William Lestocq

William Lestocq (Lestock Boileau Wooldridge) (1852 – 16 October 1920) was a British theatre manager, playwright, and actor.[1][2]

William Lestocq
Lestocq cira 1897
Born1852
Died16 October 1920 (age 68)
London
OccupationPlaywright, theatre manager, actor

He was born in Winchester, Hants with the surname Woolridge, which he dropped when he began acting seriously in 1869. He was a member of the Vaudeville Theatre company from 1873 to 1885,[2] where his parts included being in the original cast of Our Boys (1875).[3] A nephew was Humphrey Lestocq, film star.

His authorship credits (often as co-author) include the plays A Bad Penny (1882), The Sultan of Mocha (1887), Uncles and Aunts (1888), In Danger (1889), Jane (1890) (with Harry Nicholls), The Sportsman (1893) (adaptation of Monsieur chasse! by Georges Feydeau), and The Foundling (1894) (with E.M. Robson).[1][4]

Lestocq was Charles Frohman's representative in London for many years, a relationship which began when Frohman saw the play Jane in London.[5] He would acquire the American rights for English plays for Frohman.[3]

In 1919 Lestocq's play The Foundling was turned into a musical called Nobody's Boy.[6]

Lestocq died in London on 16 October 1920.[7]

References
  1. (20 October 1920). William Lestocq (obituary), New York Tribune
  2. (20 October 1920). William Lestocq is Dead, The Evening World
  3. (3 November 1897). A Chat With Mr. W. Lestocq, The Sketch, p. 82 (paywalled at britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
  4. Who's who in the Theatre, p. 377 (1916)
  5. The Life of Charles Frohman, Cosmopolitan, at p. 426 (1915)
  6. J. P. Wearing, The London Stage 1910-1919: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel (London: Scarecrow Press, 1982), p.
  7. (18 October 1920). Fifty Years in Theatrical World, Pall Mall Gazette, p. 4 (paywalled at britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
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