John Langford Pritchard
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John Langford Home Pritchard (1799 – 5 August 1850) was an English actor, known as "Gentleman Pritchard".Parker, Herschel (2011)
''The Powell Papers: A Confidence Man Amok Among the Anglo-American Literati''
Northwestern University Press. P.339.


Biography

Pritchard was the son of a captain in the navy, was born, it is said, at sea, in 1799, and, adopting his father's profession, became a midshipman. After some practice as an amateur actor he joined a small company in Wales, and on 24 May 1820, as "Pritchard from
Cheltenham Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...
”. He made his first appearance in Bath, playing Captain Absolute in ''
The Rivals ''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 List of Maverick ...
''. In August he played under Bunn, at the New Theatre,
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
, in parts such as Lord Trinket, Sir Benjamin Backbite, and other parts, and reappeared in Bath on 30 October as Irwin in Mrs. Inchbald's ''Every One Has His Fault''. On 23 May 1821 he played Dumain (First Lord) in ''All's well that ends well''. In mid-1821 Pritchard joined the York circuit under Mansell, making his first appearance as Romeo. Parts such as Jaffrer, Pythias, Iago,
Edmund Edmund is a masculine given name in the English language. The name is derived from the Old English elements ''ēad'', meaning "prosperity" or "riches", and ''mund'', meaning "protector". Persons named Edmund include: People Kings and nobles *Ed ...
in ''
King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...
'', Richmond, Jeremy Diddler, and Duke of Mirandola, were assigned him. He then joined Murray's company in
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, appearing on 16 January 1823 as Durimel in
Charles Kemble Charles Kemble (25 November 1775 – 12 November 1854) was a British actor from the prominent Kemble family. Life Charles Kemble was one of 13 siblings and the youngest son of English Roman Catholic theatre manager/actor Roger Kemble, and Ir ...
's adaptation ''Point of Honour''. Here, playing leading business, he remained eleven years. On 6 February he was the original Nigel in ''George Heriot'', an anonymous adaptation of the '' Fortunes of Nigel''. On 22 May 1824 he was Edward Waverley in a new version of ''Waverley'', and on 5 June Francies Tyrrell in
James Planché James Robinson Planché (27 February 1796 – 30 May 1880) was a British dramatist, antiquary and officer of arms. Over a period of approximately 60 years he wrote, adapted, or collaborated on 176 plays in a wide range of genres including ...
's ''St. Ronan's Well''. On 21 January 1825 he played Rob Roy, a difficult feat in Edinburgh for an Englishman. He played on 23 May the Stranger in the ''Rose of Ettrick Vale'', on the 28th Redgauntlet. Soon afterwards he was
Richard I Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199), known as Richard the Lionheart or Richard Cœur de Lion () because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior, was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ru ...
in ''
Talisman A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed perm ...
'', and on 4 July George Douglas in ''Mary Stuart'' (
the Abbot ''The Abbot'' (1820) is a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott, one of the Waverley novels. A sequel to ''The Monastery'', its action takes place in 1567 and 1568. It reaches its climax in the escape of Mary, Queen of Scots from Lochleven Cast ...
); Harry Stanley in ''Paul Pry'' followed. On 18 June 1826 he was
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
in ''
Woodstock The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. Billed as "a ...
, or the Cavalier''. '' Charles Edward, or the last of the Stuarts'', adapted from the French by a son of
Flora Macdonald Flora MacDonald (1722 – 5 March 1790) is best known for helping Charles Edward Stuart evade government troops after the Battle of Culloden in April 1746. Her family had generally backed the government during the 1745 Rising, and MacDonald l ...
, was given for the first time on 21 April 1829, with Pritchard as the title character. In 1830 through 1831, Pritchard went with Murray to the Adelphi Theatre (Edinburgh), where he appeared on 6 July 1831 as Abdar Khan in ''Mazeppa''. In the ''Renegade'' by Maturin, Pritchard was Guiscard, and on 16 April 1832, in a week at Holyrood, was the first Wemyss of Logie. He was also seen as Joseph Surface. Pritchard appeared a few times at the Adelphi in the summer season, and then left Edinburgh. During his stay, he won very favourable recognition, artistic and social. He took a prominent part in establishing the Edinburgh Theatrical Fund (becoming the Honorary Secretary), and was a steward at the Fund dinner on 23 February 1827 when
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 ...
announced himself to be the author of Waverley.(24 August 1850)
''The Athenaeum: Journal of Literature, Science and the Fine Arts - Musical and Dramatic Gossip''
'' The Athenaeum''
During his vacations he had played in
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
,
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
,
Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
, and other leading Scottish towns. On 5 October 1833 Pritchard made his first appearance in
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
, playing Bassanio, and Petruchio; Wellborn to the Sir Giles Overreach of
Charles Kean Charles John Kean (18 January 181122 January 1868) was an Irish-born English actor and theatre manager, best known for his revivals of Shakespearean plays. Life Kean was born at Waterford, Ireland, a son of actor Edmund Kean and actress Mary ...
followed on October 7. In Ireland, where he was hospitably entertained, he also played
Jeremy Diddler Jeremy Diddler is a fictional character in James Kenney (dramatist), James Kenney's 1803 farce ''Raising the Wind'', based on an amusing importunist named Bibb, or “half-crown Bibb”. A needy artful swindler, Diddler became a stock character in ...
.
Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman people, Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the Crisis of the Roman Republic, transformation of the Roman Republic ...
, and
Meg Merrilies ''Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer'' is the second of the Waverley novels by Walter Scott, published anonymously in 1815. According to an introduction that Scott wrote in 1829, he had originally intended to write a story of the supernatural, ...
. His first appearance in London was made on 16 November 1835 at
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 ...
as Alonzo in ''
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''. He played Macduff, and was popular as Lindsay, an original part in Fitzball's ''Inheritance''. During
William Macready William Charles Macready (3 March 179327 April 1873) was an English stage actor. The son of Irish actor-manager William Macready the Elder he emerged as a leading West End performer during the Regency era. Career Macready was born in London ...
's tenure of Covent Garden in 1838 he acted as his stage manager. During this time he reappeared as Don Pedro in the ''Wonder'' by
Susanna Centlivre Susanna Centlivre (c. 1669 (baptised) – 1 December 1723), born Susanna Freeman, and also known professionally as Susanna Carroll, was an English poet, actress, and "the most successful female playwright of the eighteenth century". Centlivre's ...
, Macready himself playing Don Felix, which was held to be Pritchard's great part. He took a secondary part in the performance of ''
The Lady of Lyons ''The Lady of Lyons; or, Love and Pride'', commonly known as ''The Lady of Lyons'', is a five-act romantic melodrama written in 1838 by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton. It was first produced in London at Covent Garden Theatre on 15 Febru ...
'', and was the original Felton in Sheridan Knowles's '' Woman's Wit''. Macready, with some apparent reason, was charged with keeping him back. Pritchard retired ultimately to the country, and became the manager and sole lessee of the York circuit for his final nine years of his life, where he continued to act. He died on 5 August 1850 and is buried in Leeds Cemetery. His best parts appear to have been Don Felix and
Mercutio Mercutio ( , ) is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's 1597 tragedy, ''Romeo and Juliet''. He is a close friend to Romeo and a blood relative to Prince Escalus and Count Paris. As such, Mercutio is one of the named characters in the ...
.


External links


John Langford Pritchard as Macduff in ''Macbeth''
Richard James Lane Richard James Lane (16 February 1800 – 21 November 1872) was a prolific British engraver and lithographer. The National Portrait Gallery has some 850 lithographs of his portraits and figure studies, done between 1825 and 1850. The images inclu ...
, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by John Mitchell, after
Alfred Edward Chalon Alfred Edward Chalon (15 February 1780 – 3 October 1860) was a Republic of Geneva-born British portraitist. He lived in London where he was noticed by Queen Victoria. Biography Alfred Chalon was born in Geneva from a father who soon was hi ...
.
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 ...
.
John Langford Pritchard (1799–1850), as Duke Aranza in ''The Honeymoon'' by John Tobin
Alexander Keith (active 1808–1874).
ART UK Art UK is a cultural, education charity in the United Kingdom, previously known as the Public Catalogue Foundation. Since 2003, it has digitised more than 300,000 paintings, sculptures and other artworks by more than 53,700 artists. It was found ...
- V&A


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pritchard, John Langford 1799 births 1850 deaths 19th-century English male actors English male stage actors