Charles Kemble (priest) on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Charles Kemble (25 November 1775 – 12 November 1854) was a Welsh-born English actor of a prominent theatre family.
His first London appearance was on 21 April 1794, as Malcolm to his brother's 
Obituary. Mr. Charles Kemble, Vol. 197, pp. 94–96
*''Records of a Girlhood'', by
Theater Arts Manuscripts:
An Inventory of the Collection at the Harry Ransom Center {{DEFAULTSORT:Kemble, Charles British male stage actors 18th-century English male actors English male stage actors 19th-century British male actors 1775 births 1854 deaths People from Brecon Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery Kemble family Actor-managers
Charles Kemble (25 November 1775 – 12 November 1854) was a Welsh-born English actor of a prominent theatre family.
Life
Charles Kemble was one of 13 siblings and the youngest son of English Roman Catholic theatre manager/actorRoger Kemble
Roger Kemble (1 March 1721 – 6 December 1802) was an English theatre manager, strolling player and actor. In 1753, he married Irish actress Sarah "Sally" Ward (1735–1806) at Cirencester, Gloucestershire, and they had thirteen children, who f ...
, and Irish-born actress Sarah Ward. He was the younger brother of, among others, John Philip Kemble
John Philip Kemble (1 February 1757 – 26 February 1823) was a British actor. He was born into a theatrical family as the eldest son of Roger Kemble, actor-manager of a touring troupe. His elder sister Sarah Siddons achieved fame with him on t ...
, Stephen Kemble
George Stephen Kemble (21 April 1758 – 5 June 1822) was a successful English theatre manager, actor, and writer, and a member of the famous Kemble family. He was described as "the best Sir John Falstaff which the British stage ever saw" though ...
and Sarah Siddons. He was born at Brecon in South Wales
South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...
. Like his brothers he was raised in his father's Catholic faith, while his sisters were raised in their mother's Protestant faith. He and John Philip were educated at Douai School.
After returning to England in 1792, he obtained a job in the post office, but soon resigned to go on the stage, making his first recorded appearance at Sheffield as Orlando in ''As You Like It
''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...
'' in that year. During the early part of his career as an actor he slowly gained popularity. For a considerable time he played with his brother and sister, chiefly in secondary parts, and received little attention.
His first London appearance was on 21 April 1794, as Malcolm to his brother's Macbeth
''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
. Ultimately he won independent fame, especially in such characters as Archer in George Farquhar
George Farquhar (1677The explanation for the dual birth year appears in Louis A. Strauss, ed., A Discourse Upon Comedy, The Recruiting Officer, and The Beaux’ Stratagem by George Farquhar' (Boston: D.C. Heath & Co., 1914), p. v. Strauss notes ...
's ''Beaux' Stratagem'', Dorincourt in Hannah Cowley Hannah Cowley may refer to:
*Hannah Cowley (writer)
Hannah Cowley (14 March 1743 – 11 March 1809) was an English playwright and poet. Although Cowley's plays and poetry did not enjoy wide popularity after the 19th century, critic Melinda Finb ...
's ''Belle's Stratagem'', Charles Surface and Ranger in Benjamin Hoadley
Benjamin Hoadly (14 November 1676 – 17 April 1761) was an English clergyman, who was successively Bishop of Bangor, of Hereford, of Salisbury, and finally of Winchester. He is best known as the initiator of the Bangorian Controversy.
Li ...
's ''Suspicious Husband''. His Laërtes and Macduff were as accomplished as his brother's Hamlet and Macbeth. His production of '' Cymbeline'' in 1827 inaugurated the trend to historical accuracy in stagings of that play that reached a peak with Henry Irving at the turn of the century.
In comedy he was ably supported by his wife, Marie Therese De Camp
Maria Theresa Kemble (1774–1838), née Marie Thérèse Du Camp, was an Austrian-born English actress, singer, dancer and comic playwright on the stage. She was the wife of actor Charles Kemble.
Early life
She was the daughter of Jeanne Dufour ...
, whom he married on 2 July 1806. His visit, with his daughter Fanny
Fanny may refer to:
Given name
* Fanny (name), a feminine given name or a nickname, often for Frances
In slang
* A term for the vulva, in Britain and many other parts of the English-speaking world
* A term for the buttocks, in the United States
...
, to America during 1832 and 1834, aroused much enthusiasm. The later part of his career was beset by money troubles in connection with his joint proprietorship of Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...
theatre.
He formally retired from the stage in December 1836, but his final appearance was on 10 April 1840. From 1836-1840 he held the office of Examiner of Plays. In 1844-45 he gave readings from Shakespeare at Willis's Rooms. Macready Macready is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Agnes Macready (1855–1935), Australian nurse and journalist
*Carol MacReady, English actress
*Edward Nevil Macready, (1798–1848), British Army officer
*George Macready (1899–19 ...
regarded his Cassio as incomparable, and summed him up as "a first-rate actor of second-rate parts."
See also
*See: ''Gentleman's Magazine'', January 1855Obituary. Mr. Charles Kemble, Vol. 197, pp. 94–96
*''Records of a Girlhood'', by
Frances Anne Kemble
Frances Anne "Fanny" Kemble (27 November 180915 January 1893) was a British actress from a theatre family in the early and mid-19th century. She was a well-known and popular writer and abolitionist, whose published works included plays, poetry ...
.
Notes
Further reading
* Oxberry, ''Dramatic Biography'' (London, 1826) * Fitzgerald, ''The Kembles'' (London, 1871) * Fanny Kemble, ''Record of a Girlhood'' (London, 1878) * Lane (edited), ''Charles Kemble's Shakespearean Readings'' (second edition, London, 1879) * Matthews, ''Actors and Actresses of Great Britain and the United States'' (volume ii, New York, 1886) * Doran, ''Annals of the Stage'' (London, 1888)External links
* *Theater Arts Manuscripts:
An Inventory of the Collection at the Harry Ransom Center {{DEFAULTSORT:Kemble, Charles British male stage actors 18th-century English male actors English male stage actors 19th-century British male actors 1775 births 1854 deaths People from Brecon Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery Kemble family Actor-managers