Willie Edouin

Willie Edouin (1 January 1846[1] – 14 April 1908) was an English comedian, actor, dancer, singer, writer, director and theatre manager.

[2] Edouin moved to the United States in 1869, where he first appeared with Lawrence Barrett and John McCullough at the California Theatre in San Francisco.

In 1871, he joined Lydia Thompson's burlesque company, as its leading male comedian, and met his future wife, Alice Atherton, who was also appearing with the troupe.

He soon appeared with Colville's Folly Company, an American farce-comedy troupe, and then with Edward E. Rice's Surprise Party in pantomimes such as Babes in the Woods, a version of The Lost Children and Horrors.

[5] Edouin returned to England in 1884, partnering with Lionel Brough, to produce the successful burlesque The Babes, or, Whines from the Wood, by Harry Paulton.

He appeared in a revival of H. J. Byron's Victorian burlesque Aladdin, or the Wonderful Scamp, in 1888 as Widow Twankay,[6] There he produced Katti, the Family Help, starring himself and his wife.

[2] Edouin appeared in a number of very successful Edwardian musical comedies in London, including New Market at the Opera Comique under his own management, La poupée (1897), The Royal Star (1898), A Bunch of Keys, Fun in a Photograph Gallery and Dreams.

He had his greatest success in the international hit Florodora (1899 in London and 1900 in New York), after which he appeared in The Silver Slipper (1901), before taking his own company to tour South Africa.

He returned to London, appearing in more musicals, such as The Girl from Kays (1902), Sergeant Brue, The Little Michus (1905), The Blue Moon and The Little Cherub.