Background
Thomas Hamblin was born on May 14, 1800, in London, England.
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Having been freqi Tently asked to commit to paper the varied scenes of an actors life, in wiiicli I have been engaged, I have commenced, partly from recollection, and partly from memoranda made at various periods, the present journal, under the title of the Life of an Actor and Manager, in the course of which I may have occasion to mention the names of nearly all the European Actors who have appeared upon the American stage during the last twenty years. If any amusement may be derived from such a source, reader, it is at your service; but should the frequent occurrence of the personal pronoun 7, disgust you, lay down the book. If you will travel through it spare its faults under the assurance of its veracity. Wherever a change of opinion has taken place it is faithfully chronicled, without reference to the first impression, which remains as it first struck the author, thus endeavoring to do full justice to my professional brethren. The A tjthgr. New-Y ork, October, (Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.) About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology. Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the aged text. Read books online for free at www.forgottenbooks.org
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Thomas Hamblin was born on May 14, 1800, in London, England.
Thomas was intended for a mercantile life, but after taking part in a school performance of Hamlet, he turned to the stage.
Thomas Hamblin found employment as super and occasional dancer at the Adelphi Theatre in his native London. In 1815 he was connected with Sadler’s Wells Theatre, and on December 26, 1818, he appeared at Drury Lane, where he played secondary parts for a season or two. Then followed an engagement as a leading actor at the Bath Theatre from November 27, 1820, until his dismissal for insubordination in 1823.
After brief connections with the Brighton and Dublin theatres Hamblin emigrated to America. Here he made his debut, November 1, 1825, as Hamlet at the Park Theatre, New York, and for the next five years he starred as a tragedian in various American cities. Though possessing many essentials of success, including a superb figure and a magnificent head, he never ranked with the most popular actors, partly because he was so afflicted with asthma that his husky voice was at times unintelligible and his efforts had the appearance of hard labor.
On August 2, 1830, Hamblin began a more important phase of his career by taking over, in association with James H. Hackett, the management of the Bowery Theatre in New York. Hackett soon withdrew, and with two intermissions Hamblin remained in control until his death. At the outset he stressed standard drama, but after a season or so he began catering to his immediate neighborhood by presenting increasingly spectacular and melodramatic attractions. Aquatic and equestrian plays, performing animals, strong-man acts, and even boxing contests were presented for the delight of those who could not appreciate the more classic offerings of the rival Park. Inevitably the “Bowery Slaughter-House” drew heavily, and its director would have become wealthy had not ill luck persistently dogged him.
On September 22, 1836, shortly after Hamblin had bought the building outright, it was destroyed by fire at a loss of between $60, 000 and $70, 000. Hamblin now visited England and acted, with little success, at Covent Garden, London. Returning, he appeared on various New York stages until May 6, 1839, when he opened a new Bowery Theatre, which he had built in a handsome style. Once more the house was burned to the ground, April 25, 1845, at a loss of about $60, 000 to the director.
For a few years Hamblin devoted himself to acting, but early in 1848 he again became sole manager of the Bowery, this structure having been erected in 1845. Ambitious to control the first theatre in the city, he also leased the Park, and having refitted it at great expense, opened it on September 4, 1848; but true to its manager’s fate, it was totally destroyed by fire, December 16, 1848. Thereafter he confined himself to directing the Bowery until his death from brain fever at the age of fifty-three.
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Hamblin's first wife was the actress Elizabeth Blanchard. A man of loose morals, Hamblin was divorced by his wife in 1834 and was forbidden to remarry while she was alive. After living in turn with two actresses, each known as Mrs. Hamblin, he married the beautiful and gifted actress, Mrs. Eliza Mary Ann (Trewar) Shaw, shortly after his first wife’s death in 1849. By his two wives he had several children.