Alexander Pope (actor)

Alexander Pope (1763 – 22 March 1835) was an Irish actor and painter.

Alexander Pope
Born1763
Cork, Ireland
Died22 March 1835(1835-03-22) (aged 71–72)
NationalityIrish
Known forActor
Spouse(s)Elizabeth Younge,
Maria Ann Campion,
Clara Maria Leigh

Life

He was born in Cork, Ireland. He was educated to follow his father's profession of miniature painting. He continued to paint miniatures and exhibit them at the Royal Academy as late as 1821; but at an early date he took the stage, first appearing in London as Oroonoko in 1785 at Covent Garden. He remained at this theatre almost continuously for nearly twenty years, then at the Haymarket until his retirement, playing leading parts, chiefly tragic. He was well known as Othello and Henry VIII.[1]

He played for the first time in Edinburgh on 15 June 1786, as Othello.[2]

Family

He was married three times. His first wife, Elizabeth (1744–1797), a favourite English actress of great versatility, was billed before her marriage as Miss Younge.[3] His second wife, Maria Ann Campion (1775–1803), also a popular actress, was a member of an Irish family.[1] His third wife, born Clara Maria Leigh (1768–1838), was the widow of the artist Francis Wheatley, and herself a skilful painter of figures and of flowers, under the name of Mrs Pope.[4]

References
  1.  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Pope, Alexander". Encyclopædia Britannica. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 87.
  2.  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Knight, John Joseph (1896). "Pope, Alexander (1763-1835)". In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. 46. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  3. Terry Enright, ‘Pope, Elizabeth (1739x45–1797)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 accessed 21 March 2015
  4. Webster, Mary. "Pope, Clara Maria (bap. 1767, d. 1838)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/22529. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
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