John Pritt Harley (February 1786 – 22 August 1858) was an English actor known for his comic acting and singing.

Early years

Harley was the son of John Harley, a draper and silk mercer, and his wife Elizabeth. He was baptised in the parish church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London, on 5 March 1786. At the age of fifteen, he was apprenticed to a linendraper in Ludgate Hill. While there, he befriended

William Oxberry William Oxberry (1784–1824) was an English actor. He also wrote extensively on the theatre, and was a printer and publisher. Early life Oxberry was the son of an auctioneer, born on 18 December 1784 in Moorfields, London, opposite Bedlam. Af ...

, who later became a well-known actor. Together, they appeared in 1802 in amateur theatricals at the Berwick Street private theatre. Harley was next employed as a clerk to Windus & Holloway, attorneys, in

Chancery Lane Chancery Lane is a one-way street that forms part of the City of London#Boundary, western boundary of the City of London. The east side of the street is entirely within the City, In 1806, and following years he acted in provincial theatres in England. At

Southend Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the nor ...

, where he remained for some time, he acquired thorough training in his profession. He became popular for his comic singing, and being extremely thin, he became known as ‘Fat Jack.’ From 1812 to 1814 he was in the north of England. After this, obtaining an engagement from Samuel John Arnold, he came to London and made his first public appearance there on 15 July 1815 at the English Opera House as Marcelli in ''The Devil's Bridge''. His reception was favourable, and in Mingle, Leatherhead, Rattle, and Pedrillo he increased his reputation as an actor and singer. On 16 September 1815, Harley first appeared at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and listed building, Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) an ...

, as Lissardo in ''The Wonder''. When John Bannister retired from the stage, Harley succeeded to his parts and created the new roles that would have fallen to Bannister. He played the comic heroes of all the operas. His voice was a

counter-tenor A countertenor (also contra tenor) is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of the female contralto or mezzo-soprano voice types, generally extending from around G3 to D5 or E5, although a sopranist (a sp ...

, and he was known as a good musician, able to execute cadenzas with grace and effect. In 1816, when ''Every Man in his Humour'' was revived, starring

Edmund Kean Edmund Kean (4 November 178715 May 1833) was a British Shakespearean actor, who performed, among other places, in London, Belfast, New York, Quebec, and Paris. He was known for his short stature, tumultuous personal life, and controversial div ...

as Kitely, Harley played Bobadil, receiving enthusiastic notices. He also gained a reputation for his humorous portrayal of the Shakespearean clowns. Bannister, with whom he was friendly, when dying in 1836, gave him his Garrick mourning ring and his Shakespearean jubilee medal. Harley remained for twenty years at Drury Lane, with occasional summer excursions to the provinces and engagements at the Lyceum Theatre, where he for some time was stage-manager.

Later years

In 1835, when Braham opened the

St. James's Theatre The St James's Theatre was in King Street, St James's, King Street, St James's, London. It opened in 1835 and was demolished in 1957. The theatre was conceived by and built for a popular singer, John Braham (tenor), John Braham; it lost mone ...

, Harley joined the company at that house. Here in 1837 he played

Samuel Pickwick Samuel Pickwick is a fictional character and the main protagonist in ''The Pickwick Papers'' (1836-37), the first novel by author Charles Dickens. One of the author's most famous and loved creations, Pickwick is a retired successful businessman ...

in ''Mr. Pickwick''.Playbill for St James's Theatre, advertising 'Mr Pickwick'
- the

British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. Based in London, it is one of the largest libraries in the world, with an estimated collection of between 170 and 200 million items from multiple countries. As a legal deposit li ...

Collection He soon returned to Drury Lane and was with

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 ...

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 ...

in 1838, and afterwards with Madame Vestris and

Charles Mathews Charles Mathews (28 June 1776, London – 28 June 1835, Devonport) was an English theatre manager and comic actor, well known during his time for his gift of impersonation and skill at table entertainment. His play ''At Home'', in which he pl ...

when they opened the same establishment two years later. Harley was back at Drury Lane from 1841 to 1848 with Alfred Bunn. In 1847, he created the role of James Cox in '' Box and Cox'' opposite J. B. Buckstone. When

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 ...

attempted to restore legitimate drama at the Princess's Theatre in 1850, Harley became a member of that company. He was master and treasurer of the Drury Lane Theatrical Fund after the retirement of

in 1833. In 1858, while playing Lancelot Gobbo at the Princess's Theatre, Harley was struck with

paralysis Paralysis (: paralyses; also known as plegia) is a loss of Motor skill, motor function in one or more Skeletal muscle, muscles. Paralysis can also be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss) in the affected area if there is sensory d ...

. He died two days later at his home in London. His last words were a quotation from ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a Comedy (drama), comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One s ...

'': "I have an exposition of sleep come upon me." He was buried at

Kensal Green cemetery Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of North Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in P ...

on 28 August 1858. Although thought to be thrifty, he died penniless. He had a passion for collecting walking-sticks, canes, &c., and after his death more than three hundred varieties were included in the sale of his personal effects.

Selected roles

* Hint in '' The Faro Table'' by John Tobin (1816) * Paragon in '' The Touchstone'' by James Kenney (1817) * Memme in '' Rugantino'' by Matthew Lewis (1820) * Young Small in '' The Beggar's Daughter of Bethnal Green'' by

James Sheridan Knowles James Sheridan Knowles (12 May 1784 – 30 November 1862) was an Irish dramatist and actor. A relative of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Knowles enjoyed success writing plays for the leading West End theatres. Later in his career he also produced ...

(1828) *Clever in '' Woman's Wit'' by

(1838) * John Blount in '' Old Maids'' by

(1841)

References

;Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Harley, John Pritt 1786 births 1858 deaths English male stage actors 19th-century English male actors 19th-century British male actors Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery