R. C. Carton (born Richard Claude Critchett, 10 May 1853 – 1 April 1928) was an English actor and playwright.

Life and career

Carton was born in London on 10 May 1853, a son of the oculist George Critchett and his wife Martha ''née'' Brooker. A brother, Anderson Critchett, later became the royal oculist. Carton trained as an architect, but turned to the theatre and began his career as an actor at the New Theatre Royal,

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

in March 1875, in ''The Sea of Ice'', and made his first appearance in London, at the Lyceum Theatre on 19 June 1875, as Osric in

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

's production of ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

''. In 1876 he married Katherine Julia Mackenzie – the eldest daughter of the actor Edward Compton – who acted under the stage name

Katherine Compton Katherine Julia Mackenzie (10 November 1849 – 16 May 1928) was an English actress, professionally known as Katherine Compton, or, more usually, Miss Compton. She was best known for her appearances in the comedies written by her husband R. C. Ca ...

. Carton played in ''Queen Mary'', 1876, ''New Men and Old Acres'', 1878, ''Truth'', 1879, ''

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 ...

'', 1880, ''Low Water'', 1884, ''

The Private Secretary ''The Private Secretary'' is an 1883 farce in three acts, by Charles Hawtrey (actor born 1858), Charles Hawtrey. The play, adapted from a German original, depicts the vicissitudes of a mild young clergyman, innocently caught up in the machinatio ...

'', 1884 and ''Bad Boys'', 1885, after which he retired from acting.Parker, pp. 137–138 As a playwright his first plays were written in collaboration with Cecil Raleigh, and included ''The Great Pink Pearl'', 1885; ''The Pointsman'', 1887, and ''The Treasure'', 1888. His first play written alone was ''Sunlight and Shadow'', produced at the

Avenue Theatre The Playhouse Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located in Northumberland Avenue, near Trafalgar Square, central London. The Theatre was built by F. H. Fowler and Hill with a seating capacity of 1,200. It was rebuilt in ...

in 1890, by George Alexander. His other plays of the 1890s were ''

Liberty Hall Liberty Hall (), in Dublin, Ireland, is the headquarters of the Services, Industrial, Professional, and Technical Union (SIPTU). Designed by Desmond Rea O'Kelly, it was completed in 1965. It was for a time the tallest building in the countr ...

'',

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 ...

, 1892; ''Robin Goodfellow'',

Garrick Theatre The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play, ...

, 1893; ''The Fall of the Leaf'', 1893; '' The Home Secretary'',

Criterion Theatre The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre at Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has a seating capacity of 588. Building the theatre In 1870, the caterers Spiers and Pond began developmen ...

, 1895; ''The Squire of Dames'', Criterion, 1895; ''A White Elephant'',

Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,

, 1896; ''The Tree of Knowledge'', St James's, 1896; '' Lord and Lady Algy'', Avenue, 1898; and ''Wheels Within Wheels'',

Court Theatre A court is an institution, often a government entity, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and administer justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law. Courts general ...

, 1899. Carton's plays from 1900 onwards were '' Lady Huntworth's Experiment'', Criterion, 1900; ''The Ninth Waltz'', Garrick, 1900; ''The Undercurrent'', Criterion, 1901; ''A Clean Slate'', Criterion, 1902; ''The Rich Mrs Repton'',

Duke of York's Theatre The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre until her death in 1935. Designed by ...

, 1904; ''Mr Hopkinson'', Avenue, 1905; ''Public Opinion'',

Wyndham's Theatre Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by actor/manager Charles Wyndham (the other is the Criterion Theatre). Located on Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, it was designed c. 1898 by W. G. R. Sprague, the arch ...

, 1905; ''Lady Barbarity'', Comedy, 1908; ''Mr Preedy and the Countess'', Criterion, 1909; ''Lorrimer Sabiston, Dramatist'', St James's, 1909; ''Eccentric Lord Comberdene'', St James's, 1910; ''An Eye-Opener'',

London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, City of Westminster, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the Lond ...

, 1911; ''The Bear Leaders'', Comedy, 1912; ''A Busy Day'',

Apollo Theatre The Apollo Theatre is a listed building, Grade II listed West End theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London.

, 1915; ''The Off-Chance'', Queen's Theatre, 1917, ''Nurse Benson'' (with Justin Huntley McCarthy),

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a Theater (structure), theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 at Southwark, close to the south bank of the Thames, by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. It was ...

, ''The Wonderful Visit'',

St Martin's Theatre St Martin's Theatre is a West End theatre which has staged the production of '' The Mousetrap'' since March 1974, making it the longest continuous run of any show in the world. The theatre is located in West Street, near Shaftesbury Avenue, i ...

, 1921; and ''Other People's Worries'', Comedy, 1922. Carton died in London on 1 April 1928, aged 74. His widow outlived him by a few weeks, dying at their London home on 18 May 1928.

References

Sources

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Carton, R.C. 1853 births 1928 deaths English writers R.C. English actors English male dramatists and playwrights Male actors from London