Ivor Novello
(1893-1951)

Died aged c. 58

Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born into a musical family, and his first successes were as a songwriter. His first big hit was "Keep the Home Fires Burning" (1914), which was enormously popular during the First World War. His 1917 show, Theodore & Co, was a wartime hit. After the war, Novello contributed numbers to several successful musical comedies and was eventually commissioned to write the scores of complete shows. He wrote his musicals in the style of operetta and often composed his music to the libretti of Christopher Hassall. In the 1920s he turned to acting, first in British films and then on stage, with considerable success in both. He starred in two silent films directed by Alfred Hitchcock, The Lodger and Downhill (both 1927). On stage, he played the title character in the first London production of Liliom (1926). Novello briefly went to Hollywood but soon returned to Britain, where he had more successes, especially on stage, appearing in his own lavish West End productions of musicals. The best-known of these were Glamorous Night (1935) and The Dancing Years (1939). From the 1930s he often performed with Zena Dare, writing parts for her in his works. He continued to write for film, but he had his biggest late successes with stage musicals: Perchance to Dream (1945), King's Rhapsody (1949) and Gay's the Word (1951). The Ivor Novello Awards were named after him in 1955.

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Commemorated on 5 plaques

Ivor Novello 1893-1951 composer and actor-manager lived and died in a flat on the top floor of this building

11 Aldwych, Westminster, WC2, London, United Kingdom where they lived and died (1951)

Ivor Novello 1893-1951 composer, dramatist, actor and man of the theatre lived here

Redroofs, Littlewick Green, Maidenhead, United Kingdom where they lived

"This boy became a Ruritanian king who gave his people dreams & songs to sing" Ivor Novello was born here 15th. Jan. 1893

Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff, United Kingdom where they was born (1893)

Jacopo Castelli Fin da l'alba de nuovi tempi volle Italia una con la dinastia di Savoja promovendo instaurando in Venezia il governo di re Carlo Alberto 1791-1849 MDCCCXC

Calle Larga de L'Ascension - Museo Correr , Venice, Italy where they was

The Gainsborough Film Studios 1924-1949 Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Balcon, Ivor Novello, Gracie Fields, 'The Lady Vanishes', 'The Wicked Lady' worked and were filmed here

Poole Street, Hackney, London, United Kingdom where they worked