Playwright. Born Leicester. Came to London in 1951 as a student at RADA, where he met fellow student Kenneth Halliwell. Works include Entertaining Mr Sloane and Loot, in which he wrote the part of Inspector Truscott for his close friend Kenneth Williams. In 1962 Orton and his partner, Halliwell, were prosecuted for stealing and defacing books from the Islington Public Library. Jealous of his sexual adventures, Halliwell murdered Orton with a hammer and then died by suicide using sleeping pills, at 25 Noel Road.
Other Subjects
Comic Heritage
Merged with the Heritage Foundation.
Finsbury Park Empire Theatre
Designed by Frank Matcham. One of London’s most popular variety theatres. Here, in January 1921, the magician P. T. Selbit performed the illusion of "sawing a lady in half" - its first public perfo...
Alhambra Theatre
The image shows the old theatre, the Charing Cross Road facade and bottom, the Leicester Square facade, now the Odeon cinema.
Shepherd's Bush Empire
Theatre. Built for impresario Oswald Stoll and designed by Frank Matcham. Amongst its first performers were the Fred Karno troupe featuring Charlie Chaplin. When the appeal of variety shows began t...
Bram Stoker
Novelist and theatre manager. Born Dublin. Came to London in 1878 with his new wife Florence Balcombe, previously Oscar Wilde's squeeze. Wrote Dracula whilst he was Irving’s acting manager at the ...
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