Howard Usher (died. 1802) was an English stage actor of the eighteenth century. He had a lengthy career in London's West End beginning at

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the boundary between the Covent Garden and Holborn areas of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of London Borough of Camden, Camden and the southern part in the City o ...

during the 1739–1740 season. A member of the company, he played smaller, supporting roles in a large number of productions. He also acted at the London

fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Fairs showcase a wide range of go ...

s during the summer and at

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

in Surrey and the Jacobs Well Theatre in Bristol. In 1750 he moved to

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

for four years, before returning to Drury Lane for a further four years in 1758. He then moved to

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

where he spent a number of years at the

Smock Alley Theatre Since the 17th century, there have been numerous theatres in Dublin with the name Smock Alley. The current Smock Alley Theatre () is a 21st-century theatre in Dublin, converted from a 19th-century church building, incorporating structural mat ...

and

Crow Street Theatre Crow Street Theatre was a theatre in Dublin, Ireland, originally opened in 1758 by the actor Spranger Barry. From 1788 until 1818 it was a patent theatre. History Spranger Barry and Henry Woodward The actor Spranger Barry (1719–1777), born ...

in Dublin and also appeared at the

Theatre Royal, Cork The Theatre Royal was a patent theatre located in Cork City, Ireland. History The Theatre Royal had already existed in 1750s, but it was moved from its original location near today's Princes Street to the Pembroke Street building by the local a ...

. By this time he was married to the actress Maria Usher who appeared with him in Dublin. In 1774 he was recruited by

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...

to return to Drury Lane. In 1778 he joined the company at the

Theatre Royal, Haymarket The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre in Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foote ...

and remained part of it for the next twenty one years. His final appearance was a reprise of his original role Sir Walter Manny in George Colman the Younger's ''

The Surrender of Calais ''The Surrender of Calais'' is a 1791 historical play by the British playwright George Colman the Younger with elements of tragedy and comedy. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in London on 30 July 1791. The original cast included J ...

'' on 10 September 1799.Highfill, Burnim & Langhan p.89

Selected roles

* Mittimus in '' The Fortune Tellers'' by John Hardham (1740) * Tackum in ''

The Tragedy of Tragedies ''The Tragedy of Tragedies'', also known as ''The Tragedy of Tragedies; or, The Life and Death of Tom Thumb the Great'', is a play by Henry Fielding. It is an expanded and reworked version of one of his earlier plays, ''Tom Thumb'', and tells th ...

'' by

Henry Fielding Henry Fielding (22 April 1707 – 8 October 1754) was an English writer and magistrate known for the use of humour and satire in his works. His 1749 comic novel ''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'' was a seminal work in the genre. Along wi ...

(1740) * Mirvan in ''

Tamerlane Timur, also known as Tamerlane (1320s17/18 February 1405), was a Turco-Mongol tradition, Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timuri ...

'' by Nicholas Rowe (1743) * Second Ambassador in ''

Regulus Regulus is the brightest object in the constellation Leo (constellation), Leo and one of the List of brightest stars, brightest stars in the night sky. It has the Bayer designation designated α Leonis, which is Latinisation of names, ...

'' by William Havard (1744) * Poundage in '' The Provoked Husband'' by

Colley Cibber Colley Cibber (6 November 1671 – 11 December 1757) was an English actor-manager, playwright and Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate. His colourful memoir ''An Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber'' (1740) describes his life in ...

(1747) * Buckle in '' The Suspicious Husband'' by

Benjamin Hoadly Benjamin Hoadly (14 November 167617 April 1761) was an English clergyman, who was successively Bishop of Bangor, of Hereford, of Salisbury, and finally of Winchester. He is best known as the initiator of the Bangorian Controversy. Life ...

(1747) * Ratcliff in ''

Jane Shore Elizabeth "Jane" Shore (née Lambert; 1445 – c. 1527) was one of the many mistresses of King Edward IV of England. She became the best known in history by being later accused of conspiracy by the future King Richard III and compelled to do p ...

'' by Nicholas Rowe (1750) * Heartley in ''

The Reprisal ''The Reprisal; or, The Tars of Old England'' is a 1757 comedy play by the British writer Tobias Smollett. An afterpiece, it was first performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London and produced by David Garrick David Garrick (19 Febru ...

'' by

Tobias Smollett Tobias George Smollett (bapt. 19 March 1721 – 17 September 1771) was a Scottish writer and surgeon. He was best known for writing picaresque novels such as ''The Adventures of Roderick Random'' (1748), ''The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle'' ...

(1757) * Stockwell in ''

The West Indian ''The West Indian'' is a play by Richard Cumberland first staged at the Drury Lane Theatre in 1771. A comedy, it depicts Belcour, a West Indian plantation owner, travelling to Britain. Belcour tries to overcome his father's lingering disapprov ...

'' by

Richard Cumberland Richard Cumberland may refer to: * Richard Cumberland (philosopher) Richard Cumberland (15 July 1631 (or 1632) – 9 October 1718) was an English philosopher, and Bishop of Peterborough from 1691. In 1672, he published his major work, ''De leg ...

(1774) * Lemos in '' Braganza'' by

Robert Jephson Robert Jephson (1736 – 31 May 1803) was an Irish dramatist and politician. Life He was born in Ireland, a younger son of John Jephson, Archdeacon of Cloyne. He entered Trinity College, Dublin in 1751, but left without a degree. He then jo ...

(1775) * Henry VIII in ''

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

(1778) * King Henry in '' Albina'' by Hannah Cowley (1779) * Spurious in '' A Widow and no Widow'' by

Richard Paul Jodrell Richard Paul Jodrell (13 November 1745 – 26 January 1831) was a classical scholar and playwright. Life His parents were Paul Jodrell, Solicitor General to Frederick Prince of Wales, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Warner, of North ...

(1779) * Landlord in '' The Genius of Nonsense'' by

George Colman the Elder George Colman (April 1732 – 14 August 1794) was an English dramatist and essayist, usually called "the Elder", and sometimes "George the First", to distinguish him from his son, George Colman the Younger. He also owned a theatre. Early life H ...

(1780) * Paul Peery in ''

Ways and Means A ways and means committee is a government body that is charged with reviewing and making recommendations for government budgets. Because the raising of revenue is vital to carrying out governmental operations, such a committee is tasked with fi ...

'' by George Colman the Younger (1788) * Sir Walter Manny in ''

'' by George Colman the Younger (1791) * Barleycorn in '' The London Hermit'' by John O'Keeffe (1793)

References

Bibliography

* Greene, John C. ''Theatre in Dublin, 1745–1820: A Calendar of Performances''. Lehigh University Press, 2011. * Highfill, Philip H, Burnim, Kalman A. & Langhans, Edward A. ''A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers & Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660–1800, Volume 15''. SIU Press, 1993. 18th-century English people English male stage actors 18th-century English male actors 1802 deaths {{England-stage-actor-stub