Leopold David Lewis (19 November 1828 – 23 February 1890), was an English

dramatist A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. Ben Jonson coined the term "playwri ...

. Lewis was born in

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in 1828, the son of Elizabeth and David Leopold Lewis, a surgeon, and was educated at the

King's College School King's College School, also known as Wimbledon, KCS, King's and KCS Wimbledon, is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Wimbledon, London, Wimbledon, southwest London, England. The s ...

, and upon graduation became a

solicitor A solicitor is a lawyer who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and enabled to p ...

, practising as such from 1850 to 1875.Leopold David Lewis
in the

Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

, Volumes 1-22 In 1868 he married Jane Williams in London, and with her had a son, Thomas E. Lewis. In 1871, he translated Erckmann-Chatrian's '' Le Juif Polonais'', giving it the name '' The Bells'', under which name it was produced by

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

at the

Lyceum Theatre, London The Lyceum Theatre ( ) is a West End theatre located in the City of Westminster, on Wellington Street, just off the Strand in central London. It has a seating capacity of 2,100. The origins of the theatre date to 1765. Managed by Samuel Arno ...

, 25 November 1871 and repeatedly thereafter. ''The Bells'' was Lewis' first play, and his only success.Jones-Evans, Eric (editor), ''Henry Irving and the Bells: Irving's Personal Script of the Play''

Manchester University Press Manchester University Press is the university press of the University of Manchester, England, and a publisher of academic books and journals. Manchester University Press has developed into an international publisher. It maintains its links with t ...

(1980) pp. 5–7 Original plays from the pen of Lewis are: ''The Wandering Jew'' (

Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...

, 14 April 1873); ''Give a Dog a Bad Name'' (ib. 18 November 1873); and ''The Foundlings'' (

Sadler's Wells Theatre Sadler's Wells Theatre is a London performing arts venue, located in Rosebery Avenue, Islington. The present-day theatre is the sixth on the site. Sadler's Wells grew out of a late 17th-century pleasure garden and was opened as a theatre buil ...

, 8 October 1881). From February to December 1868 he and Alfred Thompson conducted a monthly review, ''The Mask'', which failed. In addition to the plays mentioned Lewis wrote a number of tales under the title ''A Peal of Merry Bells'' (1880). Lewis never got used to the success of '' The Bells'', and although Irving did everything he could for him, Lewis became a man with a grievance, totally convinced that the success of ''The Bells'' was due to his adaptation rather than Irving's performance. Lewis was found late one night seriously ill in

Gray's Inn Road Gray's Inn Road (or Grays Inn Road) is an important road in Central London, located in the London Borough of Camden. The road begins at its junction with Holborn at the City of London boundary, passes north through the Holborn and King's Cross ...

and was taken to the

Royal Free Hospital The Royal Free Hospital (also known as the Royal Free) is a major teaching hospital in the Hampstead area of the London Borough of Camden. The hospital is part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, which also runs services at Barnet Ho ...

where he died on 23 February 1890. He was buried at

Kensal Green Cemetery Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of North Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in P ...

. In his will he left just £20 10s to his widow, Jane.England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 for Leopold David Lewis
–

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Notes

References

*Bibliography: Dict. National Biog. xxx. 191; *The Times (London), 25 February 1890; *The Era and St. Stephen's Review (ib.), 1 March 1890. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Leopold 1828 births 1890 deaths People educated at King's College School, London Writers from London English short story writers English male dramatists and playwrights English male short story writers 19th-century English dramatists and playwrights 19th-century British short story writers 19th-century English male writers Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery