Walter Pfeffer Dando (1852–1944, some sources 1854)
was a British
stage engineer and early film director. Among his developments and patents were those for a device allowing theatre actors to "fly" about the stage (by 1875) and improvements to the technology for
tableaux vivants
A (; often shortened to ; ; ) is a static scene (performing arts), scene containing one or more actors or models. They are stationary and silent, usually in costume, carefully posed, with props and/or theatrical scenery, scenery, and may be s ...
. Dando also served as an official photographer to the
Zoological Society of London
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is a charity and organization devoted to the worldwide animal conservation, conservation of animals and their habitat conservation, habitats. It was founded in 1826. Since 1828, it has maintained London Zo ...
.
Dando was the stage manager of the
Palace Theatre Palace Theatre, or Palace Theater, is the name of many theatres in different countries, including:
Australia
*Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria
*Palace Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales
Canada
*Palace Theatre, housed in the Robillard Block, Mo ...
(1891–1896) before leaving to establish his own business screening "
phantom ride
Phantom rides or panoramas were an early genre of film popular in Britain and the US at the end of the 19th century. Pre-dating true narrative, the films simply show the progress of a vehicle moving forwards, usually shot by strapping a camerama ...
s", first-person travel footage from trains.
Personal life
Dando attended
Southgate College
Barnet and Southgate College is a further education college in North London, England. The current college was established in 2011. It has three main campuses and two other learning centres in the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of ...
and (date unknown) began work in the counting-house of
William Whiteley, Westbourne Grove. He became a member of Whiteley's amateur dramatic club – the Kildare. In 1875 Patented apparatus for flying effects (Patent no. 3067 1875) On 12 April 1877, St Saviour's Church, Hoxton, married Letitia Barry, stage name, Mlle Aenea, "the original flying dancer".
Daughter of actors William and Letitia Barry, sister of Katie Barry and Mlle Ariel, niece of George Conquest.
1877 Advertised as maker and supplier of "India-rubber springs for gymnastic or theatrical purposes" (also advertised as "India-rubber spring and chest-expander manufacturer")
[The Era Almanac]
In 1879, their only child, Letitia Mary Ann Emma 'Queenie' Dando, was born. Following the death of his daughter in 1921 and his wife in 1928, Dando married the much younger dancer, Letitia Daisy Paver, in 1929.
Works
Films
*''
King John'' (1899)
Books
*''Illustrated Official Guide to the London Zoological Society'' (1906)
*''Wild Animals & the Camera'' (1911)
*''More Wild Animals & the Camera'' (1913)
References
*Joseph Donohue
''W.P. Dando's improved Tableaux Vivants at the Palace Theatre of Varieties, London.''''Theatre Notebook'', 1 October 2009
External links
*
at Arthurlloyd.co.uk (burial information)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dando, Walter Pfeffer
British theatre managers and producers
1852 births
1944 deaths
Zoological Society of London
Shakespearean directors