George Anne Bellamy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Anne Bellamy
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by F Lindo
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| Born | 23 April 1731 |
| Died | 16 February 1788 (aged 56) |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Employer | Drury Lane Theatre |
George Anne Bellamy (born O'Hara; 23 April 1731 – 16 February 1788) was a famous Irish actress. She became well-known for playing main roles at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London.
George Anne Bellamy quickly became very successful. In 1750, she was part of a big acting competition. She played Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at Drury Lane with David Garrick. At the same time, other actors, Spranger Barry and Mrs. Cibber, played the same roles at Covent Garden. Many people thought Bellamy was the more charming Juliet. She was very popular and welcomed into the best social circles.
Her last performance was at Drury Lane on May 24, 1785. She was too unwell to act, but she spoke a short message to the audience. In the same year, she published her life story called "An Apology for the Life of George Anne Bellamy." This book was written from her notes by Alexander Bicknell. She passed away in 1788 in Edinburgh.
Contents
Early Life and Education
George Anne Bellamy was born in Fingal, Ireland, on St. George's Day, April 23, 1731. She later wrote about her birth in her memoirs.
Her unique name, "George Anne," was given by mistake instead of "Georgiana." She decided to keep this name and use it throughout her acting career. Her mother was a minor actress, Mrs. Bellamy (born Seal). Her father was James O'Hara, 2nd Baron Tyrawley, who paid for her education.
When she was very young, George Anne lived with a nurse until she was two. From ages four to eleven, she studied at a convent school in Boulogne, France. She moved around a lot during her childhood, living with different caregivers and family members when she wasn't at school. Her father gave her an allowance of 100 pounds each year. This money came with one rule: she could not see her mother. However, her mother eventually convinced her to move back in, which caused her father to stop the allowance.
Despite her very successful acting career, George Anne Bellamy faced many challenges. She often struggled with debt and bad luck. When she died, she had very little money. She was living in Eliot's Row, St George's Fields, under the rules of the King's Bench Prison, which was a place for people who owed money.
Acting Career Highlights
George Anne Bellamy had a very successful career. While her start in acting happened by chance, her later success was built on her talent, hard work, and strong will.
When she was living with her mother, she met Mr. Rich, who managed the Covent Garden Theatre. One day, Mr. Rich heard her practicing lines from Othello while she was playing with his daughters. He was very impressed and hired her as an actress.
Her first official performance was on November 22, 1744, when she was thirteen years old. She played Monimia in The Orphan. Before this, she had a small, non-speaking role in a play called "Harlequin Barber" in 1741.
In 1745, she joined Mr. Sheridan and traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to act. She stayed there for two seasons. While in Dublin, she found a supporter named Mrs. Butler. Mrs. Butler helped her get the role of Constance in King John, taking it from another actress, Fanny Furnival. Furnival tried to get revenge by stealing Bellamy's dress for the stage. However, the dress actually belonged to Mrs. Butler. Mrs. Butler then got the audience to chant Furnival off the stage.
Bellamy returned to England in 1748. For the next few years, she performed at both Covent Garden and Drury Lane. From 1760 to 1764, she mainly acted in Dublin and Glasgow. She officially retired from the stage in 1784 and passed away four years later, on February 16, 1788.
The Battle of the Romeos
One of George Anne Bellamy's most important roles was Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. She performed this role during a famous event called the "Battle of the Romeos." This "battle" happened over twelve days in 1750. Both Covent Garden and Drury Lane theatres put on their own productions of Romeo and Juliet at the same time.
At Covent Garden, David Garrick and Bellamy played the main roles. At Drury Lane, Spranger Barry and Susannah Cibber were the stars. At nineteen years old, Bellamy was considered a more successful Juliet than Cibber, who was already a well-known tragic actress. Many critics felt that Bellamy, being young and beautiful, looked more like Juliet. They also found her performance in the first half of the play more enjoyable.
Strong Will and Success
George Anne Bellamy was known for being very strong-willed. Some people believed that her determination helped her succeed just as much as her acting skills. For example, there was a time when another actress, Miss Wilford, was chosen to play Cordelia. Bellamy was not happy with this decision. She took action by creating and handing out flyers to the audience. These flyers said that the role had been taken from her the night before.
Bellamy knew that Miss Wilford had not been well-received in this role before. So, she wrote on the flyer that if the audience preferred, she would be ready to step into the role. When the play began, the audience called so loudly for Bellamy that Miss Wilford had no choice but to give up the role.
Images for kids
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George Anne Bellamy by F Lindo
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David Garrick and George Anne Bellamy in "Romeo and Juliet", Act V, Scene iii
