William Simmonds Chatterley facts for kids
William Simmonds Chatterley (born 1787 – died 1822) was a famous English actor. He was known for his lively performances on stage.
Contents
A Young Star on Stage
William Chatterley started acting when he was very young. His father worked at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, a famous theatre in London. This helped William begin his acting journey.
Early Performances
William first appeared on stage as a child. He was only three years old! He played the King of the Fairies in a play called 'The Jubilee'. He also played Cupid in 'Arthur and Emmeline'. These plays were performed at Drury Lane Theatre.
In 1791, the Drury Lane actors moved to the King's Theatre in Haymarket, London. William went with them. He was still very young, so his roles were small.
First Big Roles
William's first public role where his name was mentioned was in 1795. He played Carlos in a play called 'The Regent'. In 1796, he acted alongside the famous actress Mrs. Siddons. He played the Child in 'Isabella'.
Becoming a Leading Actor
As William grew older, he started taking on bigger roles. A well-known actor named Bannister helped him get parts in Birmingham. William also performed in plays put on by private groups.
Moving to New Theatres
William continued to work at Drury Lane until 1804. Then, he decided to act in theatres outside London. He became very successful in Cheltenham, where he played the main characters in plays. This is called "leading business" in theatre.
In 1810, two theatre managers, Palmer and Dimond, hired him for the Bath theatre. This was another important step in his career.
Family Life and Famous Roles
While in Bath, William met and married an actress named Louisa Simeon in 1813. She was also a talented performer and became known as Louisa Chatterley. Her acting was just as famous as his!
William returned to London in 1816. He performed at the Lyceum theatre.
Memorable Characters
William Chatterley played many different characters. In Bath, he was known for roles like Sir Anthony Absolute and Launcelot Gobbo. He also played Foresight in 'Love for Love' and Sir Solomon Sadlips in The Double Gallant.
In London, his most famous role was Justice Woodcock. Many people thought he was one of the best actors to play this character. He was almost as good as the legendary actors Munden and Dowton.
William also created a new role in 1799. He was the first actor to play the boy in Pizarro, a play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. His wife, Mrs. Chatterley, was also very talented. She was especially good at playing French women on the English stage.
