Thomas Walker (actor) facts for kids
Thomas Walker (born in 1698, died in 1744) was an English actor and a writer of plays. He was famous for playing a character called Captain Macheath.
Becoming an Actor
Thomas Walker was the son of Francis Walker, who lived in a part of London called Soho. Around 1714, when he was about 16, Thomas joined a group of performers known as Shepherd's company.
A well-known actor named Barton Booth saw Thomas performing in a short, funny play called The Siege of Troy. Booth was impressed and suggested that Thomas join the famous Drury Lane Theatre.
His Acting Career
Thomas Walker started getting bigger roles. In November 1715, he played Tyrrel in a play called Richard III. Soon after, in December 1715, he was Young Fashion in The Relapse.
In 1721, he moved to another theatre, Lincoln's Inn Fields, where he played Edmund in King Lear. He stayed at this theatre for many years, until 1733.
His most famous role came in 1728. He played Captain Macheath in a very popular play called The Beggar's Opera. This role made him a star!
Later, in 1733, Thomas performed at the new Covent Garden Theatre. He continued to act in many plays there until 1739. He even played Macheath again for a special show in 1740.
For a while, Thomas performed at the Goodman's Fields Theatre. However, when a new, very talented actor named David Garrick arrived in 1741, Thomas's name stopped appearing in the play announcements. He did return for one more show in 1742. He also performed in Dublin, Ireland, in a play called The Recruiting Officer, alongside David Garrick.
Thomas was known for being good at both serious and funny roles. Some of his best serious parts included Bajazet and Hotspur. In comedies, people enjoyed him as Worthy and Bellmour.
Writing Plays
Besides acting, Thomas Walker also wrote plays. His first play was a shorter version of a longer work called Massaniello. It was performed in 1724, and Thomas himself played the main character.
In 1728, he wrote The Quaker's Opera, which was inspired by his famous play The Beggar's Opera. Another play he wrote was The Fate of Villainy in 1730.
His Final Days
In 1744, Thomas Walker traveled to Dublin, Ireland. He brought his play The Fate of Villainy with him, which was performed there under a new name, Love and Loyalty.
He hoped the second performance of the play would earn him money, but he couldn't pay the theatre's costs. Because of this, the theatre managers wouldn't put on the play again. Thomas Walker died just three days later, on June 5, 1744.
Images for kids
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Thomas Walker, 1728 engraving as Captain Macheath
