See also:- THOMAS
- THOMAS (c. 1654-1720)
- THOMAS (d. 110o)
- THOMAS, ARTHUR GORING (1850-1892)
- THOMAS, CHARLES LOUIS AMBROISE (1811-1896)
- THOMAS, GEORGE (c. 1756-1802)
- THOMAS, GEORGE HENRY (1816-187o)
- THOMAS, ISAIAH (1749-1831)
- THOMAS, PIERRE (1634-1698)
- THOMAS, SIDNEY GILCHRIST (1850-1885)
- THOMAS, ST
- THOMAS, THEODORE (1835-1905)
- THOMAS, WILLIAM (d. 1554)
THOMAS See also:BETTERTON (c. 1635-1710)
, See also:English actor, son of an under-See also:cook to See also:- KING
- KING (O. Eng. cyning, abbreviated into cyng, cing; cf. O. H. G. chun- kuning, chun- kunig, M.H.G. kiinic, kiinec, kiinc, Mod. Ger. Konig, O. Norse konungr, kongr, Swed. konung, kung)
- KING [OF OCKHAM], PETER KING, 1ST BARON (1669-1734)
- KING, CHARLES WILLIAM (1818-1888)
- KING, CLARENCE (1842–1901)
- KING, EDWARD (1612–1637)
- KING, EDWARD (1829–1910)
- KING, HENRY (1591-1669)
- KING, RUFUS (1755–1827)
- KING, THOMAS (1730–1805)
- KING, WILLIAM (1650-1729)
- KING, WILLIAM (1663–1712)
King See also:Charles I., was See also:born in See also:London
.
He was apprenticed to See also:John See also:Holden; See also:Sir See also:- WILLIAM
- WILLIAM (1143-1214)
- WILLIAM (1227-1256)
- WILLIAM (1J33-1584)
- WILLIAM (A.S. Wilhelm, O. Norse Vilhidlmr; O. H. Ger. Willahelm, Willahalm, M. H. Ger. Willehelm, Willehalm, Mod.Ger. Wilhelm; Du. Willem; O. Fr. Villalme, Mod. Fr. Guillaume; from " will," Goth. vilja, and " helm," Goth. hilms, Old Norse hidlmr, meaning
- WILLIAM (c. 1130-C. 1190)
- WILLIAM, 13TH
William See also:Davenant's publisher, and possibly later to a bookseller named See also:Rhodes, who had been See also:wardrobe-keeper to the See also:theatre in Blackfriars
.
The latter obtained in 1659 a See also:licence to set up a See also:company of players at the See also:Cockpit in See also:Drury See also:Lane; and on the reopening of this theatre in ,66o, See also:Betterton made his first See also:appearance on the See also:stage
.
His talents at once brought him into prominence, and he was given leading parts
.
On the opening of the new theatre in See also:Lincoln's See also:Inn See also:Fields in 1661, Sir William Davenant, the patentee, engaged Betterton and all Rhodes's company to See also:play in his See also:Siege of Rhodes
.
Betterton, besides being a public favourite, was held in high esteem by Charles II., who sent him to See also:Paris to examine stage improvements there
.
According to See also:Cibber it was after his return that shifting scenes instead of See also:tapestry were first used in an English theatre
.
In 1692, in an unfortunate See also:speculation, Betterton and his friend Sir See also:Francis See also:Watson were ruined; but Betterton's See also:affection for Sir Francis was so strong that he adopted the latter's daughter and educated her for the stage
.
In .1693, with the aid of See also:friends, he erected the New Playhouse in the See also:tennis See also:court in Lincoln's Inn Fields
.
It was opened in 1695 with See also:Congreve's Love for Love
.
But in a few years the -profits See also:fell off; and Betterton, labouring under the infirmities of See also:age and See also:gout, determined to quit the stage
.
At his benefit performance, when the profits are said to have been over £500, he played See also:Valentine in Love for Love
.
In 1710 he made his last appearance as Melantius in The Maid's Tragedy; he died on the 28th of See also:April, and was buried in See also:Westminster See also:Abbey
.
In appearance he was athletic, slightly above See also:middle height, with a tendency to stoutness; his See also:voice was strong rather than melodious, but in recitation it was used with the greatest dexterity
.
See also:Pepys, See also:Pope, See also:Steele and Cibber all bestow lavish praise on his acting
.
His repertory included a large number of Shakespearian roles, and although many of these were presented in the tasteless versions of Davenant, See also:Dryden, Shadweil and See also:Nahum See also:Tate, yet they could not hide the See also:great histrionic gifts which Betterton possessed, nor does his reputation See also:rest on these performances alone
.
The blamelessness of his See also:life was conspicuous in an age and a profession notorious for dissolute habits
.
Betterton was author of several adaptations which were popular in their See also:day
.
In 1662 he had married See also:Mary See also:Saunderson (d
.
1712), an admirable actress, whose Ophelia shared the honours with his See also:Hamlet
.
See See also:Howe, See also:- THOMAS
- THOMAS (c. 1654-1720)
- THOMAS (d. 110o)
- THOMAS, ARTHUR GORING (1850-1892)
- THOMAS, CHARLES LOUIS AMBROISE (1811-1896)
- THOMAS, GEORGE (c. 1756-1802)
- THOMAS, GEORGE HENRY (1816-187o)
- THOMAS, ISAIAH (1749-1831)
- THOMAS, PIERRE (1634-1698)
- THOMAS, SIDNEY GILCHRIST (1850-1885)
- THOMAS, ST
- THOMAS, THEODORE (1835-1905)
- THOMAS, WILLIAM (d. 1554)
Thomas Betterton (1891) : The Life and Times of Thomas Betterton (1886)
.
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