James Lewis (1840–1896) was an American comedic actor.

Biography

James Lewis was born in

Troy, New York Troy is a city in the U.S. state of New York and the county seat of Rensselaer County. The city is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany a ...

in October 1840. There, he made his first stage appearance in 1858, playing Farmer Gammon in ''The Writing on the Wall''.James Lewis: ''North American Theatre Online''
/ref> At the outbreak of the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

he was in the South, and narrowly escaped being detained there by the blockade. Subsequently he traveled much in the Middle West. His first appearance in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

was in 1866, in the

farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity o ...

''Your Life's in Danger'', presented at the Olympic Theatre by Mrs. John Wood's company. Afterward he was very successful in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

in the role of

Dick Swiveller Richard 'Dick' Swiveller is a fictional character in the 1841 novel '' The Old Curiosity Shop'' by Charles Dickens. Initially a comical accessory to the antagonists in the novel, he undergoes a transformation, becoming a key helpmate bridging the ...

. In 1869 he became the leading comedian in

Augustin Daly John Augustin Daly (July 20, 1838June 7, 1899) was one of the most influential men in American theatre during his lifetime. Drama critic, theatre manager, playwright, and adapter, he became the first recognized stage director in America. He exer ...

's company in New York City, and he retained this position during the remainder of his life. He was highly successful in almost every comedy part that he played. He died in

West Hampton Dunes, New York West Hampton Dunes is an incorporated village in the Town of Southampton on Westhampton Island, in Suffolk County, in New York, United States, off the South Shore of Long Island. The population was 55 at the 2010 census. History West Hampt ...

on September 10, 1896.

References

External links

*
James Lewis portrait gallery
NY Public Library, Billy Rose collection) {{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, James Actors from Troy, New York American male comedians American male stage actors 1840 births 1896 deaths 19th-century American male actors Comedians from New York (state)