Edward Royce

Edward Royce or Edward Royce Jr. (born James William Reddall; 14 December 1870 – 15 June 1964) was an English director and choreographer of musical theatre, best remembered for his series of successful productions on Broadway. His father was the actor, dancer, singer and stage manager E. W. Royce.

Royce choreographed and/or directed more than a dozen comic operas and Edwardian musical comedies in London from 1902 to 1916, most of them for George Edwardes. Moving to Broadway, he directed a series of musicals, including several Princess Theatre musicals, including Oh, Boy! (1917), and such other successes as Irene (1919), Sally (1920), and several Ziegfeld productions.

Royce also directed in Australia and elsewhere in the United States, choreographed a few motion picture musicals, and later returned to England to direct a revival of A Waltz Dream (1934) and co-author a musical comedy, Fritzi (1935).

Life and career Royce was born in Bath, England. He studied scenic art before becoming a dancer. including A Waltz Dream (1908), Our Miss Gibbs (1909), The Dollar Princess (1909), The Count of Luxemburg (1911), A series of musicals, known as the Princess Theatre musicals, were produced on Broadway between 1915 and 1919, written by the team of Jerome Kern, Guy Bolton and (usually) P. G. Wodehouse. Royce directed the most successful show in the series, Oh, Boy! (1917), which ran for 463 performances (the last few months at the Casino Theatre), making it the third-longest running Broadway musical in the 1910s. Royce directed two other shows in 1917 created by the Princess Theatre team, Leave It to Jane and Have a Heart, which were presented at other Broadway theatres. The following year, he directed the final two Princess Theatre musicals, Oh, Lady! Lady!! and Oh, My Dear!.

Royce also directed in Australia and on the West Coast of the United States.

He returned to London to direct a revival of A Waltz Dream (1934) and co-authored a romantic musical comedy, Fritzi (1935). He died in London at the age of 93. 1905 Director Prince's, Bristol A Waltz Dream 1935 Co-author (book) Adelphi & Shaftesbury A Waltz Dream 1942 Director Bristol Hippodrome Salute the Soldier 1944 Director Bristol Hippodrome The Count of Luxemburg Opening Role Locationa The Doll Girl 25 August 1913 Choreographer Globe Theatre The Marriage Market 22 September 1913 Director Knickerbocker Theatre The Laughing Husband 2 February 1914 Director Knickerbocker Theatre Betty 3 October 1916 Director Globe Theatre The Century Girl 6 November 1916 Director Century Theatre Have a Heart 11 January 1917 Director Liberty Theatre Oh, Boy! 20 February 1917 Director Princess Theatre Leave It to Jane 28 August 1917 Director Longacre Theatre Kitty Darlin''' 7 November 1917 Director Casino Theatre Going Up|25 December 1917 Director Liberty Theatre Oh, Lady! Lady!!|1 February 1918 Director Princess Theatre Rock-A-Bye Baby|22 May 1918 Director Astor Theatre The Canary|4 November 1918 Director Globe Theatre Oh, My Dear!|27 November 1918 Director Princess Theatre Come Along|8 April 1919 Director Nora Bayes Theatre She's a Good Fellow|5 May 1919 Co-director Globe Theatre Apple Blossoms|7 October 1919 Co-director Globe Theatre Irene|18 November 1919 Director Vanderbilt Theatre Lassie|6 April 1920 Director Nora Bayes Theatre Ziegfeld Follies of 1920|21 June 1921 Director New Amsterdam Theatre Kissing Time|11 October 1920 Director Lyric Theatre Sally|21 December 1920 Director New Amsterdam Theatre Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic (1920) 1 February 1921 Director Ziegfeld Roof Ziegfeld 9 O'Clock Frolic|8 February 1921 Director Danse de Follies Ziegfeld Follies of 1921|21 June 1921 Director Globe Theatre The Love Letter|4 October 1921 Director Globe Theatre Good Morning Dearie|1 November 1921 Director Globe Theatre Orange Blossoms|19 September 1922 Director/Producer Fulton Theatre Irene|2 April 1923 Director Jolson's 59th Street Theatre Cinders|3 April 1923 Director/Producer Dresden Theatre Sally|17 September 1923 Director New Amsterdam Theatre Kid Boots|31 December 1923 Director Earl Carroll Theatre Annie Dear|4 November 1924 Director Times Square Theatre No, No, Nanette 1924 Director Harris Theatre, Chicago(pre-Broadway production) Louie the 14th|3 March 1925 Director Cosmopolitan Theatre Princess Ida|13 April 1925 Director Sam S. Shubert Theatre No Foolin'|24 June 1926 Director Globe Theatre The Merry Malones|26 September 1927 Co-director Erlanger's Theatre She's My Baby|3 January 1928 Director Globe Theatre Billie'' 1 October 1928 Director Erlanger's Theatre

aBroadway, unless otherwise specified

Filmography