THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Henry Halley as Cosmo Bey in "The Messenger Boy"

Henry Halley (1883-84, 1885, 1902)

[Born Islington 2 Feb 1859]

Henry Halley's first appearance in a D'Oyly Carte program came in March 1883 as Major Murgatroyd with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's No. 1 "Patience" Company. He was the Major until July 1884, except for a period from December 1883 to March 1884 when the Company did not tour.

Halley was back in the line-up with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "C" Company, by then a repertory company, in September 1885, appearing as Samuel in The Pirates of Penzance, Major Murgatroyd again, and (from November) Bob Beckett in H.M.S. Pinafore. "C" Company was disbanded in December 1885 and Halley appears to have left the D'Oyly Carte at that point.

He later appeared in London in the comic opera Carina (Opera Comique, 1888-89), and in the musical comedy My Sweet Home and its one-act companion piece Well Matched (both Vaudeville, 1891).

Henry Halley returned to the D'Oyly Carte briefly in 1902, joining the Company's tour of South Africa that commenced in April. He appeared in Cape Town as Major Murgatroyd once more, as well as as Pooh-Bah in The Mikado and Don Alhambra in The Gondoliers. He did not remain with the Company long, leaving the cast the following month.

Halley was married to D'Oyly Carte chorister Minnie Harrold.

H Index  |  "Who Was Who" Homepage