Thomas King (actor) facts for kids
Thomas King (1730–1805) was a famous English actor from a long time ago. He was also known for managing theatres and writing plays.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Acting
Thomas King was born on August 20, 1730, in London. His father was a tradesman. Thomas went to school in Yorkshire and then to Westminster School. He started training to become a lawyer, but he loved acting more!
In 1747, when he was about 17, he ran away with another actor, Edward Shuter. They joined a group of actors who traveled around, performing in places like Tunbridge. For a while, Thomas even acted in barns and temporary booths, learning his craft.
Becoming a London Actor
A very famous actor named David Garrick noticed Thomas King's talent. With a recommendation from another actor, Richard Yates, Garrick hired Thomas to work at the important Drury Lane Theatre in London.
Thomas's first role there was a small part in the play King Lear. He quickly got bigger roles, like Allworth in New Way to Pay Old Debts and Murza in Samuel Johnson's Irene.
During the summer, Thomas also performed in Bristol, where he impressed a poet named William Whitehead. When he returned to Drury Lane, he continued to get important parts.
Acting in Dublin
In September 1750, Thomas King moved to Dublin, Ireland, to act at the Smock Alley Theatre. He stayed there for eight years and became very well-known for his funny roles in comedies. For one season, in 1755, he was even the manager and main actor at the Bath Theatre.
Becoming a Leading Actor in London
Problems with theatres in Dublin led Thomas King back to Drury Lane in London. He became a very important part of the acting team there for over 30 years! He returned on October 2, 1759, and was given many main roles.
He mostly stayed at Drury Lane until 1802, though he sometimes visited Dublin or other towns to perform. In 1766, he married Mary Baker, who was a dancer. She stopped performing in 1772. Thomas King played more than one hundred different characters during his career!
Famous Roles and Plays
Thomas King was known for many popular roles. On October 31, 1759, he was the first actor to play Sir Harry's servant in High Life Below Stairs. He also created the role of Squire Groom in Love à la Mode.
A big moment in his career was on February 20, 1766, when he played Lord Ogleby in The Clandestine Marriage. David Garrick, who helped write the play, even studied the part and then gave it to Thomas, who performed it perfectly.
On May 8, 1777, Thomas King played his most famous role: Sir Peter Teazle in the very first performance of The School for Scandal. This play was a huge success! He also spoke the opening speech for the play, which was written by David Garrick. In 1779, he was the first actor to play Puff in The Critic. He created about eighty original characters in new plays.
Thomas King also acted in plays he wrote himself. His play Love at First Sight was performed in 1763, and he acted in it. Another play he wrote was Wit's Last Stake (1769), which was based on a French play. People loved it because of how well Thomas played the character of Martin, a servant who pretends to be someone else.
Thomas King as a Theatre Manager
After another actor, William Powell, passed away, Thomas King bought his share in the King Street Theatre. He managed this theatre by himself during the summers of 1770 and 1771.
Later, he bought a large part of Sadler's Wells theatre. He made some changes there, like raising ticket prices. He even hired horse patrols to keep the area safe for people who came to see the shows! In 1778, he sold his share of Sadler's Wells.
In 1779, Thomas King became the master of the Drury Lane Theatrical Fund. In 1782, he took on the job of managing Drury Lane Theatre. However, he found that he earned less money as a manager than as an actor. He managed Drury Lane again in 1785 and was responsible for a successful show called Hurly Burly. In 1788, he stopped managing the theatre because he found it difficult to work with Richard Brinsley Sheridan, who owned it.
Later Life and Retirement
Thomas King enjoyed gambling, and he lost a lot of money. One time, after winning some money back, he promised himself he would never gamble again. He kept this promise until David Garrick died in 1779.
Around 1783, Thomas had a nice house in Hampton, but he was robbed by highwaymen on his way home. In 1785, he lost all his savings from gambling. He had to sell his house and move to a smaller one in Store Street.
He continued acting, even performing at Covent Garden Theatre in 1789. He played many of his famous roles there. In 1790, he returned to Drury Lane. When the theatre was being rebuilt, he performed with the company at the Haymarket Opera House. He rejoined the Drury Lane company in 1792 and stayed there until the end of his acting career.
Last Years and Passing
On May 24, 1802, Thomas King performed his famous role of Sir Peter Teazle for the very last time. After the show, he gave a farewell speech. His fellow actors gave him a special silver cup to thank him for his contributions.
Thomas King passed away on December 11, 1805, at his home in Store Street. He was buried on December 20 in the vault of St Paul's, Covent Garden. Many famous actors carried his coffin. A special show was held to help his wife, who passed away in 1813.
Images for kids
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Thomas King, an old picture of him
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Thomas King, a picture from 1772
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A scene from the play Edgar and Emmeline. Thomas King is in the middle as Florimond.
