Thomas Walker (actor)

Thomas Walker (1698–1744) was an English actor and dramatist.

Early life

He was the son of Francis Walker of Soho, London. At around the year 1714, he joined the Shepherd's company (perhaps the Shepherd who was at William Pinkethman's theatre in Greenwich in 1710). Barton Booth saw Walker in a droll, ''The Siege of Troy'', and recommended him to the management of the Drury Lane Theatre.

Actor

In November 1715 Walker seems to have played Tyrrel in Colley Cibber's ''Richard III''; on 12 December 1715 he was Young Fashion in a revival of ''The Relapse'' ( John Vanburgh). On 23 September 1721 he appeared at Lincoln's Inn Fields as Edmund in '' King Lear'', and he remained there until 1733. On 29 January 1728 Walker took on his major original part, Captain Macheath in the '' Beggar's Opera'', and his reputation was established.

On 10 February 1733, at the new Covent Garden Theatre, Walker was the first Periphas in John Gay's ''Achilles''.At this house he played Lothario, Banquo, Hector in Dryden's '' Troilus and Cressida'', Angelo in ''Measure for Measure'', Sempronius in ''Cato'', Lord Morelove in '' The Careless Husband'' (Colley Cibber), Timon, Carlos in ''The Fatal Marriage'' (Thomas Southerne), the King in '' The Mourning Bride'', Ghost in ''Hamlet'', Fainall in '' The Way of the World'', Colonel Briton, Bajazet, Henry VI in ''Richard III'', Young Rakish in ''The School Boy'' (Colley Cibber), Falconbridge, Dolabella in '' All for Love'', Horatio in '' The Fair Penitent'', Norfolk in ''Richard II'', Marcian in ''Theodosius'' (Nat Lee), Kite in ''The Recruiting Officer'', and Scandal in '' Love for Love''. The last part in which he is mentioned at Covent Garden is Ambrosio in ''Don Quixote'', which he played on 17 May 1739. In 1739–40 he seems to have been resting, but he played, 17 May 1740, Macheath for his benefit at Drury Lane. In 1740–41 he was seen in many of his major parts at Goodman's Fields Theatre. But after David Garrick's arrival at Goodman's Fields in 1741, Walker's name was taken from the bills and did not reappear until 27 May 1742, when the ''Beggar's Opera'' and the ''Virgin Unmasked'' ( Henry Fielding) were given for his benefit. He seems to have played in Dublin in 1742 as Kite in '' The Recruiting Officer'', with Garrick as Plume.

Walker's best serious parts were thought to be Bajazet, Hotspur, Edmund, and Falconbridge; in comedy he was best received as Worthy in the ''Recruiting Officer'', Bellmour in the ''Old Bachelor'', and Harcourt in ''The Country Girl'' (Garrick, after Wycherley).

Dramatist

Walker's first dramatic effort was to compressing into one play the two parts of Thomas D'Urfey's ''Massaniello''. This work was produced at Lincoln's Inn Fields, 31 July 1724, with Walker as Massaniello. The ''Quaker's Opera'', 1728, an imitation by Walker of the ''Beggar's Opera'', was acted at Lee and Harper's booth in Bartholomew Fair. The ''Fate of Villainy'', 1730, was given at Goodman's Fields Theatre on 24 February 1730 by Henry Giffard and Mrs. Giffard.

Death

In 1744 Walker went to Dublin, taking with him the ''Fate of Villainy'', which was acted there under the title of ''Love and Loyalty''. The second night was to have been for his benefit. Not being able to furnish security for the expenses of the house, he could not induce the managers to reproduce it. He died three days later, 5 June 1744.

Selected roles

*Cardono in '' The Cruel Gift'' by Susanna Centlivre (1716)
* Captain Jolly in '' The Cobbler of Preston'' by Charles Johnson (1716)
* Charles in '' The Non-Juror'' by Colley Cibber (1717)
* Captain Carbine in '' The Play is the Plot'' by John Durant Breval (1718)
* Rameses in '' Busiris, King of Egypt'' by Edward Young (1719)
* Brutus in '' The Invader of His Country'' by John Dennis (1719)
* Daran in '' The Siege of Damascus'' by John Hughes (1720)
* Charles Despotick in '' The Compromise'' by John Sturmy (1722)
* Pheroras in '' Mariamne'' by Elijah Fenton (1723)
* Phocias in '' The Fatal Legacy'' by Jane Robe (1723)
* Galerius Caesar in '' The Roman Maid'' by Robert Hurst (1724)
* Proclus in '' Belisarius'' by William Phillips (1724)
* Albert in '' Edwin'' by George Jeffreys (1724)
* Frippou in '' The Bath Unmasked'' by Gabriel Odingsells (1725)
* Beaumine in '' The Capricious Lovers'' by Gabriel Odingsells (1725)
* Beaufort in '' The Dissembled Wanton'' by Leonard Welsted (1726)
* Sir Charles Mirmont in '' The Female Fortune Teller'' (1726)
* Marsan in '' Money the Mistress'' by Thomas Southerne (1726)
* Murrus in '' The Fall of Saguntum'' by Philip Frowde (1727)
* Perses in '' Philip of Macedon'' by David Lewis (1727)
* Captain Macheath in '' The Beggar's Opera'' by John Gay (1728)
* Arsamnes in '' The Virgin Queen'' by Richard Barford (1728)
* Frederick in '' Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lunenburgh'' by Eliza Haywood (1729)
* Xerses in '' Themistocles'' by Samuel Madden (1729)
* Hypsenor in '' Periander'' by John Tracy (1731)
* Pylades in '' Orestes'' by Lewis Theobald (1731)
* Cassander in '' Philotas'' by Philip Frowde (1731)
* Adrastus in '' Merope'' by George Jeffreys (1731)
* Horatio in '' The Married Philosopher'' by John Kelly (1732)
* Porsenna in '' The Tuscan Treaty'' by William Bond (1733)
* Cardinal of Aragon in '' The Fatal Secret'' by Lewis Theobald (1733)
* Heartly in '' The Lady's Revenge'' by William Popple (1734)
* Young Courtlove in '' The Double Deceit'' by William Popple (1735)

Notes

;Attribution

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Thomas
1698 births
1744 deaths
English dramatists and playwrights
English male stage actors
18th-century English male actors
English male dramatists and playwrights