Charles Kean
Charles Kean (born January 18, 1811 in Waterford , Ireland , † January 22, 1868 in Liverpool ) was an English actor .
Kean was the son of the actor couple Edmund Kean and Mary Chambers . He spent his school days in Worplesdon and Greenford (near Harrow ). He then enrolled at Eton College .
With the help of his father, Kean was able to debut at the Dury-Lane Theater in 1827 ; but he failed. Not discouraged by this, he played on many provincial theaters over the next few years and in this way was still able to gain the enthusiasm of the audience over time. Between 1830 and 1833 Kean undertook an extensive tour of the United States , where he played more and more often in front of a sold out house and was able to achieve great success. He made further guest tours to the USA in 1839, 1846 and 1861.
When Kean returned to Great Britain in 1833, he was engaged to the Covent Garden Theater . There he developed into Shakespeare's most celebrated actor in a very short time . He set standards with his interpretation of Hamlet . In 1842 Kean married his colleague, the actress Ellen Tree (1805-1880), in London .
In 1850, Kean took over the direction of the Princess Theater and held this office until 1859. Of course, he also acted as an actor at this theater. In 1863 he went on tour to and through Australia and in 1866 made a last guest appearance in the USA (California).
literature
- John W. Cole: Life and theatrical times of Charles Kean, FSA Including a summary of the English stage for the last fifty years . Garland, New York 1986, ISBN 0-8240-8602-3 (reprint of the London 1860 edition, 2 vols.).
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Kean, Charles |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British stage actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 18, 1811 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Waterford |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 22, 1868 |
| Place of death | Liverpool |