William Rufus Blake

Background

William Blake was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, of Irish parentage, his father being a descendant of the Blakes of Galway.

Career

Early attracted to the stage, William made his first appearance with a company of strolling players in Halifax as the Prince of Wales in Richard III. He was first seen in this country in 1824 when as a light comedian he appeared on July 12 at the old Chatham Theatre, New York, as Frederick Bramble in Poor Gentleman and as The Three Singles in Three and Deuce, or Which Is He? He remained several seasons at this house, appearing in Pizarro, Speed the Plough, The Rivals, Damon and Pythias, and Three and Deuce. The following year he went into theatrical management, assuming successively the direction of the Tremont Theatre, Boston, 1827; of the Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, 1829; and, with H. E. Willard, of Mitchell's Olympic Theatre, New York, which he opened in 1837.

In 1839 Blake went to England, appearing at the Haymarket Theatre in Three and Deuce. Returning to America, he was for a time stage manager of the Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, and in 1848 he accepted a like position at the Broadway Theatre (Wallack's), New York. Afterwards he was a member of the stock companies at Burton's, Laura Keene's, and Wallack's, with which last theatre he was chiefly identified, "receiving, as we have heard, the heaviest salary of any actor on the stock list. " His last appearance in New York was on April 16, 1863, as Geoffrey Dale in The Last Man and he was seen for the last time on any stage April 21, 1863, at the Boston Theatre.

Achievements

• William Blake was the highest paid actor on the American stage at the height of his career. He excelled in the portrayal of old men. One of his best characters was that of Jesse Rural in Old Heads and Young Hearts.

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

• "In his early days he was a really handsome man. He excelled in the old comedies, and his performance of Young Dornton in The Road to Ruin was considered one of the best ever known to the stage. As his bulk increased with his years, he was compelled to abandon light-comedy parts and adopt the portraiture of the old comedy uncles and fathers, and also some parts purely sentimental. In the former he was undoubtedly one of the most mirth-provoking of actors, and his Lord Duberly in The Heir at Law always attracted large audiences to Wallack's, Burton's, and at Laura Keene's, where he played the most brilliant engagements of his life. " - T. Allston Brown
  
  "Richly humorous Blake, so noble in his dignity, so firm and fine and easy in his method, so copious in his natural humour. " - William Winter
  
  "In certain characters he surpassed all who had attempted them. His Jesse Rural, Geoffrey Dale, Hardcastle, Old Dornton, Admiral Kingston, Sir Peter Teazle, Sir Willoughby Worrett, Sir Anthony Absolute, Governor Heartall, etc. , were examples of perfection. . .. In the line of 'old men' we doubt if he has ever been excelled on the New York boards. " - J. N. Ireland

Connections

On August 26, 1826, Blake married Mrs. Caroline (Placide) Waring, a member of the famous Placide family of actors.

Father:

William Blake

Mother:

Charlotte (Herring) Blake

Spouse:

Caroline (Placide) Blake