 In March 1920, Howard gave public notice in "The London Gazette" that by deed poll he had abandoned the use of the name Steiner and thereafter would be known by the name of Howard instead.Howard began his professional acting career in regional tours of "Peg O' My Heart" and "Charley's Aunt" in 1916–17 and on the London stage in 1917, but had his greatest theatrical success in the United States in Broadway theatre, in plays such as "Aren't We All?