James W. Tate
Encyclopedia
James William Tate was a songwriter, accompanist, and composer and producer of revue
s and pantomime
s in the early years of the 20th century. Tate was born in Wolverhampton
, England and died in Stoke-on-Trent
, suddenly at the age of 46, as a result of pneumonia caught while traveling the country with his touring revues.
, Tate was the eldest brother of one of the foremost operatic sopranos of the early twentieth century, Maggie Teyte
. Originally intending to pursue a career in the church, he received early music training from his father, composing his first piece at the age of ten.
. Later, Tate served as Musical Director at Wyndham's Theatre
. In 1898 Tate went on tour as conductor with the dancer-singer Lottie Collins
, who was famous for introducing the song "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay
" to Britain. He married Collins in 1902, becoming her second husband. She was the mother of musical comedy
star Jose Collins
. In 1902, he managed a production with a title similar to that of the Parisian hit play Coralie et Cie at the Islington Grand called The Court Dressmaker, or Coralie and Co. This led to legal action in the High Court by the producers of 'The Little French Milliner', an adaptation of the same French play at The Avenue theatre; the dispute was settled by an agreement to alter the title of Tate's play. In 1903 he toured as conductor with the musical All at Sea.
After Lottie Collins's death in 1910, Tate married singer Clarice Mayne
, with whom he had been performing since 1906. Tate was her accompanist, and was the "That" in the variety theatre act known as "Clarice Mayne and That" ("This sings, That Plays!"). Tate was a composer of numerous catchy music hall
songs during these years, many for his wife. He also had songs interpolated in shows, including Sergeant Brue (1904, "Instinct", "And so did Eve") and The Belle of the Orient (1904).
(1913), the Victoria Palace's A Year in an Hour (1914), Very Mixed Bathing (1915), Kiss Me, Sergeant (1915), The Passing Show (1915), and High Jinks (1916). Tate co-wrote the successful Samples (1916) with Herman Darewski
and Irving Berlin
, including the hit song, "A Broken Doll." The Vaudeville Theatre
revue Some included his successful song, "Ev'ry little while" (1916). Tate also wrote song hits such as "The rain came pitter patter pown," "A tiny seed," "Come over the Garden Wall," and "I was a good little girl till I met you" (all in 1914), and "Give me a little cosy corner" (1918).
In 1916 Tate composed four songs, including three that became hits ("My life is love", "A bachelor gay am I", and "A paradise for two"), for inclusion in what became a record-breaking show, The Maid of the Mountains
. This commission arose at the suggestion of the show's star, Tate's step daughter Jose Collins, after initial previews indicated that the original score needed strengthening. Lyrics to these songs where supplied by his regular lyricists Frank Clifford Harris
and "Valentine" (Archibald Thomas Pechey
), who were to write the lyrics of many of Tate's songs throughout his career. "A bachelor gay" became one of the most popular baritone
songs in the British concert repertoire. Tate subsequently wrote the score for more revues and pantomimes, including the revusical The Lads Of The Village (1917), and another revue-musical, The Beauty Spot (1919), created for Regine Flory and produced by Parisian revue specialist P-L Flers at the Gaiety Theatre, London
.
, introducing shows such as Any Lady (1918), The Follies of 1919 (which was repeated in each subsequent year) and Mr Manhattan (1919), The Whirl Of Today (1920), Aladdin (1920), and many shows at the London Hippodrome, including The Peep Show (1921), 1921 Swindells Stores, Round In Fifty (1922, with Herman Finck
, based on Around the World in 80 Days), Brighter London (1923) and Better Days (1925).
In his last years, Tate continued to produce popular songs, such "Somewhere in France with you," "Give Me a Cosy Little Corner," but he never wrote for another "book" musical. Tate's sudden, early death in 1922 cut short a very productive career. The Wylie-Tate company continued through the 1920s and into the 1930s despite Tate's death , and Wylie continued to use Tate's music in these pantomimes, including several productions of Cinderella, Leap Year (1924), Mr Tickle M.P (1924), Who's My Father (1924), Turned Up (1926), Flyaway Peter (1926, with Sophie Tucker
), The Apache (1927 at The London Palladium
), Dancing Mad (1927), The Yellow Mask (1928), Mr. Cinders
(1929) at the Adelphi Theatre
and The Good Companions at His Majesty’s Theatre (1931).
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
s and pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
s in the early years of the 20th century. Tate was born in Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, England and died in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, suddenly at the age of 46, as a result of pneumonia caught while traveling the country with his touring revues.
Life and career
The son of a publicanPublican
In antiquity, publicans were public contractors, in which role they often supplied the Roman legions and military, managed the collection of port duties, and oversaw public building projects...
, Tate was the eldest brother of one of the foremost operatic sopranos of the early twentieth century, Maggie Teyte
Maggie Teyte
Dame Maggie Teyte DBE was an English operatic soprano and interpreter of French art song.-Early years:Margaret Tate was born in Wolverhampton, England, one of ten children of Jacob James Tate, a successful wine and spirit merchant and proprietor of public houses and later lodgings. Her parents...
. Originally intending to pursue a career in the church, he received early music training from his father, composing his first piece at the age of ten.
Early career
In 1892, Tate went to the United States, returning in 1897 to accept a position as Musical Director at the Carl Rosa Opera CompanyCarl Rosa Opera Company
The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl August Nicholas Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company survived Rosa's death in 1889, and continued to present opera in English on tour until 1960, when it was...
. Later, Tate served as Musical Director at Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by the actor/manager Charles Wyndham . Located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, it was designed by W.G.R. Sprague about 1898, the architect of six other London theatres between then and 1916...
. In 1898 Tate went on tour as conductor with the dancer-singer Lottie Collins
Lottie Collins
Lottie Collins was an English singer and dancer, most famous for introducing the song "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay!"-Life:...
, who was famous for introducing the song "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay
Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay
"Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay" is a vaudeville and music hall song, copyrighted by Henry J. Sayers, and introduced in Boston, Massachusetts in Tuxedo in 1891. The song was best known in the version sung by Lottie Collins in London music halls in 1892....
" to Britain. He married Collins in 1902, becoming her second husband. She was the mother of musical comedy
Edwardian Musical Comedy
Edwardian musical comedies were British musical theatre shows from the period between the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the American musicals by Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hart, George Gershwin and Cole Porter following World War I.Between...
star Jose Collins
Jose Collins
Jose Collins was an English actress and singer celebrated for her performances in musical comedies and early motion pictures.-Life and career:...
. In 1902, he managed a production with a title similar to that of the Parisian hit play Coralie et Cie at the Islington Grand called The Court Dressmaker, or Coralie and Co. This led to legal action in the High Court by the producers of 'The Little French Milliner', an adaptation of the same French play at The Avenue theatre; the dispute was settled by an agreement to alter the title of Tate's play. In 1903 he toured as conductor with the musical All at Sea.
After Lottie Collins's death in 1910, Tate married singer Clarice Mayne
Clarice Mayne
Clarice Mayne was a music hall and variety theatre singer and performer.-Life and career:Mayne was born in London in 1886. She is best known for the song "A Broken Doll" written by her husband, the composer James W...
, with whom he had been performing since 1906. Tate was her accompanist, and was the "That" in the variety theatre act known as "Clarice Mayne and That" ("This sings, That Plays!"). Tate was a composer of numerous catchy music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
songs during these years, many for his wife. He also had songs interpolated in shows, including Sergeant Brue (1904, "Instinct", "And so did Eve") and The Belle of the Orient (1904).
World War I years
The producer Julian Wylie saw Tate and Mayne's act and formed a partnership with Tate. They began to specialize in creating and producing pantomimes and revues just before the First World War, including I Should Worry at the Palace TheatrePalace Theatre, London
The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. It is an imposing red-brick building that dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus and is located near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road...
(1913), the Victoria Palace's A Year in an Hour (1914), Very Mixed Bathing (1915), Kiss Me, Sergeant (1915), The Passing Show (1915), and High Jinks (1916). Tate co-wrote the successful Samples (1916) with Herman Darewski
Herman Darewski
Herman Darewski was a British composer and conductor of light music. His most successful work was perhaps The Better 'Ole, which ran for over 800 performances in its original London production in 1917...
and Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
, including the hit song, "A Broken Doll." The Vaudeville Theatre
Vaudeville Theatre
The Vaudeville Theatre is a West End theatre on The Strand in the City of Westminster. As the name suggests, the theatre held mostly vaudeville shows and musical revues in its early days. It opened in 1870 and was rebuilt twice, although each new building retained elements of the previous...
revue Some included his successful song, "Ev'ry little while" (1916). Tate also wrote song hits such as "The rain came pitter patter pown," "A tiny seed," "Come over the Garden Wall," and "I was a good little girl till I met you" (all in 1914), and "Give me a little cosy corner" (1918).
In 1916 Tate composed four songs, including three that became hits ("My life is love", "A bachelor gay am I", and "A paradise for two"), for inclusion in what became a record-breaking show, The Maid of the Mountains
The Maid of the Mountains
The Maid of the Mountains, called in its original score a musical play, is an operetta or musical comedy in three acts. The music was by Harold Fraser-Simson, with additional music by James W...
. This commission arose at the suggestion of the show's star, Tate's step daughter Jose Collins, after initial previews indicated that the original score needed strengthening. Lyrics to these songs where supplied by his regular lyricists Frank Clifford Harris
Frank Clifford Harris
Frank Clifford Harris was a British lyricist. He often worked with composer James W. Tate....
and "Valentine" (Archibald Thomas Pechey
Archibald Thomas Pechey
Archibald Thomas Pechey often credited simply as Valentine, was a British lyricist and novelist. The pen name Valentine was derived from his mother's family the Vallentins, who were London distillers...
), who were to write the lyrics of many of Tate's songs throughout his career. "A bachelor gay" became one of the most popular baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
songs in the British concert repertoire. Tate subsequently wrote the score for more revues and pantomimes, including the revusical The Lads Of The Village (1917), and another revue-musical, The Beauty Spot (1919), created for Regine Flory and produced by Parisian revue specialist P-L Flers at the Gaiety Theatre, London
Gaiety Theatre, London
The Gaiety Theatre, London was a West End theatre in London, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand. The theatre was established as the Strand Musick Hall , in 1864 on the former site of the Lyceum Theatre. It was rebuilt several times, but closed from the beginning of World War II...
.
Later years
Wylie and Tate concentrated on pantomime after World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, introducing shows such as Any Lady (1918), The Follies of 1919 (which was repeated in each subsequent year) and Mr Manhattan (1919), The Whirl Of Today (1920), Aladdin (1920), and many shows at the London Hippodrome, including The Peep Show (1921), 1921 Swindells Stores, Round In Fifty (1922, with Herman Finck
Herman Finck
Herman Finck was a British composer of Dutch extraction.Born Hermann Van Der Vinck in London, he began his studies training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and established a career as the musical director at the Palace Theatre in London , with whose orchestra he made many virtuoso...
, based on Around the World in 80 Days), Brighter London (1923) and Better Days (1925).
In his last years, Tate continued to produce popular songs, such "Somewhere in France with you," "Give Me a Cosy Little Corner," but he never wrote for another "book" musical. Tate's sudden, early death in 1922 cut short a very productive career. The Wylie-Tate company continued through the 1920s and into the 1930s despite Tate's death , and Wylie continued to use Tate's music in these pantomimes, including several productions of Cinderella, Leap Year (1924), Mr Tickle M.P (1924), Who's My Father (1924), Turned Up (1926), Flyaway Peter (1926, with Sophie Tucker
Sophie Tucker
Sophie Tucker was a Russian/Ukrainian-born American singer and actress. Known for her stentorian delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertainers in America during the first half of the 20th century...
), The Apache (1927 at The London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
), Dancing Mad (1927), The Yellow Mask (1928), Mr. Cinders
Mr. Cinders
Mr. Cinders is a musical. The music is by Vivian Ellis & Richard Myers, and the libretto by Clifford Grey & Greatorex Newman. The story is an inversion of the Cinderella fairy tale with the gender roles reversed. The Prince Charming character has become a modern young and forceful woman, and Mr....
(1929) at the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
and The Good Companions at His Majesty’s Theatre (1931).