John Cooper (1793–1870), was a British actor active between 1811 and 1859, who played in "a singularly large number of parts, some of them of leading importance"Joseph Knight, ‘Cooper, John (1793–1870)’, rev. Nilanjana Banerji, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 200
accessed 23 Jan 2010
/ref> in many locations in England, Wales and Scotland.

Career

Early years

Cooper was born in

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

in 1793, the son of a tradesman. His first recorded role was as "Alonzo" in E. Young's ''The Revenge'', in a private theatre. He first appeared on the Bath stage on 14 March 1811, aged 18. His first appearance in London was at the

Haymarket Haymarket may refer to: Places Australia * Haymarket, New South Wales, area of Sydney, Australia Germany * Heumarkt (KVB), transport interchange in Cologne on the site of the Heumarkt (literally: hay market) Russia * Sennaya Square (''Hay Squ ...

, on 15 May 1811, as "Count Montalban" in

John Tobin John Tobin may refer to: People * Sir John Tobin (1763–1851), Liverpool merchant * John Tobin (dramatist) (1770–1804), author of ''The Honey Moon'' * John F. Tobin (1880–1954), American football player and coach * Jack Tobin (1892–1969 ...

's ''The Honeymoon''. He subsequently joined

Andrew Cherry Andrew Cherry (11 January 1762 – 12 February 1812) was an Irish dramatist, songwriter, actor and theatre manager. Life He was born in Limerick on 11 January 1762. His father, John Cherry, a printer and bookseller in Limerick, is said to hare ...

and played in a number of Welsh theatres, and in 1812 he played in the north of England and in Scotland. In Edinburgh he played "Edgar" to Edmund Kean's ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane an ...

'', and in Glasgow was the first to play the title role in Sheridan Knowles' '' Virginius''.

Drury Lane

He made his first appearance at

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster. Notable landmarks ...

in November 1820, as "Romeo", and "was well received". Subsequent roles at Drury Lane included: "Antony" in ''

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

'', "Tullus Aufidius" in '' Coriolanus'', "Joseph" in ''

The School for Scandal ''The School for Scandal'' is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777. Plot Act I Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling Sna ...

'', "Richmond" in ''

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...

'', and "Iago" in ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...

''.

London

Around 1825 he married the widowed actress Mrs Dalton, originally Miss Walton, of Dublin, and over the next couple of decades played a large number and variety of parts at

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 ...

, the Haymarket, the English Opera House, and the

Surrey Theatre The Surrey Theatre, London began life in 1782 as the Royal Circus and Equestrian Philharmonic Academy, one of the many circuses that provided entertainment of both horsemanship and drama (hippodrama). It stood in Blackfriars Road, near the jun ...

The Midlands

Cooper was also popular and in demand on the

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

and Lincoln circuits. When his wife died in London in 1843, he moved to

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...

where he was appointed stage-manager. In 1845 moved to Newmarket, and was subsequently engaged by Knowles, the proprietor of the Theatre Royal,

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

. He made his début there as "Menenius" in ''Coriolanus''. Cooper was also popular in

Hull Hull may refer to: Structures * Chassis, of an armored fighting vehicle * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a ship * Submarine hull Mathematics * Affine hull, in affi ...

and

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

London

His final roles were played under Charles Kean at the Princess's Theatre, London, where his performances included "Henry IV" in '' Henry IV, Part I'', the "Duke of York" in ''

Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...

'', and "Kent" in ''King Lear''.

Retirement

He retired in 1859, withdrew from the stage, and lived on his savings in

Ealing Ealing () is a district in West London, England, west of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Ealing. Ealing is the administrative centre of the borough and is identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan. Ealing was histor ...

. He subsequently moved to

Tunbridge Wells Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in Kent, England, southeast of central London. It lies close to the border with East Sussex on the northern edge of the Weald, High Weald, whose sandstone geology is exemplified by the rock formation High Roc ...

for his health, and died there on 13 July 1870.

Selected roles

* Doge of Venice in ''

Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice ''Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice'' is a blank verse tragedy in five acts by Lord Byron, published and first performed in 1821. Synopsis The play is set in Venice in 1355. Marino Faliero, recently-elected Doge of Venice, offends one of the ch ...

'' by

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and Peerage of the United Kingdom, peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and h ...

(1821) * Arsenio in ''

Conscience Conscience is a cognitive process that elicits emotion and rational associations based on an individual's moral philosophy or value system. Conscience stands in contrast to elicited emotion or thought due to associations based on immediate sens ...

'' by

James Haynes James Almand Haynes (10 November 1933 – 6 January 2021) was an American-born figure in the British "underground" and alternative/counter-culture scene of the 1960s. He was involved with the founding of Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre, the pape ...

(1821) * Cortez in '' Cortez'' by James Planché (1823) * The Hungarian in ''

The Three Strangers "The Three Strangers" is a short story by Thomas Hardy from 1883. Background The story is a pastoral history told by an omniscient narrator more than 50 years after the event. The sheep-stealer is a kind of folk hero who stole to survive and escap ...

'' by Harriet Lee (1825) * Dorival in '' The French Libertine'' by

John Howard Payne John Howard Payne (June 9, 1791 – April 10, 1852) was an American actor, poet, playwright, and author who had nearly two decades of a theatrical career and success in London. He is today most remembered as the creator of "Home! Sweet Home ...

(1826) * Cameron in '' Forget and Forgive'' by James Kenney (1827) * Eudes in '' Ben Nazir, the Saracen'' by

Thomas Colley Grattan Thomas Colley Grattan (1792 – 4 July 1864) was an Irish novelist, poet, historian and diplomat. Born in Dublin, he was educated for the law, but did not practise. He wrote a few novels, including '' The Heiress of Bruges'' (4 volumes, 1830 ...

(1827) * Don Pedro in '' Don Pedro, King of Castile'' by

Lord Porchester Earl of Carnarvon is a title that has been created three times in British history. The current holder is George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon. The town and county in Wales to which the title refers are historically spelled ''Caernarfon,'' havi ...

(1828) * Angelo Colonna in ''

Rienzi ' (''Rienzi, the last of the tribunes''; WWV 49) is an early opera by Richard Wagner in five acts, with the libretto written by the composer after Edward Bulwer-Lytton's novel of the same name (1835). The title is commonly shortened to ''Rienzi ...

'' by Mary Russell Mitford (1828) * Don Carlos in '' The Pledge'' by James Kenney (1831) * Guthrum in ''

Alfred the Great Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who bot ...

'' by

James Sheridan Knowles James Sheridan Knowles (12 May 1784 – 30 November 1862) was an Irish dramatist and actor. Biography Knowles was born in Cork. His father was the lexicographer James Knowles (1759–1840), cousin of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. The family mov ...

(1831) * Lord Marston in '' The School for Coquettes'' by

Catherine Gore Catherine Grace Frances Gore (née Moody; 12 February 1798 – 29 January 1861), a prolific English novelist and dramatist, was the daughter of a wine merchant from Retford, Nottinghamshire. She became among the best known of the silver fork wr ...

(1831) * Richard Fitzalan in ''

The Merchant of London ''The Merchant of London'' is an 1832 historical play by the British writer Thomas James Serle. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 26 April 1832.Nicoll p.389 The original cast included William Macready as Scroope, Henry John Wallack ...

'' by

Thomas James Serle Thomas James Serle (1798–1889) was an English dramatist and actor. He was also a journalist with the '' Weekly Dispatch''. Early life Serle was born in Gracechurch Street, London, on 28 October 1798, and educated for the Bar. Between the ages o ...

(1832) * Prince of Eisbach in ''

The House of Colberg ''The House of Colberg'' is an 1832 tragedy by the British writer Thomas James Serle. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 1 October 1832.Nicoll p.389 The original cast included William Macready as Colberg, John Cooper as Prince of Ei ...

'' by

(1832) * Edward in '' The Daughter'' by

(1836)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, John 1793 births 1870 deaths 19th-century English male actors