Edmund Kean was born this day( 4 November 1787 – 15 May 1833). He was an English actor, regarded in his time as the greatest ever.Kean was born in westminister London. His father was probably Edmund Kean (see Ó Catháin), an architect’s clerk, and his mother was an actress, Anne Carey, daughter of the 18th century composer and playwright Henry Carey.
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It was in the impersonation of the great creations of Shakespeare’s genius that the varied beauty and grandeur of the acting of Kean were displayed in their highest form, although probably his most powerful character was Sir Giles Overreach in Philip Massinger’s A New Way to Pay Old Debts, the effect of his first performance of which was such that the pit rose en masse, and even the actors and actresses themselves were overcome by the terrific dramatic illusion. His main disadvantage as an actor was his small stature. Coleridge said, "Seeing him act was like reading Shakespeare by flashes of lightning."
His eccentricities at the height of his fame were numerous. Sometimes he would ride recklessly on his horse, Shylock, throughout the night. He was presented with a tame lion with which he might be found playing in his drawing-room.
It was in the impersonation of the great creations of Shakespeare’s genius that the varied beauty and grandeur of the acting of Kean were displayed in their highest form, although probably his most powerful character was Sir Giles Overreach in Philip Massinger’s A New Way to Pay Old Debts, the effect of his first performance of which was such that the pit rose en masse, and even the actors and actresses themselves were overcome by the terrific dramatic illusion. His main disadvantage as an actor was his small stature. Coleridge said, "Seeing him act was like reading Shakespeare by flashes of lightning."
If the range of character in which Kean attained supreme excellence was narrow, no one except David Garrick was so successful in so many great roles. Unlike Garrick, Kean had no true talent for comedy, but in the expression of biting and saturnine wit, of grim and ghostly gaiety he was unsurpassed.
The prize-fighters Mendoza and Richmond the Black were among his visitors. Grattan was his devoted friend.
Several theatrical works have been based on Kean's life:
- Kean, a drama by Alexandre Dumas, père, 1836
- Kean, a comedy by Jean-Paul Sartre, 1953 (produced 1954 with Pierre Brasseur, revived London 2007 starring Antony Sher)
- Kean, a Broadway musical by Peter Stone, Robert Wright, and George Forrest, 1961
- Kean IV, a tragicomedy by Grigoriy Gorin, 1991
today is the birthday of Lesley-Anne Down
ReplyDeleteShe is a British film and television actress, former model and singer.
Down achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV drama series Upstairs, Downstairs (1973–75). She received further recognition for her performances in the films The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), A Little Night Music (1977), The First Great Train Robbery (1979), Hanover Street (1979), Sphinx (1981) and Nomads (1986). She is also known as Madeline Fabray LaMotte Main in miniseries North and South (1985–86), for which she was nominated for Golden Globe Awards in 1986.
In 1990, Down played the role Stephanie Rogers in the CBS drama series Dallas. During 1997–99 she played Olivia Blake in the NBC series Sunset Beach. From April 2003 to February 2012, she portrayed Jackie Marone Knight in the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.
Also Kean's lifestyle became a hindrance to his career. In Switzerland, he met Charlotte Cox, the wife of a London city alderman. Kean was sued by Cox for adultery on his return to England. Damages of £800 was awarded against him in the presence of a jury in just 10 minutes. The Times launched a violent attack on him. The adverse decision in the divorce case of Cox v. Kean on 17 January 1825 caused his wife to leave him, and aroused against him such bitter feeling, that he was booed and pelted with fruit when he re-appeared at Drury Lane, as nearly to compel him to retire permanently into private life. For many years he lived at Keydell House, Horndean.
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