James Tolman Tanner (17 October 1858 – 18 June 1915) was an English stage director and dramatist who wrote many of the successful musicals produced by George Edwardes.

[1] He began his theatre career as a set-painter and actor and toured early on with Auguste van Biene's company, among others, including as Volteface in The Old Guard.

In 1892 he wrote his first play, The Broken Melody, which became a success on tour and internationally for van Biene.

George Edwardes noticed the versatile Tanner and hired him as a director and "show doctor" at the Gaiety.

He also completed the unfinished burlesque of Don Yuan (1893, with music by Meyer Lutz and lyrics by Adrian Ross), which Fred Leslie had begun to write as a star vehicle for comedian Arthur Roberts but died before finishing, and Tanner also directed the production.