Henri Meilhac (February 21, 1831 - 1897), French dramatist, was born in Paris.
While a young man began writing fanciful articles for the newspapers and vaudevilles for the theatres, in a vivacious boulevardier spirit which brought him to the front. About 1860 he met Ludovic Halévy, and the two began a collaboration in writing for the stage which lasted for twenty years. For example, they wrote a vaudeville play, Le Réveillon, which became the basis of the operetta, Die Fledermaus.
Meilhac wrote a few pieces with lesser collaborators. In 1888 he was elected to the Academy. He died at Paris in 1897.