THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Arthur Hatherton as Mr. Toplady in Our Miss Gibbs

Arthur Hatherton (1890-96)

[Born Bordesley, Warwickshire 24 Jan 1864, died London 11 Jun 1924]

Arthur Hatherton was the stage name of Arthur Beacham Holdich. He made his first appearance on the stage as a member of the chorus with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "B" on tour in The Gondoliers in September 1890. Hatherton would remain with Company "B" for the next six years, taking his first named part, Oswald in Haddon Hall, in November 1892. The next month he added Reverend Henry Sandford in The Vicar of Bray, and, in July 1893, Major Murgatroyd in Patience.

Company "B" toured Utopia Limited exclusively from February to October 1894, Arthur Hatherton playing Phantis. He resumed Major Murgatroyd when Patience was restored in October. Utopia and Patience gave way to H.M.S. Pinafore and The Chieftain in February 1895, with Hatherton as Bill Bobstay and Jose, respectively. When Cox and Box shared the bill from May onward, Hatherton was one of three performers to appear as Mr. Cox. In July 1895 he took over for the departing Albert James as Ko-Ko in The Mikado, and in September, when The Gondoliers was restored to the repertoire, Hatherton was Giuseppe.

The Vicar of Bray was revived in January 1896 with Arthur Hatherton reclaiming Rev. Sandford; in April he took Dr. Tannhauser in The Grand Duke; and in July, when The Yeomen of the Guard was revived, he added his last role:the Lieutenant of the Tower. Arthur Hatherton left the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in August 1896.

Hatherton would go on to tour South Africa under George Edwardes' management. His London Stage debut came as Cassius in April 1899 in George Grossmith, Jr. and Paul Rubens' burlesque Great Caesar at the Comedy Theatre. He was associated with the Gaiety Theatre from 1900-1911, before moving on to take comedy roles at the Globe, Savoy, Queen's, Garrick, Prince of Wales's, Wyndham's, Comedy, London Pavilion, Lyric, His Majesty's, Aldwych, and St. James's Theatres. Among his big successes were Hi-Lung in A Chinese Honeymoon (Prince of Wales's, 1915) and Lob in Dear Brutus (Wyndham's, 1917). His last major role was Watkins, the Cockney man-servant, in William Archer's The Green Goddess (St. James, 1923-24).

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