Philip Lytton, (died 21 November 1949) real name Charles Ernest Phillips, was an Australian actor and theatrical entrepreneur best known for producing theatre shows that toured throughout Australia in the early part of the twentieth century. He started as an actor around 1900 and became friends with
J. C. Williamson. With Williamson's assistance, he set up acting schools in Sydney and Melbourne, where his students sometimes appeared in Williamson shows.
From 1907 to 1923 he ran tent theatre companies which took theatre productions throughout country towns in Australia and New Zealand. Along with
E. I. Cole, Lytton helped pioneer tent theatre in Australia, enabling shows to reach audiences without established venues. He often had three companies operating at one time, employing large numbers of people and covering large distances. In 1925 several of his company were injured in a train crash.
Among those actors who appeared in Lytton shows were
Arthur W. Sterry,
George Sorlie,
George Edwards,
Lily Dampier
Katherine Annabel Lily Dampier (1867 or 1868 – 6 February 1915), known as Lily Dampier, was an Australian actress of stage and screen. She was the daughter of Alfred Dampier and married to Alfred Rolfe (director), Alfred Rolfe.
Her best known ...
,
Roy Redgrave
George Ellsworthy "Roy" Redgrave (26 April 1873 – 25 May 1922) was an English stage and silent film actor. Redgrave is considered to be the first member of the Redgrave acting dynasty.
Early life
Born George Edward Redgrave in 122 Kenningt ...
,
Raymond Longford
Raymond Longford (born John Walter Hollis Longford; 23 September 18782 April 1959) was a prolific Australian film director, writer, producer, and actor during the silent era. Longford was a major director of the silent film era of the Australia ...
,
Lottie Lyell
Lottie Lyell (born Charlotte Edith Cox, 23 February 1890 – 21 December 1925) was an Australian actress, screenwriter, film editing, editor and filmmaker. She is regarded as Australia's first film star, and also contributed to the local industr ...
, and
Alfred Rolfe. In 1920 he sold out part of his operation to
George Sorlie but he continued producing shows himself.
Notable productions
*''
The Cup Winner
''The Cup Winner'' is a 1911 Australian silent film directed by Alfred Rolfe. It is set against a backdrop of horseracing and the finale involves real footage from the 1911 Melbourne Cup.Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, ''Australian Film 1900–197 ...
'' (1907)
*''The Fatal Wedding'' (1910) – with
Raymond Longford
Raymond Longford (born John Walter Hollis Longford; 23 September 18782 April 1959) was a prolific Australian film director, writer, producer, and actor during the silent era. Longford was a major director of the silent film era of the Australia ...
and
Lottie Lyell
Lottie Lyell (born Charlotte Edith Cox, 23 February 1890 – 21 December 1925) was an Australian actress, screenwriter, film editing, editor and filmmaker. She is regarded as Australia's first film star, and also contributed to the local industr ...
, both of whom starred in the
1911 film version
*''The Man They Could Not Hang'' (1912) – Lytton produced a
film version of this in 1912
*''
The Girl From Outback'' (1912)
*''
The Waybacks
The Waybacks are an American four-piece band based in the San Francisco Bay area of California. Their style has been alternately described as Americana music, Americana, Progressive Bluegrass music, bluegrass, rock-n-roll, Folk music, folk, and A ...
'' (1915) – turned into a
1918 film
*''Cappy Ricks''
References
1949 deaths
Australian male actors
Year of birth missing
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