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John Liston (c. 1776 – 22 March 1846), 
'' Paul Pry'', the most famous of all his impersonations, was first presented on 13 September 1825 and soon became, thanks to his creative genius, a real personage. Liston remained on the stage until 1837; during his last years his mind failed, and he died on 22 March 1846. He had married in 1807 Miss Tyrer (d. 1854), a singer and actress.
In the January 1825 of the
English
English usually refers to:
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Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
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comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing
Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...
, was born in London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
He made his public debut on the stage at Weymouth as Lord Duberley in ''The Heir at Law
''The Heir at Law'' (1797) is a comedic play in five acts by George Colman the Younger that remained popular through the 19th century. It and ''John Bull'' (1803) were Colman's best known comedies.Dabundo, Laura (ed.Encyclopedia of Romanticism ...
''. After several dismal failures in tragic parts, some of them in support of Mrs Siddons, he discovered accidentally that his forte was comedy, especially in the personation of old men and country boys, in which he displayed a fund of drollery and broad humour. An introduction to Charles Kemble
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/actor Roger Kemble ...
led to his appearance at the Haymarket on 10 June 1805 as Sheepface in the ''Village Lawyer'', and his association with this theatre continued with few interruptions until 1830.
'' Paul Pry'', the most famous of all his impersonations, was first presented on 13 September 1825 and soon became, thanks to his creative genius, a real personage. Liston remained on the stage until 1837; during his last years his mind failed, and he died on 22 March 1846. He had married in 1807 Miss Tyrer (d. 1854), a singer and actress.
In the January 1825 of the London Magazine
''The London Magazine'' is the title of six different publications that have appeared in succession since 1732. All six have focused on the arts, literature and miscellaneous topics.
1732–1785
''The London Magazine, or, Gentleman's Monthly I ...
there appeared a Memoir of John Liston written by his close friend Charles Lamb
Charles Lamb (10 February 1775 – 27 December 1834) was an English essayist, poet, and antiquarian, best known for his ''Essays of Elia'' and for the children's book ''Tales from Shakespeare'', co-authored with his sister, Mary Lamb (1764–18 ...
. This was said by Lamb to be "pure invention"Prance page 203 and intended as a humorous essay. Liston himself replied to this Memoir in the following edition of the London Magazine suggesting that the same writer pen a short life of Byron.
Several pictures of Liston in character are in the Garrick Club
The Garrick Club is a gentlemen's club in the heart of London founded in 1831. It is one of the oldest members' clubs in the world and, since its inception, has catered to members such as Charles Kean, Henry Irving, Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Ar ...
, London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, and as Paul Pry in the South Kensington Museum and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ( gd, Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba), formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama ( gd, Acadamaidh Rìoghail Ciùil is Dràma na h-Alba) is a conservatoire of dance, drama, music, production, and ...
archives.
Notes
References
* *Prance Claude, "Companion to Charles Lamb", Mansell Publishing Limited, Cambridge 1983.External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liston, John 1776 births 1846 deaths 18th-century English male actors 19th-century English male actors Male actors from London English male comedians Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery English male stage actors 19th-century English comedians