John Brougham

John Brougham (9 May 1814 – 7 June 1880) was an Irish and American actor, dramatist, poet, theatre manager, and author. As an actor he was celebrated for his portrayals of comic Irish characters. The author of more than seventy-five dramatic works, with some sources stating more than 150, he was particularly successful in the genres of burlesque and satire. His large output of subversive satirical stage works earned him the nickname "The American Aristophanes" among critics. In addition to his work as a playwright he published two volumes of his miscellaneous writings; including essays, poems, and other works. Born in Dublin, Brougham began his career as a professional actor in London in 1830 and staged his first play in that city in 1831. After performing for a decade in the theatre troupe of actress Lucia Elizabeth Vestris and her husband Charles James Mathews, first at the Olympic Theatre and then the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden (now the Royal Opera House), he became manager of the Lyceum Theatre, London in 1840. He left that position in 1842 to travel to the United States where he made his stage debut at the Park Theatre, New York City in 1842. Brougham rapidly became a favorite actor among the American public in a wide range of contemporary plays, and toured the United States in theatre troupes led by the impresarios William Evans Burton and James William Wallack in addition to appearing on Broadway with some frequency. During this period he also worked as a theatre manager in New York City, managing such theaters as Niblo's Garden, Brougham's Lyceum Theatre, and the Bowery Theatre. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1844 upon his second marriage to American actress Annette Hawley. He left the United States at the height of his popularity just prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War; returning to England in September 1860 to work once again on the London stage. After further performances in England and Ireland in the first half of the 1860s, Brougham returned to New York City in October 1865 to join the company of players at the Winter Garden Theatre. By this time his popularity had dwindled, but he remained active as a performer. at the Winter Garden and in the theatre troupe of Augustin Daly up until October 1879. He died just eight months later in New York City in June 1880.