biography
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1806–72)
|
| biography:
| Actor, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a strikingly handsome, flamboyant man who excelled in tragic roles. A great favourite among ordinary theatre-goers, his acting style was seen as a breath of fresh air in contrast to the more tightly restrained British model. But he was criticized by those who found vulgar his tendency to show off his physique and powerful voice. His first stage role was in 1817, when he stood in for an actress in the small role of a harem girl. His true debut was in 1820 in Douglas. After this he toured for a time, then made his extremely successful New York debut as Iago in Othello (1826). A pugnacious character who had numerous financial and marital problems, his rivalry with actor William Macready led to the 1849 Astor Place Riots, in New York City, where 30 were killed during a fight between the actors' adherents. He fell out of favour as new styles of performance became popular. His last performance was in 1872 at the Globe Theater in Boston. |
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