John Emery (English Actor)
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John Emery (1777–1822), was an English actor. Emery was born at
Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...
, 22 September 1777, and obtained a rudimentary education at
Ecclesfield Ecclesfield is a village and civil parish in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, approximately 6 miles (9 km) north of Sheffield City Centre. Ecclesfield civil parish had a population of 32,073 at the 2011 Census. Ecclesfiel ...
in the
West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire was one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the riding was an administrative county named County of York, West Riding. The Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire, lieu ...
. His father, Mackle Emery (died 18 May 1825), was a country actor, and his mother, as Mrs. Emery, sen., appeared 6 July 1802 at the
Haymarket Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre in Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in ...
as Dame Ashfield in Morton's ''
Speed the Plough ''Speed the Plough'' is a five-act comedy by Thomas Morton (playwright), Thomas Morton, written in 1798 and first performed in 1800 at the Royal Opera House, Theatre Royal, Covent Garden to great acclaim. It is mostly remembered today for the sa ...
'', and subsequently played at
Covent Garden Theatre The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...
.


From musician to actor

Emery was brought up for a musician, and when twelve years of age was in the orchestra at the Brighton Theatre. At this house he made his first appearance as Old Crazy in the farce of ''Peeping Tom'' by
O'Keeffe O'Keeffe () is an Irish Gaelic clan based most prominently in what is today County Cork, particularly around Fermoy and Duhallow. The name comes from ''caomh'', meaning "kind", "gentle", "noble" Some reformed spellings present it as ''Ó Cuà ...
.’ John Bernard says that in the summer of 1792 Mr. and Mrs. Emery and their son John, a lad of about seventeen, who played a fiddle in the orchestra and occasionally went on in small parts, were with him at
Teignmouth Teignmouth ( ) is a seaside town, fishing port and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is on the north bank of the estuary mouth of the River Teign, about south of Exeter. The town had a population of 14 ...
, again at Dover, where young Emery played country boys, and again in 1793 at Plymouth. Bernard claims to have been the means of bringing Emery on the stage, and tells an amusing story concerning the future comedian. After playing a short engagement in Yorkshire with
Tate Wilkinson Tate Wilkinson (27 October 173916 November 1803) was an English actor and manager. Life He was the son of a clergyman and was sent to Harrow. His first attempts at acting were badly received, and it was to his wonderful gift of mimicry that h ...
, who predicted his success, he was engaged to replace T. Knight at Covent Garden, where he was first seen, 21 September 1798, as Frank Oatland in Morton's ''
A Cure for the Heart Ache ''A Cure for the Heart Ache'' is a 1797 comedy play by the British writer Thomas Morton. It premiered at the Covent Garden Theatre in London. The original cast included William Thomas Lewis as Young Rapid, John Quick as Vortex, Alexander Pope ...
''. Lovegold in ''Miser'' and Oldcastle in the ''Intriguing Chambermaid'' (both by Fielding), Abel Drugger in the ''Tobacconist'' (an alteration by
Francis Gentleman Francis Gentleman (23 October 1728 - 21 December 1784) was an Irish actor, poet, and dramatic writer of 18th century. He wrote several plays, dramatic works, poems and edited Shakspeare's plays for the stage. Biography Born at York St., Dublin ...
of Jonson's ''
The Alchemist An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist or Alchemyst may also refer to: Books and stories * ''The Alchemist'' (novel), the translated title of a 1988 allegorical novel by Paulo Coelho * ''The Alchemist'' (play), a play by Ben ...
'') and many other parts followed. On 13 June 1800 he appeared for the first time at the Haymarket as Zekiel Homespun in ''
The Heir at Law ''The Heir at Law'' (1797) is a comedic play in five acts by George Colman the Younger that remained popular through the 19th century. It and ''John Bull'' (1803) were Colman's best known comedies.Dabundo, Laura (ed.Encyclopedia of Romanticis ...
'' by
Colman Colmán or Colman is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Medieval Irish people * Colmán Bec (died ''c''. 585), Irish dynast * Colmán mac Cobthaig (died ''c''. 622), Irish king * Colmán mac Lénéni (died ''c' ...
, a character in the line he subsequently made his own. At Covent Garden, 11 February 1801, he was the original Stephen Harrowby in Colman's ''
The Poor Gentleman ''The Poor Gentleman'' is an 1801 comedy play by the British writer George Colman the Younger. It premiered at London's Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 11 February 1801.Nicoll p.282 The original cast included Charles Murray as Lieutenant Worthin ...
''.


Later roles

In 1801 he played at the Haymarket Clod in the ''Young Quaker'' of O'Keeffe, Farmer Ashfield in ''Speed the Plough'', and other parts. From this time until his death he remained at Covent Garden, with the exception of playing at the English Opera House, 16 August 1821, as Giles in the ''Miller's Maid'', a comic opera based on one of the ''Rural Tales'' of Bloomfield, adapted by John Davy. He was the original Dan in Colman's ''
John Bull John Bull is a national personification of England, especially in political cartoons and similar graphic works. He is usually depicted as a stout, middle-aged, country-dwelling, jolly and matter-of-fact man. He originated in satirical works of ...
'', 5 March 1803; Tyke in Morton's ''School of Reform'', 15 January 1805; Ralph Hempseed in Colman's ''X Y Z'', 11 December 1810; Dandie Dinmont in ''Guy Mannering'', 12 March 1816, and Ratcliff in the ''Heart of Midlothian'', 17 April 1819, (both by
Terry Terry is a unisex diminutive nickname for the given names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence, Terrance (masculine). People Male * Terry A. Canales, American politician * Terry A. Doughty (born 1959), American district ...
, based on novels by his friend
Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...
). His last performance was
Edie Ochiltree Edie Ochiltree is a character in Sir Walter Scott's 1816 novel ''The Antiquary'', a licensed beggar of the legally protected class known as Blue-gowns or beadsman, bedesmen, who follows a regular beat around the fictional Scottish town of Fairpor ...
in ''The Antiquary'' (again by Terry, based on Scott), 29 June 1822. On 25 July 1822 he died of inflammation of the lungs in Hyde Street,
Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London, part of the London Borough of Camden in England. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural institution, cultural, intellectual, and educational ...
, and was buried 1 August in a vault in St. Andrew's, Holborn. On 5 August 1822, under the patronage of the
Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of List of English monarchs, English (later List of British monarchs, British) monarchs ...
, several plays and a concert, were given at Covent Garden for the benefit of Emery's aged parents, widow and seven children. An address by Colman was spoken by Bartley, and a large sum was realised. No less than seven portraits of him in various characters, of which four are by De Wilde, and one presenting him together with Liston, Mathews, and
Blanchard Blanchard is a French family name. It is also used as a given name. It derives from the Old French word ''blanchart'' which meant "whitish, bordering upon white". It is also an obsolete term for a white horse. Geographical distribution As of 2014, ...
, by
Clint Clint may refer to: * Clint (name), a given name and a surname Places *Clint, North Yorkshire, a village in England *Clint, Texas, a town in the United States Fictional characters * Clint Barton, a superhero in American comic books published by ...
, are in the Mathews collection at the
Garrick Club The Garrick Club is a private members' club in London, founded in 1831 as a club for "actors and men of refinement to meet on equal terms". It is one of the oldest members' clubs in the world. Its 1,500 members include many actors, writers, ...
.


Assessment of his career

Tyke was Emery's great part, in which he left no successor. He was excellent in some Shakespearean parts. Of his Barnardine in ''
Measure for Measure ''Measure for Measure'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604 and first performed in 1604. It was published in the First Folio of 1623. The play centers on the despotic and puritan Angelo (Measure for ...
'' Genest, a reserved critic, says, "Emery looked and acted inimitably". His
Caliban Caliban ( ), the subhuman son of the sea witch Sycorax, is an important character in William Shakespeare's play ''The Tempest''. His character is one of the few Shakespearean figures to take on a life of its own "outside" Shakespeare's own w ...
and Silence in '' King Henry IV'' were excellent. His Ralph in the ''Maid of the Mill'' by
Bickerstaffe Bickerstaffe is a village and civil parish in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. According to the 2001 Census the population of the civil parish was 1,196, reducing to 1,180 at the 2011 census, although the population of th ...
, Dougal in ''Rob Roy'' (another adaptation by Terry) and Hodge in ''
Love in a Village ''Love in a Village'' is a ballad opera in three acts that was composed and arranged by Thomas Arne. A pastiche, the work contains 42 musical numbers of which only five were newly composed works by Arne. The other music is made up of 13 pieces bo ...
'' were unsurpassable performances. In the ''
New Monthly Magazine ''The New Monthly Magazine'' was a British monthly magazine published from 1814 to 1884. It was founded by Henry Colburn and published by him through to 1845. History Colburn and Frederic Shoberl established ''The New Monthly Magazine and Uni ...
'', October 1821, a writer, assumably Talfourd, says Emery: :"is one of the most real, hearty, and fervid of actors. He is half a Munden. … He has the pathos but not the humour, the stoutness but not the strangeness, the heart but not the imagination of the greatest of living comedians. … To be half a Munden is the highest praise we can give to any other actor, short of a Kean or a Macready". Hazlitt says of his acting: "It is impossible to praise it sufficiently because there is never any opportunity of finding fault with it", and
Leigh Hunt James Henry Leigh Hunt (19 October 178428 August 1859), best known as Leigh Hunt, was an English critic, essayist and poet. Hunt co-founded '' The Examiner'', a leading intellectual journal expounding radical principles. He was the centre ...
says he does not know one of his rustic characters "in which he is not altogether excellent and almost perfect". In the ''
London Magazine ''The London Magazine'' is the title of six different publications that have appeared in succession since 1732. All six have focused on the arts, literature and poetry. A number of Nobel Laureates, including Annie Ernaux, Albert Camus, Doris L ...
'', iii. 517, his Tyke is declared inimitable, and his acting is said to remind the writer of a bottle of old port, and to possess "a fine rough and mellow flavour that forms an irresistible attraction". Gilliland's ''Dramatic Synopsis'', says Emery's delineation of Orson in Colman's ''
The Iron Chest ''The Iron Chest'' is a 1796 play by the British writer George Colman the Younger after by the novel '' Things as They Are'' by William Godwin. Incidental music was composed by Stephen Storace. The play premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane ...
'' is "a fine picture of savage nature characterised by a peculiar justice of colouring". Emery was about five feet nine inches, robustly built, with a light complexion and light blue eyes. He looked like one of his own farmers, sang well with a low tenor voice, composed the music and words of a few songs, and for his benefit wrote annually comic effusions, one of which, a song entitled ''York, you're wanted'', enjoyed a long reputation. He had considerable powers of painting, and exhibited between 1801 and 1817 nineteen pictures, chiefly sea pieces, at the
Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...
. He was a shrewd observer, an amusing companion, and a keen sportsman, very fond of driving
four-in-hand The four-in-hand knot is a method of tying a necktie. Also sometimes known (in UK) as a Bucket Knot, due to the shape of the finished knot. Some reports state that carriage drivers tied their reins with a four-in-hand knot, while others claim th ...
. Unfortunately he drank to excess, and was never so happy as when in the society of
jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...
s and pugilists.


Selected roles

* Crafty in ''
Life Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...
'' by Frederick Reynolds (1800) * John Grouse in '' The School for Prejudice'' by Thomas Dibdin (1801) * Acorn in ''
The Will for the Deed ''The Will for the Deed'' is an 1804 comedy play by the British writer Thomas Dibdin. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 24 March 1804.Nicoll p.288 The original cast included Joseph Shepherd Munden as Old Harebrain, Wil ...
'' by Thomas Dibdin (1804) * Andrew Bang in '' Who Wants a Guinea?'' by George Colman the Younger (1805) * Solace in ''
Begone Dull Care ''Begone Dull Care'' (''Caprice en couleurs'') is a 1949 visual music animated film directed by Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart for the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). Summary Using drawn-on-film animation, McLaren and Lambart painted ...
'' by Frederick Reynolds (1808)


References


External links


The Garrick Club's Art Collection; search page
Portrait of John Emery by Samuel Raven in the
National Portrait Gallery (London) The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London that houses a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. When it opened in 1856, it was arguably the first national public gallery in the world th ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Emery, John 1777 births 1822 deaths 18th-century English male actors 19th-century English male actors English male stage actors Male actors from Sunderland