Biography

The actor C. Hayden Coffin was a demanded Edwardian stage actor and singer.

Coffin was born in Manchester. His parents were from Maine in the U.S., and his father was a dentist. Coffin passed the preliminary examinations to enter the College of Surgeons, but decided instead to become an actor. In 1883, he performed at St. George's Hall in London as Tom Gilroy in H. J. Byron's "Partners for Life" and as Vivid in "Monsieur Jacques".

In his later years, Coffin turned to serious drama, including Shakespearean roles, such as Feste in Twelfth Night at the Savoy Theatre in 1912.[.

After first experiences as an amateur he started his professional acting career with "Pocahontas" (1885). Only one year later followed one of his biggest hits with the play "Dorothy", which became the longest-running performance of that time.

He spent the 1892-93 season in New York City co-starring in several productions with soprano Lillian Russell. He also starred in a number of pantomimes.