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203:, 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. 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.
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The popularity of the song prompted unauthorized distribution of the words and music. Collette successfully sued a man named Goode, causing one paper to comment that the song should be retitled "What a Goode
Afternoon".
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published an article with the title "Tame Cats; Or, The
Triumph of Collette"; this, however, was not so much a tribute to the actor as a rebuke to his over-enthusiastic friends in the audience.
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was premiered in 1875. Collette's song from the piece, "What an
Afternoon!", became popular. The simple form of the lyric, with its title repeated every other line, caught the public fancy:
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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
43:(29 July 1842 â 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
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242:, 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,
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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."
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124:. 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
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In addition to performing, Collette wrote a number of his own works, including the "successful romantic extravaganza" improbably titled
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Sharpe, and the grandson of
General Collette of the Madras Cavalry. As a young man, he held a commission in the
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Ince, Bernard. "Natural-Born
Showman: The Stage Career of Charles Collette, Actor & Comedian",
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Over the succeeding years, Collette appeared in many
Bancroft productions, including
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The London Stage 1890â1899: A Calendar of
Productions, Performers, and Personnel
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and a comic lecture upon
Natural History. In 1894 he played Captain Crook in
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128:, who cast him as Charles Hampton, a light romantic role, in a comedy,
574:, 2002, The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive, accessed 11 December 2010
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Collette toured for some years as Colonel Woottwweell Woodd in
177:. Another classic role that Collette played was Mr. Puff in
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productions and was engaged by other managers, including
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Postcards illustrated by Collette between 1917 and 1922
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In 1887, Collett performed his own comic sketch at the
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Letter from Wilkie Collins, offering Collette a role
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Offstage, Collette was an enthusiastic collector of
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702:20th-century English dramatists and playwrights
672:19th-century English dramatists and playwrights
469:"Biographical Sketch of Mr. Charles Collette",
86:on the bill with the historic 1875 premiere of
358:And he generally spoke when he usually talked;
572:Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
299:Sheet music for Collette's popular song from
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334:His trousers' sleeves were bright green-red,
183:. He was engaged by other managers, notably
647:People associated with Gilbert and Sullivan
514:, Pierre Marteau, accessed 17 December 2013
116:, a solicitor, and his wife, Frances Mary,
544:, Rowman & Littlefield (2014), p. 200
456:The same charge was made in the magazine
19:For other people with similar names, see
486:, Vol. 4, No. 28: Winter 2011, pp. 35â36
112:Collette was born in London, the son of
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509:Information about actors who played in
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495:"The Charge Against Mr. Collette",
557:, vol. 63 (no. 1), 2009, pp. 20â37
319:, with Collette in the lead, when
16:British composer, actor and writer
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677:19th-century British male writers
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682:19th-century English male actors
21:Charles Collett (disambiguation)
382:Collette died at his home near
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717:20th-century British composers
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259:. The sketch included several
77:and played many military men.
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584:Music to "What an Afternoon!"
484:W. S. Gilbert Society Journal
482:Walters, Michael. "Crypto",
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302:Cryptoconchoidsyphonostomata
100:Early life and acting career
83:Cryptoconchoidsyphonostomata
108:Poster of Collette, c. 1865
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599:, 9 February 1878, p. 109
568:Charles Collette biography
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238:, and Private Saunders in
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313:, or While It's to be Had
291:Writing and personal life
163:(as Sir Oliver Surface),
134:Prince of Wales's Theatre
114:Charles Hastings Collette
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281:In the Bishop's Carriage
257:Charles Collette at Home
732:Male actors from London
595:Short, T. Duff, "Law",
471:The Belfast News-Letter
222:Cut off with a Shilling
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224:, Adonis Evergreen in
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41:Charles Henry Collette
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321:Gilbert and Sullivan
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32:Charles Collette in
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373:Staffordshire china
386:at the age of 81.
362:What an afternoon!
354:What an afternoon!
346:What an afternoon!
338:What an afternoon!
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271:Vaudeville Theatre
266:Wapping Old Stairs
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235:The Winter's Tale
189:John Hollingshead
53:John Hollingshead
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377:Savage Club
213:The Colonel
185:J. L. Toole
74:The Colonel
49:J. L. Toole
626:Categories
429:Obituary,
180:The Critic
432:The Times
279:, and in
255:, called
245:The Times
130:Tame Cats
36:, c. 1888
155:Sheridan
45:Bancroft
283:at the
269:at the
132:at the
169:, and
147:School
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175:Money
218:Ours
199:and
63:and
445:Fun
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149:by
139:Fun
118:nÊe
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