Dan Leno (1860-1904)
Last updated: 10.01.25
According to the Internet source given below, Dan Leno was a leading English music hall comedian and musical theatre actor during the late Victorian era born as George Wild Galvin in St Pancras, London. Born into a stage family he entertained as a child and joined his parents on stage in their music hall act in 1864. His first solo appearance was at the Britannia Music Hall in Coventry 1869. Known for his clog dancing he was the star of his family's act. During the late 1880s and 1890s he was reported to be one of the highest-paid comedians in the world.
He was best known, aside from his music hall act, for his dame roles in the annual pantomimes that were popular at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London from 1888 to 1904.
At the peak of his career in 1901, he performed his Huntsman sketch for Edward VII at Sandringham.
Following ill health and a mental breakdown he died in London.
| Websites: | |||
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Dan Leno | Biography by wikipedia.org. |
| Title (Release Year) | Composer | Performers | Issue |
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The Swimming Master (1903) | D. Leno | H. Bluff | Edison Bell Record: 5631 |
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Mrs. Kelly (1903) | D. Leno | H. Bluff | Edison Bell Record: 5615 |
| Title (Release Year) | Composer | Performers | Issue |
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This list is derived from information provided by Monologues.co.uk which went down sometime in 2023.
The loss of this valuable resource is very sad and a mystery.
The loss of this valuable resource is very sad and a mystery.
| Title | Attribution | Remarks |
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| As Hot As I Can Make It | Harry King (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Bow Street | Charles Raynor (music) Charles Merion (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Buying a House | Herbert Darnley (music) Dan Leno (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Clever Mr. Green | Herbert Darnley (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Dear Old Mike | Harry King (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Detective Camera | George Le Brunn (music) J. Newland (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Forty Thieves, The | John Caulfield (music) J Harroway (words) Dan Leno (perf.) Sam Cowell (perf.) |
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| Grass Widower, The | J.H. Woodhouse (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Her Mother's at the Bottom of It All | George Le Brunn (music) Harry King (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Huntsman, The | Frederick Eplett (music) Albert Perry (words) George A. Stevens (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| I'm Waiting For Him Tonight | Dan Leno (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| ⇑Jap, The | George Le Brunn (music) Richard Morton (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Lecturer, The | T.B. Sedgwick (music) Denham E. Harrison (words) Dan Leno (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| May-Day Fireman, The | Dan Leno (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Mother's Washing Day | Frank Leo (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Muffin Man, The | Harry King (music) Edmund Forman (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| My Old Man | George Le Brunn (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| My Wife's Relations | Dan Leno (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Salvage Man, The | Herbert Darnley (music) Dan Leno (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Swimming Master, The | Herbert Darnley (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Tower of London, The | Dan Leno (words & music) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Where Are You Going To, My Pretty Maid? | J. P. Harrington (music) W H Liddy (words) Dan Leno (perf.) Nellie Wallace (perf.) |
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| Young Men Taken in and Done For | Harry King (music) George Le Brunn (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
| Title | Attribution | Instruments | Source | Remarks |
|---|
| As performer | |||||
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Beefeater (1900), The | H. Darnley (w&m) D. Leno (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | IMSLP |  |
The peformer is featured on 30 sheet music/recording covers. It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: (w&m)
| Title | Composer | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
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Forty Thieves (1855), The | John Caulfield | J Harroway (words)
Sam Cowell (perf.) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Clever Mr. Green (1897) | Herbert Darnley | Frederick Eplett (words)
Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Salvage Man (1899), The | Herbert Darnley | Dan Leno (words)
Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Swimming Master (1899), The | Herbert Darnley(w&m) | Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Beefeater (1900), The | Herbert Darnley(w&m) | Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Buying a House (1901) | Herbert Darnley | Dan Leno (words)
Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Barrister (1894), The | Frederick Eplett | Harry Castling (words)
Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Huntsman (1900), The | Frederick Eplett | Albert Perry (words) George A. Stevens (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Where Are You Going To, My Pretty Maid? (1905) | J. P. Harrington | W H Liddy (words)
Dan Leno (perf.) Nellie Wallace (perf.) |
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Young Men Taken in and Done For (1888) | Harry King | George Le Brunn (words)
Dan Leno (perf.) |
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⇑As Hot As I Can Make It (1889) | Harry King(w&m) | Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Dear Old Mike (1889) | Harry King(w&m) | Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Muffin Man (1889), The | Harry King(w&m) | Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Her Mother's at the Bottom of It All (1889) | George Le Brunn | Harry King (words)
Dan Leno (perf.) |
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My Old Man (1889) | George Le Brunn | Harry King (words)
Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Detective Camera (1892) | George Le Brunn | James Newland (words)
Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Jap (1893), The | George Le Brunn | Dan Leno (words) Richard Morton (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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⇑What Happened to the Manx Cat's Tail? (1930) | Dan Leno Jr., Dan | Dan Leno (perf.) | |
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Mother's Washing Day (1898) | Frank Leo | Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Bow Street (1895) | Charles Raynor | Charles Merion (words)
Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Lecturer (?), The | T.B. Sedgwick | Denham E. Harrison (words) Dan Leno (words) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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So and So and Such and Such (1900) | Joseph Tabrar(w&m) | Herbert Campbell (perf.) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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Grass Widower (1904), The | J.H. Woodhouse(w&m) | Dan Leno (perf.) |
This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 8 works by Dan Leno (1860-1904).
It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys:
(w&m)
(w&m)
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Huntsman, The | 1901 | Dan Leno (perf.) |  |
| May-Day Fireman, The (w&m) | 1901 | Dan Leno (perf.) | |
| Mrs. Kelly | 1901 | Harry Bluff (perf.) Dan Leno (perf.) |
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| Tower of London, The (w&m) | 1901 | Dan Leno (perf.) | |
| My Wife's Relations | 1901c | Dan Leno (perf.) | |
| Going to the Races | 1903 | Dan Leno (perf.) | |
| Swimming Master, The | 1903 | Harry Bluff (perf.) | |
| I'm Waiting For Him Tonight | 1907 | Dan Leno (perf.) |