Thomas Smith (died 1766) was a British stage actor of the eighteenth century. He first joined the

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 ...

company in the late seventeenth century. He spent time at the Queen's Theatre in Haymarket and in 1715 joined John Rich's company at

Lincoln's Inn Fields Lincoln's Inn Fields is located in Holborn and is the List of city squares by size, largest public square in London. It was laid out in the 1630s under the initiative of the speculative builder and contractor William Newton, "the first in a ...

. He remained with the company, although acting elsewhere such as

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 ...

's Smock Alley Theatre, until 1728. There another Smith, named Charles, at the company in his latter years and their roles are sometimes confused. After leaving Lincoln's Inn, Thomas Smith moved to 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 ...

and then to Goodman's Fields where he acted in Henry Giffard's company until 1733. His daughter, was also an actress, making her debut at Lincoln's Inn Fields in 1716.Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.162

Selected roles

* Cyaxeres in ''

Cyrus the Great Cyrus II of Persia ( ; 530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Achaemenid dynasty (i. The clan and dynasty) Hailing from Persis, he brought the Achaemenid dynasty to power by defeating the Media ...

'' by John Banks (1695) * Peter in '' Imposture Defeated'' by George Powell (1697) * Brisson in '' The Unhappy Penitent'' by Catherine Trotter (1701) * Phorbas in '' The Virgin Prophetess'' by

Elkanah Settle Elkanah Settle (1 February 1648 – 12 February 1724) was an English poet and playwright. Biography He was born at Dunstable, and entered Trinity College, Oxford, in 1666, but left without taking a degree. His first tragedy, '' Cambyses, King ...

(1701) * Albazer in '' The Generous Conqueror'' by Bevil Higgons (1701) * Ibrahim Bassa in ''

Irene Irene is a name derived from εἰρήνη (eirēnē), Greek for "peace". Irene, and related names, may refer to: * Irene (given name) Places * Irene, Gauteng, South Africa * Irene, South Dakota, United States * Irene, Texas, United States ...

'' by Charles Goring (1708) * High Priest in '' The Persian Princess'' by Lewis Theobald (1708) * Numitorius in '' Appius and Virginia'' by John Dennis (1709) * Rockerick in '' The Perfidious Brother'' by Lewis Theobald (1716) * Pisano in '' The Traitor'' by Christopher Bullock (1718) * Alucius in ''

Scipio Africanus Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (, , ; 236/235–) was a Roman general and statesman who was one of the main architects of Rome's victory against Ancient Carthage, Carthage in the Second Punic War. Often regarded as one of the greatest milit ...

'' by

Charles Beckingham Charles Beckingham (25 July 1699 – 19 February 1730/1731) was an English poet and dramatist. Life Beckingham was born, according to the register of Merchant Taylors' School, on 25 July 1699 (Robinson's ''Register'', ii. 32). His father was ...

(1718) * Villeyor in ''

Henry IV of France Henry IV (; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry (''le Bon Roi Henri'') or Henry the Great (''Henri le Grand''), was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 16 ...

'' by

(1719) * Sir Julius Caesar in ''

Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebellio ...

'' by

George Sewell George Sewell (31 August 19242 April 2007) was an English actor, best known for his television roles, but also active on stage and in films. Early life and early career The son of a Hoxton printer and a florist, Sewell left school at the age o ...

(1719) * Alcander in '' The Fatal Legacy'' by Jane Robe (1723) * Alderman Quorum in '' The Beggar's Wedding'' by

Charles Coffey Charles Coffey (late 17th century – 13 May 1745) was an Irish playwright, opera librettist and arranger of music from County Westmeath. Following the initial failure of his ballad opera ''The Beggar’s Wedding'' (Dublin, Smock Alley Theatre, ...

(1729) * Whim in '' The Fashionable Lady'' by

James Ralph James Ralph (1705 – 24 January 1762) was an Thirteen Colonies, American-born English political history, political writer, historian, reviewer, and Grub Street hack writer known for his works of history and his position in Alexander Pope's ''D ...

(1730)

References

Bibliography

* Highfill, Philip H, Burnim, Kalman A. & Langhans, Edward A. ''A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers, and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660–1800: Volume 14''. SIU Press, 1978. 18th-century English people 18th-century British actors English male stage actors British male stage actors 18th-century English male actors 18th-century British male actors Year of birth unknown 1766 deaths {{England-actor-stub