Background
J. Hudson Kirby was born on April 03, 1819 aboard ship near Sandy Hook, New York, United States while his parents were on their way to America.
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book
Wemyss' Chronology Of The American Stage
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J. Hudson Kirby
Edit ProfileCareer
Kirby made his first appearance in subordinate characters at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. The greater part of his professional career, which extended over a period of only ten years, was passed in the Bowery, the National, the Chatham, and other New York theatres of the cheaper grade. As early as the spring of 1838 he was acting in leading supporting roles with James W. Wallack and Thomas S. Hamblin, and he soon acquired an extensive repertory of characters in plays that have endured and in plays now long forgotten, among the latter being Six Degrees of Crime, The Siege of Tripoli, The Surgeon of Paris, and The Carpenter of Rouen. One after another he supported the leading stars of his day as they came to New York.
Despite his strenuous acting, he was neither large in stature nor powerful in appearance, being of medium height and slight figure. His complexion and hair were rather dark. For his effects upon his audiences he relied mainly upon his voice, which had a melodious quality and strength that enabled it to rise above the turmoil of the people in the audience of that day who put no restraint upon either their approval or their disapproval of a play or an actor. The note of approval in his case was distinctly dominant, and he is an excellent example of the ephemeral vogue and popularity of many an actor. His occasional acting in cities other than New York widened his repute, and in 1845 he went to England, repeating his success in tragedy and melodrama at the Surrey and other London theatres of the popular type. He died in London in 1848, on the eve of his projected return to the United States.
Achievements
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J. Hudson Kirby was best known for playing supporting roles with the leading stars. His most notable efforts of that kind was made with Edwin Forrest in May 1842 at the Chatham Theatre, when he acted Pythias to that actor's Damon, Icilius to his Virginius, De Mauprat to his Richelieu, and Friar Lacy to his Jack Cade.
Works
book
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Wemyss' Chronology Of The American Stage
( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
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Wemyss' Chronology Of The American Stage
Connections
Kirby's wife, who was known on the stage as Mrs. J. Hudson Kirby, was a favorite actress during his lifetime and for some years after his death.
References
- Records Of The New York Stage V2: From 1750 To 1860 (1866)
- Players of a Century. a Record of the Albany Stage
- History of the American Stage: Containing Biographical Sketches of Nearly Every Member of the Profession That has Appeared on the American Stage, From 1733 to 1870
- Last days of Knickerbocker life in New York
