Background
He was the son of Doctor John Fothergill Rowlands, and took the stage name of Raleigh.
He was the son of Doctor John Fothergill Rowlands, and took the stage name of Raleigh.
He played for a time in musical comedy, but deserted acting for playwriting and, either alone or in collaboration, produced an immense number of melodramas, staged at first chiefly at the Comedy Theatre, London, and in later years at Drury Lane. Cheer, Boys, Cheer (1895). Hearts are Trumps (1899).
(1902).
And The Whip (1909-1910) are typical examples. Several of his plays were later made into motion pictures. He also acted as dramatic critic to two or three London papers, and became secretary to the School of Dramatic Art in Gower Street, London.
Little Christopher Columbus, 1893 burlesque, co-written with Sims Dick Whittington and His Cat, 1894 pantomime, co-written with Augustus Harris and Hamilton The Yashmak, 1897 musical, co-written with Seymour Hicks The Sunshine Girl, 1912 musical, book co-written with Paul A. Rubens.