘ Observer ’) at the Savoy. Thus he was introduced to the D’Oyly Carte Oipera Company, and this was the beginning, except for one break, of his long and wonderful association with them. In the same year he met Louie Henri, a young actress, playing in the same company, and they fell in love. Young Lytton proposed to her. She accepted, and, playing truant from school, he was married. The youthful husband spent his capital of 18d on a hansom cab ride.

On his return to school Lytton was duly thrashed by the head master for absenting himself. So unsympathetic was the master’s attention that Lytton iprotested. “Stop it!” he exclaimed. “ Do you know you are thrashing a married man? ”

Lytton then left school for ever and joined his wife, who was touring in •Princess Ida.' He joined the chorus of the D’Oyly Carte, but the couple were so shy that they kept their marriage a secret, and for months posed as brother and sister.