Joseph George Holman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph George Holman
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1785 painting by Samuel de Wilde
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| Born | August 1764 |
| Died | 24 August 1817 (aged 53) Rockaway, Queens, Long Island, U.S.
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| Nationality | English |
| Education | Barwis's school, Soho Square, The Queen's College, Oxford |
| Occupation | actor, actor-manager |
| Years active | 1784–1815 |
| Spouse(s) | Jane Hamilton (m.1798 – d.1810) |
| Children | Amelia Holman Gilfert |
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Joseph George Holman (1764–1817) was an English actor, writer, and theatre manager. He was known for his strong performances on stage and for writing several plays.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Joseph George Holman was born in August 1764. His father, John Major Holman, was a soldier who passed away when Joseph was only two years old.
An uncle helped Joseph attend Barwis's school in Soho Square, London. At this school, students enjoyed putting on plays. Joseph later went to The Queen's College, Oxford, in 1783. He planned to become a church minister, but he left without finishing his degree.
Becoming a Star at Covent Garden
Joseph Holman made his first appearance on stage on October 25, 1784. He played the famous character Romeo at the Covent Garden theatre in London. His performances were very popular with audiences.
He stayed at Covent Garden until 1800. During this time, he played many important roles. These included Harry Thunder in Wild Oats (1791) and Harry Dornton in The Road to Ruin (1792). He also performed in plays by other well-known writers.
After his third season, Holman left Covent Garden briefly because of a disagreement about his pay. He acted in Dublin and other towns in England and Scotland. However, he soon returned to Covent Garden.
Around 1799–1800, there was a big disagreement between the owners of Covent Garden and some of the main actors. The actors were unhappy about new rules. These rules affected how they could give out free tickets and how much they were charged for special benefit performances.
Joseph Holman was believed to have written a pamphlet about these problems. The official decision from the Lord Chamberlain (who oversaw theatres) did not favor the actors. Most actors accepted the decision, but Holman either quit or was asked to leave the theatre.
Later Career and Life
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After leaving Covent Garden, Holman performed a few times at the Haymarket Theatre in London. He also put on his own comic opera, What a Blunder, there.
He then went to Dublin, Ireland, where he helped manage a theatre for a while. Later, he tried farming.
In 1812, Holman returned to the Haymarket Theatre after an eleven-year break. He played the role of Jaffier in Venice Preserved. He also performed with his daughter, Amelia, at the Theatre-Royal, Covent Garden. They acted together in other towns, including Wisbech.
In 1812, Joseph Holman and his daughter Amelia moved to America. They performed in New York and Philadelphia. Holman tried to manage the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, but it was not successful.
In 1815, he managed the Charleston Theatre in South Carolina. He returned to England to find more actors and married Mary Sarah Latimer, a singer, in 1817. Joseph George Holman passed away on August 24, 1817, at the age of 53. He died in Rockaway, Queens on Long Island.
Plays Written by Holman
Joseph George Holman also wrote several plays. Here are some of his most notable works:
- Abroad and at Home (1796): This was a popular comic opera. It was performed 29 times and printed twice in the same year.
- Red Cross Knights (1799): This play was based on a German play called The Robbers.
- The Votary of Wealth (1799): A comedy that premiered at Covent Garden.
- What a Blunder (1800): Another comic opera.
- The Gazette Extraordinary (1811): A comedy performed at Covent Garden.
Holman only acted in one of his own plays.
Family Life
In 1798, Joseph Holman married Jane Hamilton. She was the youngest daughter of a respected family. Jane passed away on June 11, 1810. Joseph and Jane had a daughter named Amelia Holman Gilfert, who also became an actress.
