Andrew Halliday (journalist)

Andrew Halliday Duff was born at the Grange, Marnoch (near Huntly), Banffshire, early in 1830, was son of the Rev.

William Duff, M.A., minister, of Grange, Banffshire, 1821–44, who died 23 September 1844, aged 53, by his wife Mary Steinson.

[1] On coming to London in 1849 he was for some time connected with the Morning Chronicle, the Leader, the People's Journal, and other periodicals.

His work having attracted the notice of Thackeray, he was invited to write for the Cornhill Magazine,[2] and was a constant contributor to All the Year Round.

His article in All the Year Round called My Account with Her Majesty was reprinted by order of the postmaster-general, and more than half a million copies circulated.

[1] As one of the founders and president of the Savage Club in 1857, he naturally took an interest in dramatic writing, and on Boxing night 1858, in conjunction with Frederick Lawrence, produced at the Strand Theatre a burlesque entitled Kenilworth, which ran upwards of one hundred nights, and was followed by a travesty of Romeo and Juliet.

In partnership with William Brough he then wrote the Pretty Horsebreaker, the Census, the Area Belle, and several other farces.

The Great City, a piece put on the stage at Drury Lane on 22 April 1867, although not remarkable for the plot or dialogue, hit the public taste and ran 102 nights.

The opening piece at the new Vaudeville Theatre, London, 16 April 1870, For Love or Money, was written by Halliday.

[1] After visiting Australia James Robertson Anderson appeared in 1874 at Drury Lane as Richard I in Halliday's adaption of Sir Walter Scott's novel The Talisman.