Edmund Payne

Edmund James "Teddy" Payne (14 December 1863 – 15 July 1914), was an English actor, comedian and singer best known for creating comic roles in a series of extremely successful Edwardian musical comedies. He was often paired with the comic actor George Grossmith, Jr.

After about a decade touring and in stock productions, Payne joined the company at the Gaiety Theatre in London, gaining notice for creating a comic character in the musical In Town (1892). He spent more than two decades at the Gaiety, using his diminutive stature, malleable features, distinctive lisp and comic dance ability to his advantage. His further successes in the 1890s included lovable comic roles in such long-running shows as The Shop Girl (1894), The Circus Girl (1896) and A Runaway Girl (1898). In the new century, he created memorable characters in such hits as The Messenger Boy (1900), The Toreador (1902), The Orchid (1903), The Spring Chicken (1905), The Girls of Gottenberg (1907), Our Miss Gibbs (1909) and The Sunshine Girl (1912).

Payne was born in Hackney, London. His father was Edmund Payne, a chair manufacturer, his mother was Eliza Payne née Ince, and he had a brother, Fred, who also became an actor. Payne made his professional stage debut as Friday in an adaptation of Robinson Crusoe at Market Harborough, in 1880. He performed in stock, toured, and joined the Milton–Rays company.

Payne first appeared in London at the Gaiety Theatre as Mephistopheles in a revival of Faust up to date. Most of Payne's subsequent career was spent at the Gaiety. He enjoyed much success for his comic turn as Shrimp, the Call Boy, in In Town (1892). He followed this with a role in Don Juan (1893) and gave a popular performance as Mr. Miggles in The Shop Girl (1894) that widened his reputation. He first shared the stage with George Grossmith, Jr. in The Shop Girl, and the two would be paired in many further productions. He created more comic roles in The Circus Girl (1896) and A Runaway Girl (1898). Payne always rehearsed in a pair of velvet shoes and rode to and from the Gaiety on a bicycle. He was popular among colleagues as well as the public.

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