Little Lord Fauntleroy Actors: Vyvian Thomas (England, 1889-1975)

Figure 1.-Vyvian Thomas was a popular child actor who often played Little Lord Fauntleroy before the turn of the century. The postcard was escribed 1903 telling us about when the portrait was taken and he was palaying the part. He was about 13 years old when the portrait was taken.Image courtesy of the MD collection.

Vyvian Thomas appaers to be one of the many boys who played Little Lord Fauntleroy on the London stage. We have very little information about him at this time. We know he was a child actor because he was photographed by Rotary Photo in London for a seies of postcards for English actors and actresses. He is among illustrious company in that list of postcards of Music Hall stars. One HBC readers suspects he was a singer. At the time sending and collecting these postcards was a popular pursuit. The postcard was enscribed November 23, 1903 telling us about when the portrait was taken and he was playing the part. Almost surely he was playing Little Lord Fauntleroy because he was photographed in a velvet Fauntleroy costume complete with a lace collar and long shoulder-length hair. The velvet suit has kneepants and was worn with long dark stockings. Rather than a classic small Fauntleroy jacket and blouse, Vyvian wears a button up jacket with pin on lace collar and matching cuff trim. As was common in stage productions, he wears a wide satin sash. It was probably red, but we can not be sure. He has long, but uncurled hair. It looks to be his own hair rather than a wig for stage productions. Vyvian looks to have been about 12-13 years old in the portrait. Unfortunately, we know nothing else about his acting career. A reader writes, "Vyvian Thomas was my husbands grandfather. He was born in 1889 and died 1975. His father was Milton Wellings who was a composer. His mother Clara was an actress. There is a great review of the production at Wyndams theatre (1901). It is available at the Times Archive on line." [Grantham]

Parents

Vyvian's father was Milton Wellings who was a well-known composer. His mother Clara was an actress, but we are not sure about her stage namne. [Grantham] Wellings was forced into bancrupcy by 1896. Apparently music pirates stole his work before before copyright laws wre in plsace. In the trial reports, he claims to be living on his wifes earnings as an acctress.

Childhood

Vyvian was born in 1889. We know nothing about his boyhood.

Stage Career

Vyvian Thomas was a stage name. I'm not sure about its derivation. As his father had momney problems, his successful appearances as a child actor must have helped the family finances. We can place Vyvian at the Prince of Wales Theatre in "The Fairy Toys" with a billing above Phillis Dare (May 1900). [Grantham] He appaers to be one of the many boys who played Little Lord Fauntleroy on the London stage. We have very little information about him at this time. We know he was a child actor because he was photographed by Rotary Photo in London for a seies of postcards for English actors and actresses. He is among illustrious company in that list ofpostcards of Music Hall stars. One HBC readers suspects he was a singer. At the time sending and collecting these postcards was a popular pursuit. The postcard was enscribed November 23, 1903 telling us about when the portrait was taken and he was playing the part. Vyvian looks to have been about 12-13 years old in the portrait. There is a great review of the production at Wyndams theatre (1901). It is available at the Times Archive on line."

Costuming

Almost surely he was playing Little Lord Fauntleroy because he was photographed in a velvet Fauntleroy costume complete with a lace collar and long shoulder-length hair. The velvet suit has kneepants and was worn with long dark stockings. Rather than a classic small Fauntleroy jacket and blouse, Vyvian wears a button up jacket with pin on lace collar and matching cuff trim. As was common in stage productions, he wears a wide satin sash. It was probably red, but we can not be sure. He has long, but uncurled hair. It looks to be his own hair rather than a wig for stage productions. Unfortunately, we know nothing else about his acting career.

Family

Vyvian married Vivienne Peek an aspiring, but not great acctress (1912). Their daughter was starring at the Garrick at age 22 so trooping was definatly in the family. [Grantham]

Career

He seems to have left the stage abd became an actor manager (by 1916).

World War I

Thomas joined the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. He served in Salonika in observation ballons.

After the War

Thomas after the War tried different occupations. He went into fur farming (1923). He published a pamflet entitled "Commercial Rabbit Farming " about 1930. It was 58b pages and illustrated. He appears to have published anoyther work entitlef "Musquash Farming" (Unknown Binding). I am not sure what it was about.

Sources

Grantham, Claire. E-mail message, June 26, 2008.

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Created: January 22, 2003
Last updated: 8:07 PM 6/29/2008