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own companies and controlled the actors, the production, and the financing. When successful, they built up a permanent clientele that flocked to their productions. They could enlarge their audience by going on tour across the country, performing a repertoire of well-known plays, such as
Shakespeare. The newspapers, private clubs, pubs and coffee shops rang with lively debates palming the relative merits of the stars of their productions. Henry Irving (1838–1905) was the most successful of the British actor-managers. Irving was renowned for his Shakespearean roles, and for such innovations as turning out the house lights so that attention could focus more on the stage and less on the audience. His company toured across Britain, as well as Europe and the United States, demonstrating the power of star actors and celebrated roles to attract enthusiastic audiences. His knighthood in 1895 indicated full acceptance into the higher circles of British society.
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In the 19th century, the negative reputation of actors was largely reversed, and acting became an honored, popular profession and art. The rise of the actor as celebrity provided the transition, as audiences flocked to their favorite "stars." A new role emerged for the actor-managers who formed their
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Though no longer the standard practice, modern actor-managers do exist and increasingly fringe work is being explored on this model as actors look to provide themselves with an artistic platform which they have the means to control. Examples include
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a combination of social, financial and technological factors, combined with the rising popularity of film and radio, lead to the diminishing of the actor-manager system, with its last two great exponents being Sir
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227:. In addition, the system of actor-management was adversely affected by factors such as the increasing cost of mounting theatrical productions, more corporate ownership of theatres, such as by the
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239:, a trend toward ensemble-style acting, and a move towards the financial security offered by long runs rather than rotating plays for a short period. After the end of
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gained prominence. The system of actor-management generally produced high standards of performance, as demonstrated by such 19th-century actors as
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used consistently since the 16th century, particularly common in 19th-century
Britain and the United States.
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The system of actor-management waned in the early 20th century, as actor-managers were replaced first by
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Actor who manages their own theatrical company and usually stars in its productions
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The last of the actor-managers taking
Shakespeare on tour: Donald Wolfit
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The Art of the Actor-Manager: Wilson
Barrett and the Victorian Theatre
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The 19th-century repertoire usually consisted of a combination of
348:. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. pp. 449–450.
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in the 17th century. In the 18th century, actor-managers such as
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398:Sir Henry Irving: A Victorian Actor and His World
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260:when he worked as the artistic director of the
459:"Whatever happened to the actor-manager?"
346:The Cambridge history of American theatre
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490:Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London (1970)
344:Wilmeth, Don B.; Bigsby, C.W.E. (1998).
280:in the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company.
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385:(Rowman & Littlefield, 1981).
370:Encyclopedia of the Victorian era
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100:, by husband-wife teams such as
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325:Definition of 'actor-manager'
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383:Theatre in the Age of Irving
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415:'The Actor-manager System'
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504:Methuen and Co Ltd (1950)
395:Jeffrey Richards (2007).
205:'s role in the 1871 play
445:15 February 2015 at the
305:28 February 2011 at the
300:The Actor-manager system
272:when he briefly ran the
237:The Shubert Organization
502:The Last Actor-Managers
464:24 October 2021 at the
426:Encyclopædia Britannica
330:2 November 2012 at the
130:Lucia Elizabeth Vestris
518:Theatrical occupations
368:James Eli Adams, ed.,
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122:Madge Robertson Kendal
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523:Theatrical management
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168:, among many others.
118:William Hunter Kendal
98:Herbert Beerbohm Tree
50:theatrical production
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229:Theatrical Syndicate
46:manages the business
420:25 May 2011 at the
334:the Free Dictionary
500:Pearson, Hesketh.
488:The Actor Managers
457:Wilkinson, Chris.
274:Sheffield Crucible
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68:(no relation) and
42:theatrical company
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355:978-0-521-65179-0
233:Edward Laurillard
225:theatre directors
154:Gertrude Kingston
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447:Wayback Machine
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422:Wayback Machine
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381:George Rowell,
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307:Wayback Machine
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278:Kenneth Branagh
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146:Sarah Bernhardt
114:Violet Melnotte
102:Squire Bancroft
86:Charles Wyndham
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258:Kevin Spacey
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241:World War II
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215:20th century
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150:Sarah Thorne
94:Frank Benson
90:Henry Irving
70:George Jolly
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27:Henry Irving
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311:Answers.com
270:Samuel West
195:Shakespeare
162:Laura Keene
134:Lucy Escott
110:Frank Wyatt
512:Categories
284:References
199:melodramas
197:, popular
208:The Bells
191:the works
178:The Bells
462:Archived
443:Archived
418:Archived
328:Archived
303:Archived
248:and Sir
262:Old Vic
56:History
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266:London
203:Irving
181:, 1874
38:actor
350:ISBN
276:and
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