COSTER COMEDIAN.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 186, 24 July 1923, Page 5

COSTER COMEDIAN.

NOTABLE CAREER. London, July 12. Albert Chevalier, the English comedian, has died at the age of 62. Chevalier was born in London on 21st March, 1861. His father was French and his mother Welsh. He made bis first appearance on the stage at the Prince of Wales Theatre under the Bancrofts. September 29, 1877, as Master Skeggs in “To Parents and Gpardians.” Subsequently he was engaged with Hare and Kendall at the Court and St. James’s Theatre, and thereafter appeared with several other companies until 1890. when he entered vaudeville. He immediately leapt into fame as a delineator of coster life. His success secured him engagements elsewhere. He went to the United States and was received with enthusiasm by play-goers there. Chevalier had an inimitable style as a coster delineator, and his “Joe Brown” was a big favourite at the Shaftesbury Theatre. He scored heavily in “My Old Dutch.” He wrote a number of coster songs including “The Lady Killer,” “Shattered ’Un.” and “My Old Dutch.” His book of reminiscences is entitled “Before I forget.”