CHEVALIER, ALBERT

born March 21, 1861, Notting Hill, London died July 10, 1923, London actor and music-hall entertainer known as the "costers' laureate" because of his songs in cockney dialect on London common life (a coster is a cart peddler). An actor from 1877, he made his music-hall debut in 1891 at the London Pavillion, where he was an immediate hit, singing such songs as "The Coster's Serenade" and "It's the Nasty Way 'E Sez It." In 1896 he commenced a successful U.S. tour. Chevalier composed about 80 songs, of which the most popular was "My Old Dutch"; from 1920 he acted in a play of that name written by himself and Arthur Shirley. As he refused to introduce obscenity into his performances, Chevalier is credited with improving the general repute of music halls.