Walter Thomas Curtis Wright, known professionally as Huntley Wright, was an English actor, comedian, dancer, and singer who was born on August 7, 1868. He was the eldest of five children to Frederick Wright, Sr. and Jessie, née Francis, both actors and comedians.
Wright's early life was marked by a strong interest in sports, particularly football, which he played until his injuries forced him to abandon the sport. Despite his parents' disapproval, he pursued a career in the theatre, making his stage debut at the age of 15 in the role of Dr. Winsley Andrewes in "False Lights" with his family's touring theatre company.
Throughout his long and varied career, Wright performed in many notable productions, including Edwardian musical comedies, burlesques, and farces. He was a versatile actor who was equally at home in comedy, drama, and musical theatre, and he toured extensively throughout the UK and internationally, including a stint in South Africa.
Wright's career was interrupted by World War I, during which he served in the British Army. After the war, he continued to work in the theatre, appearing in comedies, musicals, and drama, as well as broadcasting on the radio and making appearances in films.
Wright's daughter, Betty Huntley-Wright, went on to have a successful career in television and film. He died on July 10, 1941, at the age of 72, due to a heart attack in Bangor, Wales.
Wright's family was deeply rooted in the theatre, with several of his siblings also becoming actors. His brother, Fred Wright Jr., was a successful actor in musical comedy, and his sisters, Maria "Marie" Wright and Ada "Haidee" Wright, as well as his brother, Albert "Bertie" Wright, were all actors.
Wright was educated at George Watson's College in Edinburgh, where he developed his love of football. However, his sporting injuries ultimately forced him to abandon the sport, and he turned his attention to the theatre. Despite his parents' initial disapproval, Wright went on to have a long and distinguished career in the theatre, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of entertainment.
