Charles Collette

Charles Henry Collette (29 July 1842 – 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 Bancroft productions and was engaged by other managers, including J. L. Toole, John Hollingshead, Mary Anderson, Lydia Thompson and Herbert Beerbohm Tree, as well as performing in his own companies.

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 Cryptoconchoidsyphonostomata on the bill with the historic 1875 premiere of Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury.

[2] A mutual friend put him in touch with Marie Bancroft, who cast him as Charles Hampton, a light romantic role, in a comedy, Tame Cats at the Prince of Wales's Theatre.

The magazine Fun published an article with the title "Tame Cats; Or, The Triumph of Collette";[3] this, however, was not so much a tribute to the actor as a rebuke to his over-enthusiastic friends in the audience.

[6] 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.

[8] Woodd was one of his favourite roles; others included Sergeant Jones in Robertson's Ours, Colonel Berners in They're Smith's Cut off with a Shilling, Adonis Evergreen in Charles Mathews's My Awful Dad, Autolycus in The Winter's Tale, and Private Saunders in Bootles' Baby, an adaptation by Hugh Moss of a popular novelette by J. S.

[10] Collette continued acting in London and in the British provinces until 1907, when he played Mr. Micawber in an adaptation of David Copperfield, and in In the Bishop's Carriage at the Waldorf Theatre.