Figure 1.--This photograph shows Maurice playing Little Lord Fauntleroy in 1999. He was 14 years old and it was his last important role.
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Figure 1.--This photograph shows Maurice playing Little Lord Fauntleroy in 1999. He was 14 years old and it was his last important role. |
Maurice in several productions performed male as well as female roles, and of the former, his portrayal of Cedrick in Little Lord Fauntleroy was the most outstanding. He played in larger venues than before, and from all accounts gave an excellent performance. This, was, however to be his last major role, as his voice, at age 14, was beginning to deepen with adolescence, and he went on to other pursuits.
One source reports that Maurice was also the first English boy actor to play Little Lord Faunleroy. Cedric was usually played by a girl since it was much easier to find a girl who could both act and had the requisite long hair. If this was true there would have had to have been quite a number of girls who played Cedric as the play was performed for nearly a decade before Mauruce began playing the part. Little Lord Fauntleroy was first performed in London's Prince Albert Theater on February, 1888. Cedric was played by Vera Berringer. This was a pirated version. Maurice was 3 at the time. The second time, sanctioned by Mrs. Burnett, under the name of the real Little Lord Fauntleroy, opened in Boston in September of 1888. Cedric was played by Elsie Leslie, who was only 7 ywars old at the time. When the play moved to New York, the role was split between Elsie and Tommy Russel.
Maurice didn't play the role until 1899 at age 14. He was the first English boy actor to play the part. All the previsious versions in England had cast girls in the part. In America, both boys and girls has played the part. Maurice at 14 was one of the older boys to play the part. One wonders why his mother had waited so long to produce Little Lord Fauntleroy and cast her son in the part.
Several other boys in the late 19th and early 20th century played Cedric Erol in the emensely popular productions of Little Lord Fauntleroy. One of those boys was future silent film star, Buster Keaton. Often girls, however, were for a variety of reasons were chosen to play the part. A photograph of Maurice at 14 years playing Little Lord Fauntleroy is available on this page.
Farrer, Peter. The Life of Maurice Pollack (1885-1918), a Birmingham Actor (Karn Publications: Garston, Liverpool, 1998). USBN 0951238574
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