Henry Vernon Esmond

Jack Esmond, known professionally as Henry Vernon Esmond, was an English actor and playwright. Esmond began his career as an actor in London in 1889 where he had several successes in comedies. He began writing plays, usually comedies, while in his early twenties. These plays were very popular and were also highly fashionable with their themes of light-hearted romance appealing to the audience of the day. He toured with a number of these plays and co-starred in them with his wife Eva Moore.

His plays were also well received in the United States where nine of them were produced on Broadway between 1899 and 1907. For the next Broadway production, Eliza Comes to Stay, Esmond travelled to New York to appear alongside his wife and the popular actor Leslie Banks. This proved to be the greatest success of his career. He continued writing, acting and touring until his sudden death in Paris, France caused by pneumonia.

He was the father of the actress Jill Esmond.

PLAYS

Eliza Comes to Stay (1936)

The Truth About Youth (1930) "When We Were Twenty-One" as Henry V. Esmond

When We Were 21 (1921) as Henry V. Esmond

Dangerous to Men (1920) "Eliza Comes to Stay"

The Law Divine (1920)

The Sword of Damocles (1920) "Leonie"

Under the Greenwood Tree (1918)

One Summer's Day (1917)

When We Were Twenty-One (1915) as Henry V. Esmond