Bland Holt
Encyclopedia
Bland Holt, born Joseph Thomas Holt, (24 March 1851 – 28 June 1942) was a comedian
and theatrical producer
, active in Australia
.
Holt was the son of Joseph Frederick Holt (known as Clarence) and his first wife Marie, née Brown. Holt was born at Norwich
, England
, came to Australia with his father, an actor/manager, in 1857, and made his first appearance on the stage when he was six years old. He was educated at the Church of England grammar school
, Brighton, Victoria
, and at the Otago
boys' high school, Dunedin
, New Zealand
.
Holt returned to England aged 14 years and became a professional actor. He had experience in England, the United States
and New Zealand, before establishing himself in Australia in 1876. His first production was Paul Merritt's play New Babylon at the Victoria theatre, Sydney
, with Myra Kemble as the leading lady. For the next 30 years Holt continued to produce the principal melodramas of the period. Most of the time of his companies was divided between the Lyceum theatre, Sydney, and the Theatre Royal, Melbourne
. Nothing was too realistic to be attempted; in one play there was a hunting scene with horses dogs and a stag; in another several horses finished a race across the stage; in another a circus ring was realistically presented with the regular acts being done. Holt introduced the first motor car on stage.
Holt himself had been an excellent clown in pantomime, and he played comedy parts in melodrama with great ability. He was prudent and successful in management and retired in 1909, living at Sunninghill in Cotham Rd (building now stands but are offices) Kew, Victoria
, a Melbourne suburb, for part of the year, and in summer spending his time at his seaside home at Sorrento, Victoria
. There he would entertain every year a party of veteran members of the profession. Holt wrote the play The Breaking of the Drought which was made into a film
in 1920. Holt died at Kew on 28 June 1942 in his ninetieth year. He married in 1887 Florence, daughter of William Curling Anderson, who survived him. He had no children.
Holt practically grew up in a theatre and knew exactly what suited his public. He personally supervised every detail of his productions, and was hard working. If Holt considered that a play needed revision or needed updating, he would write fresh dialogue for it himself. Holt's management style resulted in a harmonious theatrical company.
Holt is buried in the Boroondara (Kew) Cemetery.
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and theatrical producer
Theatrical producer
A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The independent producer will usually be the originator and finder of the script and starts the whole process...
, active in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Holt was the son of Joseph Frederick Holt (known as Clarence) and his first wife Marie, née Brown. Holt was born at Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, came to Australia with his father, an actor/manager, in 1857, and made his first appearance on the stage when he was six years old. He was educated at the Church of England grammar school
Brighton Grammar School
Brighton Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day school for boys, located in Brighton, a south-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
, Brighton, Victoria
Brighton, Victoria
Brighton is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Bayside. At the 2006 Census, Brighton had a population of 20,651...
, and at the Otago
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
boys' high school, Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Holt returned to England aged 14 years and became a professional actor. He had experience in England, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and New Zealand, before establishing himself in Australia in 1876. His first production was Paul Merritt's play New Babylon at the Victoria theatre, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, with Myra Kemble as the leading lady. For the next 30 years Holt continued to produce the principal melodramas of the period. Most of the time of his companies was divided between the Lyceum theatre, Sydney, and the Theatre Royal, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. Nothing was too realistic to be attempted; in one play there was a hunting scene with horses dogs and a stag; in another several horses finished a race across the stage; in another a circus ring was realistically presented with the regular acts being done. Holt introduced the first motor car on stage.
Holt himself had been an excellent clown in pantomime, and he played comedy parts in melodrama with great ability. He was prudent and successful in management and retired in 1909, living at Sunninghill in Cotham Rd (building now stands but are offices) Kew, Victoria
Kew, Victoria
Kew is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara. At the 2006 Census, Kew had a population of 22,516....
, a Melbourne suburb, for part of the year, and in summer spending his time at his seaside home at Sorrento, Victoria
Sorrento, Victoria
Sorrento is a township in Victoria, Australia, located on the shores of Port Phillip on the Mornington Peninsula, about one and a half hours south of Melbourne...
. There he would entertain every year a party of veteran members of the profession. Holt wrote the play The Breaking of the Drought which was made into a film
The Breaking of the Drought
The Breaking of the Drought is a 1920 Australian silent film from director Franklyn Barrett based on the popular play by Bland Holt.-External links:* at Australian Screen Online...
in 1920. Holt died at Kew on 28 June 1942 in his ninetieth year. He married in 1887 Florence, daughter of William Curling Anderson, who survived him. He had no children.
Holt practically grew up in a theatre and knew exactly what suited his public. He personally supervised every detail of his productions, and was hard working. If Holt considered that a play needed revision or needed updating, he would write fresh dialogue for it himself. Holt's management style resulted in a harmonious theatrical company.
Holt is buried in the Boroondara (Kew) Cemetery.