Ludovic Hal�vy (1834 - 1908) was a French author and playwright. In 1865, Ludovic Hal�vy's increasing popularity as an author enabled him to retire from the public service. Ten years earlier, he had become acquainted with the musician Offenbach, who was about to start a small theatre of his own in the Champs-�lys�es and he wrote a sort of prologue, Entrez, messieurs, mesdames, for the opening night. Other little productions followed, Ba-ta-clan being the most noticeable among them. They were produced under the pseudonym of Jules Servi�res. The name of Ludovic Hal�vy appeared for the first time on the bills on 1 January 1856. Soon afterwards, the unprecedented run of Orph�e aux enfers, a musical parody, written in collaboration with Hector Cr�mieux, made his name famous. In the spring of 1860, he was commissioned to write a play for the manager of the Vari�t�s in conjunction with another vaudevillist, Lambert-Thiboust.
