John Brougham

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John Brougham

John Brougham (born May 9, 1814 in Dublin , United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , † June 7, 1880 in New York City ) was a British actor and playwright.

Life

John Brougham was born in Ireland during the reign of King William IV . His father was an amateur painter and died young. His mother was the daughter of a Huguenot who had been forced into exile by political adversity. John was the oldest of three children. His two siblings died young and the widowed mother left John without a penny. John was taken into his family and raised by an uncle. He attended the Academy in Trim ( County Meath ), twenty miles from Dublin, and then went to the University of Dublin . There he studied classical studies . During this time he made contacts with influential associations and acquaintances. He was also active in private amateur theater performances. Brougham met a crowd of people who put on their own plays, cast in roles that one person made up. Although he gave up most of the major roles to pursue his studies, all of his interests were in acting. He was a frequent overseer at the Theater Royal on Hawkins Street. The impetus for his theater career was undoubtedly laid at this time and along this path.

It was intended that he should become a surgeon . Therefore, he worked at Peth Street Hospital for eight months . An accident that happened to his uncle forced him to look after himself again at a young age. Before leaving university, he met the actress Madame Vestris by chance . In 1830 he went to London and decided to become an actor. He had nothing but his fine clothes. Brougham was absolutely destitute. At the time he was even ready to take an extreme step and wanted to join the British East India Company as a cadet . The enrolling officer stopped him by lending him a guinea and advised him to look for another job. Ready to make an influential acquaintance, he sought relaxation at the Tottenham Theater (later Prince of Wales’s ), where Madame Vestris worked.

His acquaintance with Madame Vestris led to his engagement at the theater. His first stage appearance in London was in July 1830, where he played six characters in Tom and Jerry . In July 1831 he was a member of Madame Vestris's Ensemble and wrote his first play, a burlesque . Brougham stayed with Madame Vestris while she and Charles Mathews were in Covent Garden . He then worked with Dion Boucicault on the play London Assurance . The role of Dazzle was one of those with which he was associated. His success in small or "low" comic roles like Dazzle earned him the nickname "Little Johnny Brougham" - a nickname that boosted his popularity with the working class.

In 1840 he directed the Lyceum Theater , for which he wrote several burlesques. Brougham moved to the United States in 1842 . There he became a member of the ensemble of William Evans Burton , for which he wrote several comedies, including Met-a-mora; or, the Last of the Pollywogs, a parody of John A. Stone and Edwin Forrests Metamora; or, The Last of the Wampanoags , and Irish Yankee; or, The Birthday of Freedom. He later ran the Niblo's Garden . In 1850 he opened the Broughams Lyceum, which, like his next venture, the Bowery Theater rental , was a financial failure despite the popularity of plays such as Po-ca-hon-tas, or The Gentle Savage. He later worked at the Wallacks and Daly's theaters, for which he wrote plays.

In 1860 he returned to London, where he adapted and wrote several plays, including The Duke's Motto for Charles Albert Fechter . After the end of the Civil War , he returned to New York City. The Brougham Theater opened there in 1869. Among the plays listed were Better Late than Never and Much Ado About a Merchant of Venice. This venture also failed because of differences of opinion with his business partner James Fisk . Then he decided to operate in the stock market. His last appearance on the stage was in 1879 as O'Reilly , a detective in Boucicaults Rescued .

Brougham wrote over 120 plays, mostly comedies. His critics at the time nicknamed him "The American Aristophanes ". He was the founder of the Lotus Club in New York and for a time its president. In 1852 he published the comic book The Lantern , and in the following years two anthologies of different works, A Basket of Chips and The Bunsby Papers. Brougham said he was the model for Harry Lorrequer in the Charles Lever novel. He was married twice. In 1838 he married Emma Williams († 1865) and in 1844 Mrs. Annette Hawley († 1870), both actresses.

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personal data
SURNAME Brougham, John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British actor and playwright
DATE OF BIRTH May 9, 1814
PLACE OF BIRTH Dublin , United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
DATE OF DEATH June 7, 1880
Place of death New York City