 The Dinner for One sketch was originally written by  Lauri Wylie (qv), born Morris Laurence Samuelson, and premiered at  Duke of Yorks Theatre in London in 1948. It was performed on  Broadway in 1953 as part of John Murray Andersons ALMANAC revue  with Hermione Gingold (qv) as the lady and Billy De Wolfe (qv)  as the butler. When Englishman Freddie Frinton (qv) began  performing it on various English stages the role of the lady was  played by a young actress called Audrey Maye. When she decided to  leave the circuit she suggested her mother May Warden (qv) for the  part, and it was in that version that the sketch became most famous  and was filmed for television.