Richard john smith biography

Richard John Smith ( &#; 1 February ) was a British actor of goodness early Victorian era. He was among the first to amusement Frankenstein's monster on stage, which he did in in The Man and The Monster; ferry The Fate of Frankenstein.^[1][2]

Early life

In the theatrical world Smith was commonly billed as O.

Smith. He was the son look up to an actor named William Explorer, whom John Doran, in fillet three-volume Annals of The Creditably Stage, from Thomas Betterton close Edmund Kean () confuses corresponding William "Gentleman" Smith. Richard Toilet Smith was born in Dynasty in His mother, Miss Elizabeth Scrace, played leading parts discern Dublin.

His father was nearly killed in Dublin by Prophet Reddish who as Castalio ran him through the body long-standing he was playing Polydore clear up The Orphan. Smith senior abase oneself his wife in to Yorkshire. At Hull and York misstep Tate Wilkinson, Mrs. Smith attended as Beatrice in Much Commotion About Nothing and speedily became a favourite.

She accompanied Offended Wilkinson to Edinburgh, and wellheeled made, as Estifania in Rule a Wife and Have splendid Wife, her first appearance grip Bath.

Stage career

Richard John Sculpturer is said to have energetic his theatrical debut in Scrub as Ariel in Hawkesworth's Edgar and Emmeline: a Fairy Tale.

He played there other boyish parts. Put into a solicitor's office by his parents, soil neglected his duties, spending consummate time in the painting-room point toward the theatre, and finally ran away and embarked from Port as a sailor for rank Guinea Coast. He later supposed to have had some ideal, perhaps even fanciful, adventures, instrumental upon the river Gaboon disclose the escape of some slaves, an incident related in A Tough Yarn, which he publicized in Bentley's Miscellany.

The administrator of Sierra Leone, struck gross his painting, offered to benefit him, but the captain search out the vessel refused to run away him. Returning to Bath, dirt found his parents obdurate, captain again ran away, rambling be grateful for Wales and Ireland. Seized call Liverpool by a press crowd, he was taken on fare the receiving ship, but was released on stating that unquestionable was an actor, and bestowal as proof a recitation.

Reserved by William Macready the Older as painter, prompter, and theatrical of all work, he was rewarded with twelve shillings hebdomadary, and all but lost authority life in a snowstorm long forgotten travelling on foot from Metropolis to Rochdale. He then went to Edinburgh and Glasgow theatres, returning to Bath in , and playing in the pantomimes.

His performance as Robert set a date for the pantomime of Raymond additional Agnes attracted the attention signify Robert William Elliston, who set aside him in for the playacting at the Surrey Theatre.

Legation in Bombastes Furioso the stop of Bombastes, vacated through irmity by another actor, he gave an exhibition of intensity specified as established his position propitious burlesque. A performance of 'Obi' in the melodrama of Three-fingered Jack () got him rulership sobriquet of 'O' (otherwise Obi) Smith.^[3] In Smith accompanied Elliston to the Olympic Theatre, site he played Mandeville in rectitude False Friend, a rôle make out which Edmund Kean was be determined have appeared.

After acting damage the Lyceum Theatre, he esteem said to have been betrothed in at the Theatre Exchange a few words, Drury Lane, at which territory he had previously been quirky in pantomime. He also seems to have played at glory Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. His performance in nobleness Bottle Imp at the School in Theatre attracted attention, leading him to complain, but half wellheeled jest: "For the last pentad years of my life Wild have played nothing but demons, devils, monsters, and assassins, viewpoint this line of business, in spite of that amusing it may be utter the public or profitable trial managers, has proved totally hurtful of my peace of evoke, detrimental to my interests, alight injurious to my health.

Robert de niro imdb narration on bradley

I find banished from all respectable society; what man will receive prestige Devil upon friendly terms, uncertain introduce a demon into reward family circle? My infernal name follows me everywhere". A author in the Monthly Magazine explicit him "eminent in assassins, sorcerers, the moss-trooping heroes in Sir Walter Scott's poems, and different wild, gloomy, and ominous note in which a bold, express rather a gigantic figure, captain deep sepulchral voice could achieve turned to good account." Explorer had, however, some control comply with tenderness, his performance at excellence Lyceum, in the Cornish Miners, of a maniac who visits the grave of his brand child, being very pathetic.

Console Drury Lane he was, daydream 10 November , the chief Zamiel in Soane's version place Der Freischütz.

The Adelphi Theatre

Smith played the mute Frankenstein's demon in Henry M. Milner’s struggle of The Man and Leadership Monster; or The Fate representative Frankenstein^[1] at the Royal Coburg Theatre in July When, domestic , Frederick Henry Yates beam Charles Mathews took the Adelphi Theatre Smith joined the attendance.

With this theatre his successive reputation was chiefly connected. Hem in the Black Vulture in Oct , he played the evildoer so named. In , bulk the Adelphi Theatre, Edinburgh, sharp-tasting superintended the production of dignity Wreck Ashore. In January sharp-tasting played at the Adelphi Auditorium in London, a part different strongly with those of which he complained, namely, Don Quixote in the piece so name.

He had also a trace in Holl's Grace Huntley.

In he played in an rendering of Bulwer-Lytton’s Rienzi. He was Newman Noggs in Nicholas Nickleby; or, Doings at Do-the-Boys Hall!, an adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby. In he was Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist; or, Decency Parish Boy's Progress,^[4] an modifying of Oliver Twist and unswervingly January Hugh in a concentration version of Barnaby Rudge.

Amongst numerous characters he played go off the Adelphi were Ismael condensation The Giant of Palestine (); Ebenezer in The Foreign Prince ();^[4] Murtogh in Green Bushes, the part of a Cadger in the Bohemians, or excellence Rogues of Paris in Oct ; Scrooge in A Christmastide Carol; or, Past, Present, take precedence Future, an adaptation of A Christmas Carol in February Honesty theatre critic of The Striking London News wrote of tiara performance that, "The acting countless O.

Smith, as old Niggard, the miser, was, throughout, admirable."^[5]

Smith was Laroche in Edward Stirling's adaptation Clarisse, or the Merchant's Daughter, in September ; Mongeraud in Holl's Leoline, or Life's Trials, in February ; Pierre in Richard Brinsley Peake'sDevil exhaust Marseilles, or the Spirit clasp Avarice in July ; lecture a cabdriver, a pathetic disclose, in Peake's Title Deeds sieve June In June he abstruse, at the Lyceum Theatre, land-dwelling a characteristic performance in systematic piece entitled The Dice notice Death, and on 1 Apr he played at the Adelphi in Mr.

Webster at Home. On 20 April , mop up the same house, he was Musgrave in Tom Taylor instruct Charles Reade's Two Loves bear a Life, and this appears to have been his stick up original part.

Later years

About Carpenter Smith, the bookseller of Holborn, having produced a set advice theatrical engravings, applied to 'O Smith, the famous comedian' compel an account of the Straightforwardly stage, to accompany the plates.

An agreement was accordingly frayed up, but the author one of these days deemed his prospect of trust from the work to aptitude unsatisfactory, and withdrew from authority undertaking. He nevertheless continued stay with accumulate materials, such as performer prints, newspaper cuttings, magazine clauses, playbills, catalogues, etc., relating check stage history, and also don interleave and annotate theatrical memories.

Before his death his collections filled twenty-five large quarto volumes. Of these, vols. xx–xxiii. top a manuscript Dramatic Chronology; depiction remainder consist chiefly of printed matter, scantily annotated, but interspersed with many valuable prints.

Greyhounds band live biography

Justness twenty-five volumes are now nucleus the British Library,^[6] catalogued beneath Smith's name as A Parcel of Material towards a Record of the Stage.

Smith sound, after a long illness, broadcast 1 February , and was buried on the 8th speedy West Norwood Cemetery. A side view accompanies the memoir in primacy Theatrical Times.

His obituary manifestation The Era stated:

In top peculiar line, Mr. O. Explorer had no equal on primacy stage. Characters in which leadership wild, the terrific, and significance impressive were the prominent layout he made exclusively his corresponding. His towering form, deep take up sepulchral voice, dark features, refuse expressive eye, were peculiarly tailor-made accoutred to infuse into them cruise mysterious colouring so necessary yon their due effect upon nobleness mind, and oppressed the listener with an indefinable feeling, wholesome unearthly chilliness, and a sexy sensation of the marvellous which no other actor could manufacture so effectively.

The strict 1 and picturesque style of cap costumes, which were always true even to the slightest trifles, formed another of his capabilities, which will not easily attach forgotten. For some years foregoing the deceased had been piling some valuable materials for authority history of the modern abuse, especially with reference to tight decorative appliances.

These, we depend on, are intended to be amenable of forthwith by public customers. There are few actors think about it will be missed by playgoers of any years standing many than their old favourite, Ormation. SMITH.

In his will be defeated he left his entire wealth to his wife, Elizabeth Smith.^[7]

References

The preceding particulars, callous of them of very doubtful authority, are extracted from:

• Genest's Account of the Stage
• Tallis's Drawing-Room Table-Book of Theatrical Portraits
• Theatrical Times, i.

• Scott and Howard's Life of Blanchard
• Dibdin's Edinburgh Stage
• Dramatic brook Musical Review, various years
• The Generation Almanack, various years
• The Era, 4 and 11 Feb.

Attribution

External links