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Although he was known as a fair (if shrewd) businessman, Hamblin's reputation was marred by his well-known womanising and brawling. He had affairs with several up-and-coming actresses at his theatre, and he assaulted at least two newspaper editors who had published unflattering stories about him. His
653:
however consisting of theatrical reminiscences of Joseph H. Tooker claims that "He (Hamblin) actually paid his first wife for a divorce in order that he might marry another." Tooker proceeds to quote from a legal document of release signed by
Hamblin's wife Elizabeth, accepting payment of $ 2500 in
342:
The dignity, the finished and elaborated elocution, and the high artistical execution of that school were occasionally brought most vividly to our remembrance in Mr. HAMBLIN's delineation of Hamlet, weakened however at times . . . by a dash of the melo-dramatic style and the laboured pompousness he
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that
Hamblin was having an affair with a teen-aged starlet at the Bowery named Miss Louisa Missouri Miller. The girl was found dead within ten days of publication from "inflammation of the brain caused by the violent misconduct of Miss Missouri's mother and the publication of an abusive article in
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extensively, and he pioneered the concept of allowing productions to run for periods as long as a month. In the spring of 1834, he began purchasing shares of the theatre from its owners, the New York
Association; within 18 months, he owned a majority. When the Bowery Theatre burnt down in 1836, it
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Hamblin was careful to cultivate good favour with his patrons outside of the theatre, as well. He regularly provided space to the fire department for their annual ball, for example. On another occasion, he loaned the Bowery's in-house orchestra to a local militia group for one of their functions.
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As an actor, he possessed the valuable accessories of a fine person, a good voice, and careful education. . . . In person he was tall and commanding, but so admirably proportioned as in a measure to conceal his almost towering height. Deep set eyes as black as jet were surmounted by a lofty brow,
254:
to please them. Hamblin himself preferred upper-class entertainments like ballet and opera; nevertheless, he relegated these to infrequent bookings. Under
Hamblin, American working-class theatre, emphasising brilliant spectacle and plot-based narrative, emerged as a form in its own right.
258:
Perhaps
Hamblin's greatest influence was in his incubation of American talent. He helped start the careers of many young unknowns, and he was not shy about exerting his influence over those who relied upon his patronage. His Bowery featured many big-name talents, including
375:. In 1831, his wife filed for divorce after returning from a tour in Europe; this was finalised in 1834 with the condition that Hamblin was not to remarry as long as his ex-wife lived. Hamblin continued his womanising undaunted; he saw a young actress named
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crowned by clusters of curling dark hair in such rich profusion as is seldom seen, except in some of the models which have been handed down to us from remote antiquity. To see him dressed for Brutus, Coriolanus, or
Virginius was a study for a painter.
319:. They oversaw the theatre's reconstruction while Hamblin acted in various venues and took care of his debts. Hamblin rebuilt yet again after a fire in 1838 and returned to active management with a bigger Bowery in May 1839.
370:
Hamblin's personal life was controversial. Although he was "noted for his correct business habits, promptitude, and open-heartedness", he was a well-known philanderer. Newspapers and rumours alleged that he had many sexual
347:
He attempted to extend his revenues by buying the lease to the Park
Theatre in the summer of 1848. He renovated the building and reopened in September to mixed reviews. The building burnt down in December.
209:
disagreed at least in part, saying that
Hamblin's acting was "more than balanced by the husky, disagreeable tones of his voice, which always gave the appearance of hard labour to everything he undertook."
109:. He first took the stage in England, then immigrated to the United States in 1825. He received critical acclaim there, and eventually entered theatre management. During his tenure at New York City's
498:
critic says "He must take his place, with Mr. Bennett, and Mr. Hamblin, and Mr. Booth, and a hundred aspirers to celebrity more; and "mature himself"...at the cost of some provincial theatre."
226:
in 1830. Hackett left a month later, and
Hamblin obtained the lease and rebuilt when the theatre burnt down later that year. Hamblin catered to the tastes of the rowdy audiences of New York's
164:
Despite some success he had still not established himself with the London critics when, in 1825, Hamblin and his wife left
England for the United States. Hamblin took the stage at New York's
299:. In 1831, he renamed the playhouse "the American Theatre, Bowery" after an anti-British riot at the Park Theater. The message was clear: The Bowery was the theatre of Native American drama.
168:
in early November, where he tackled a number of roles: Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Petruchio, Pierre, Rolla, the Stranger, William Tell, and Virginius. Later that month, he appeared opposite
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George Washington Buffalo Dixon has this day . . . received a most tremendous quilting, at the hands of Thos. S. Hamblin. I have heard no particulars, except that Buff, as editor of
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94:
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theatre as a distinct form. His policies preferred American actors and playwrights to British ones, making him an important influence in the development of early American drama.
729:, Elizabeth Hamblin died in New Orleans 8 May 1849, having re-married to an actor-manager "on the Southwestern circuit" named James Charles:"Booth at the Old Bowery",
379:
for a time, and she even came to be known as "Mrs. Hamblin". When she died in childbirth in July 1835, Hamblin entered a relationship with playwright Louisa Medina.
330:, but local residents opposed the plan. Instead, he rebuilt the Bowery once more. Tastes were becoming more upscale, and Hamblin turned over active management to
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In the 1840s, increased competition in New York City prompted Hamblin to stage even more spectacular melodramas and to book more variety entertainment such as
702:
288:
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206:
173:
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376:
482:
Charles Kent, 'Blanchard, William (1769–1835)', rev. Nilanjana Banerji, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
866:
360:
Hamblin was a popular target for newspaper satirists, as evidenced by this engraving in "Gallery of Rascalities and Notorieties—No. 8" in
161:. Hamblin had two children by his first wife: William Henry Hamblin Jr. (stage name "Thomas Hamblin Jr") and Elizabeth "Betsey" Hamblin.
424:. They had four more children: Alla, Constance, Edith, and William Snowden Hamblin. Thomas Hamblin died of a "brain fever" (probably
861:
432:) in his Broome Street home on 8 January 1853. He left eight heirs, each of whom received $ 10,000 from his estate. He was buried at
129:
Hamblin was born in Pentonville, England. He apprenticed in a London business but changed course after a successful performance as
836:
654:
return for making no further claims on her ex-husband's estate. The document is dated 2 August 1834: "Booth at the Old Bowery",
467:
382:
He also pugnaciously brooked no opposition. He got into a barroom brawl in October 1834 and once assaulted the editor of the
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was the most popular playhouse in New York City. Hamblin bought out the remaining shares and rented the property to
831:
494:, Monday, 24 October 1825; pg. 2; Issue 12792; col E: In the course of an unfavorable review of another actor
408:" The allegation was not out of character, and many people believed it. Hamblin reacted in his usual fashion:
150:
90:
154:
392:, in his offices. This latter fight led to a two-day trial and Hamblin's conviction in February 1837.
146:
138:
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165:
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in a school production. By 1815, he had made his professional debut as a ballet dancer at London's
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396:
268:
234:" were working class, primarily male, and socially conservative., and Hamblin accordingly staged
507:"Hamblin made his American debut in New York as Hamlet, Nov. 1 1825":'Booth at the Old Bowery',
251:
334:. He faced health problems, and his acting career stalled as his style became outmoded. The
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851:
764:
Thomas Hamblin and the Bowery Theatre: The New York Reign of 'Blood and Thunder' Melodramas
460:
Thomas Hamblin and the Bowery Theatre: The New York Reign of "Blood and Thunder" Melodramas
433:
327:
316:
32:
416:, was severely beaten by Arbaces. It is the only way in which his feelings can be reached.
137:. He toured the British Isles over the next eight years, performing at venues such as the
8:
425:
260:
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behaviour eventually cost him his first wife and resulted in one conviction for assault.
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223:
194:
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Hamblin's success can also be attributed to his hard-nosed business practices. He
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and circus acts. After a fire in 1845, Hamblin tried to build a new theatre on
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110:
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331:
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114:
106:
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A History of the New York Stage: From the First Performance in 1732 to 1901
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307:
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247:
235:
436:. His family maintained ownership of the Bowery Theatre until 1867.
806:
The Cambridge History of American Theatre: Volume II, 1870–1945.
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239:
227:
130:
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The Cambridge History of American Theatre: Beginnings to 1870
778:
Demons of Disorder: Early Blackface Minstrels and Their World
243:
575:
573:
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calling him "a very excellent actor". Theatre historian
105:(14 May 1800 – 8 January 1853) was an English actor and
420:
Hamblin's ex-wife died in 1849, and he married actress
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has acquired by long practice of his art at the Bowery.
570:
552:
Twenty-six Years of the Life of an Actor and Manager
790:Wilmeth, Don B., and Miller, Tice L., eds. (1996).
710:. Quoted in Cockrell 115. Arbaces, a character in
395:In 1838, newspaper editor and blackface performer
218:Hamblin began his tenure as manager of New York's
783:Nichols, Glen (1999). "Hamblin, Thomas Sowerby".
725:According to Joseph H. Tooker reminiscing in the
813:
636:
634:
632:
591:
589:
587:
585:
124:
804:Wilmeth, Don B., and Bigsby, C. W. E. (1999)
797:Wilmeth, Don B., and Bigsby, C. W. E. (1998)
519:
517:
787:, Vol. 9. New York: Oxford University Press.
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37:Print of Thomas S. Hamblin, mid 19th century
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766:. New York and London: Palgrave Macmillan.
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197:attributed his success to these factors:
153:, a popular actress and daughter of actor
31:
565:The Cambridge History of American Theatre
355:
178:
801:. New York: Cambridge University Press.
794:. New York: Cambridge University Press.
759:. New York: Cambridge University Press.
716:, was one of Hamblin's signature roles.
842:English theatre managers and producers
814:
808:New York: Cambridge University Press.
757:Theatre Culture in America, 1825–1860
457:
213:
157:and half-sister of actor/playwright
867:19th-century English businesspeople
792:Cambridge Guide to American Theatre
13:
14:
878:
462:. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 6.
862:19th-century English male actors
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736:
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679:
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661:
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607:
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837:Male actors from New York City
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485:
476:
451:
422:Elizabeth Mary Ann Trewar Shaw
95:Elizabeth Mary Ann Trewar Shaw
1:
780:. Cambridge University Press.
439:
187:Critics praised Hamblin; the
7:
785:American National Biography
125:Early life and stage career
10:
883:
822:American male stage actors
769:Brown, T. Allston (1903).
755:Bank, Rosemary K. (1997).
827:English male stage actors
773:. Dodd, Mead and Company.
762:Bogar, Thomas A. (2017).
691:. Quoted in Cockrell 115.
676:Cockrell 192-3, note 102.
458:Bogar, Thomas A. (2017).
85:
77:
69:
57:
42:
30:
23:
713:The Last Days of Pompeii
617:. Quoted in Nichols 900.
554:. Quoted in Nichols 899.
550:Wemyss, Francis (1847).
541:Brown, vol. 1, p. 128-9.
390:James Gordon Bennett Sr.
832:Male actors from London
776:Cockrell, Dale (1997).
579:Wilmeth and Miller 182.
397:George Washington Dixon
269:George Washington Dixon
532:Quoted in Nichols 899.
367:
345:
204:
184:
147:Sadler's Wells Theatre
103:Thomas Souness Hamblin
359:
340:
199:
182:
563:Wilmeth and Bigsby,
434:Ocean Hill, Brooklyn
183:Hamblin as Red Riven
113:he helped establish
703:New York Transcript
426:cerebral meningitis
261:Junius Brutus Booth
151:Elizabeth Blanchard
91:Elizabeth Blanchard
649:An article in the
613:9 September 1848.
368:
366:, 31 October 1841.
214:The Bowery Theatre
185:
139:Drury Lane Theatre
469:978-3-319-68405-5
430:cerebral syphilis
297:Charles W. Taylor
289:James B. Phillips
281:Josephine Clifton
230:district. These "
155:William Blanchard
100:
99:
25:Thomas S. Hamblin
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717:
706:, quoted in the
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273:Louisa Lane Drew
224:James H. Hackett
195:T. Allston Brown
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50:
35:
21:
20:
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750:Further reading
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658:, 19 June 1887.
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567:Vol. I, p. 156.
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511:, 19 June 1887.
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406:The Polyanthos.
385:New York Herald
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313:W. E. Dinneford
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159:E. L. Blanchard
135:Adelphi Theatre
127:
107:theatre manager
62:
48:
46:
38:
26:
17:
12:
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5:
880:
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847:Actor-managers
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733:, 19 June 1887
731:New York Times
727:New York Times
718:
700:31 July 1838.
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656:New York Times
651:New York Times
642:
628:
619:
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509:New York Times
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484:
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418:
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414:The Polyanthos
353:
350:
338:reported that
324:minstrel shows
293:Thomas D. Rice
265:Frank Chanfrau
242:acts, English
238:performances,
220:Bowery Theatre
215:
212:
207:Francis Wemyss
174:Albion Theatre
143:Stephen Kemble
126:
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111:Bowery Theatre
98:
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65:(aged 52)
61:8 January 1853
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685:20 June 1838
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673:
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640:Cockrell 115.
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399:wrote in his
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377:Naomi Vincent
374:
365:
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352:Personal life
349:
344:
339:
337:
333:
332:A. W. Jackson
329:
325:
320:
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314:
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300:
298:
294:
290:
286:
285:Louisa Medina
282:
278:
277:Edwin Forrest
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256:
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245:
241:
237:
233:
232:Bowery B'hoys
229:
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222:with partner
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198:
196:
192:
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181:
177:
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170:Edwin Forrest
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152:
149:. He married
148:
144:
141:(for manager
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115:working-class
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96:
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88:
84:
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45:
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16:British actor
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686:
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672:
667:Brown 128-9.
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645:
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614:
609:
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595:Nichols 900.
564:
559:
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523:Nichols 899.
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317:Thomas Flynn
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188:
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166:Park Theatre
163:
128:
119:
102:
101:
63:(1853-01-08)
18:
857:1853 deaths
852:1800 births
708:Boston Post
688:Boston Post
252:Shakespeare
246:, American
70:Nationality
53:14 May 1800
816:Categories
742:Brown 129.
626:Brown 128.
440:References
401:Polyanthos
308:advertised
78:Occupation
49:1800-05-14
604:Bank 116.
496:The Times
492:The Times
363:The Flash
248:melodrama
236:blackface
86:Spouse(s)
328:Broadway
373:affairs
172:at the
73:English
615:Albion
466:
336:Albion
295:, and
250:, and
240:circus
228:Bowery
190:Albion
145:) and
131:Hamlet
445:Notes
244:farce
81:Actor
464:ISBN
315:and
93:, 2.
58:Died
43:Born
428:or
818::
631:^
584:^
572:^
516:^
388:,
291:,
287:,
283:,
279:,
275:,
271:,
267:,
263:,
176:.
89:1.
472:.
51:)
47:(
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