Frederick George Hobson, known asFred Leslie (1 April 1855 – 7 December 1892), was an English actor, singer, comedian and dramatist.
Beginning his career inoperetta, Leslie became best known for starring in, and writing (under the pseudonymA. C. Torr, a pun on the word "actor"), popularburlesque plays and other comic works of theatre.
Leslie was born inWoolwich, London. He was the youngest son of Charles Hobson, a wealthy military outfitter, and Sarah Hobson,née Pye. Leslie was educated in Woolwich,Lewisham andPas-de-Calais. As a young man, he performed in amateur plays while working in commerce. He married Louisa (Louie) Agate in 1879. The couple had three children. The oldest of them, William Herbert Leslie Hobson (1880–1945), became a stage and film actor and singer also using the name "Fred Leslie".[1][2]
After briefly touring the British provinces, he made his first stage appearance in London at theRoyalty Theatre as old Colonel Hardy inPaul Pry in 1878.[3] He was soon engaged byKate Santley at the Royalty, where he played the title role inMr Lewis. At the same theatre in 1879, he played the part of Po-Hi opposite Santley inTita in Thibet, a two-act comedy musical byFrank Desprez. He next played Agamemnon (under the name of "Mr Leslie") inLa belle Hélène byJacques Offenbach. His vocal quality suited him to play the comicbaritone roles in French operettas.[4] He soon appeared in operettas such asMadame Favart,La fille du tambour-major (1880)[5] andOlivette;[3] and he playedFaust inMefistofele (1880) withConstance Loseby as Marguerite andLionel Brough as Valentine.[6] In addition, he played some leading roles in musical theatre pieces under the management ofSelina Dolaro at theFolly Theatre and at theAlhambra Theatre inThe Bronze Horse (1891)[7]La petite mademoiselle andLes manteaux noirs, among others.[4]
In 1882, Leslie found wide success as the title character in theoperettaRip Van Winkle, byRobert Planquette, at theComedy Theatre, also starringW. S. Penley.[8] In 1882 and 1883 he played in America at theCasino Theatre and elsewhere with theMcCaull Comic Opera Company inThe Merry War andThe Beggar Student.[9] In 1884 he played inFay o' Fire, which featuredMarie Tempest in one of her first roles. The same year, at the Comedy Theatre, he played inH. B. Farnie andEdmond Audran's adaptation,The Great Mogul withFlorence St. John,Frank Wyatt andArthur Roberts.[10][11]
In 1885 Leslie joined theGaiety Theatre, London company as Jonathan Wild inH. P. Stephens and W. Yardley'sburlesqueLittle Jack Sheppard, with music byMeyer Lutz, and also starringNellie Farren as Jack. The piece was a hit, and for the next seven years he and Farren were the pillars of the popular Gaiety Theatre burlesques.[12] In 1887, hisMiss Esmeralda was successful;Frankenstein, or The Vampire's Victim, in which he played a monster in touch with his feminine side, was a flop. In 1888–89, Leslie, with Farren's Gaiety company, toured in the US and Australia, inMonte Cristo Jr. andMiss Esmeralda (together withSylvia Grey,Marion Hood andLetty Lind).[13] At the same time, Leslie played roles in other pieces, for exampleDavid Garrick byThomas W. Robertson at the Gaiety in 1886.[14]
Leslie's Don Caesar de Bazan inRuy Blas and the Blasé Roué (1888, a take off ofVictor Hugo's playRuy Blas), was perhaps the most popular of his later parts, and he and Farren starred at the Gaiety and toured in this production and inMiss Esmeralda, andJoan of Arc (1891).[15] In 1891, Leslie and Farren again toured Australia with the Gaiety company inRuy Blas andCinder Ellen up too Late (withSidney Jones as conductor).[16] Leslie died while rehearsing for his last burlesque,Don Juan (with lyrics byAdrian Ross).[9] His early death, coupled with Farren's illness and retirement in 1892, brought to an end the type of Gaiety burlesque associated with them, at the same time thatEdwardian musical comedy came to dominate the London theatre.
Leslie was known for his versatility, agility, entertaining personality and talent as a mimic.[9] His performances, including singing (he was abaritone), dancing, clowning and whistling, were noted for their "high spirits and ludicrous charm".[3] Under the pseudonym of "A. C. Torr", he was part-author of many of his burlesques and also wrote the burlesqueGuy Fawkes Jr for Arthur Roberts in 1890.[17] Although Leslie is remembered best for the burlesques, he was a fine comic actor whom the criticClement Scott called "one of the great lyric and comic artists of my time."[4]
Leslie died oftyphoid fever at his home in London at the age of 37.[9] He was buried inCharlton Cemetery inGreenwich, England.[4]
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