Charles Holland (actor, born 1768)

Charles Holland
Charles Holland
Born	1768
Died	1849?
Nationality	English
Occupation	Actor

Charles Holland (1768–1849?) was an English actor.

Biography

Hollans was the son of Thomas Holland of Chiswick, was a nephew of Charles Holland. After playing for some time in the country he appeared at Drury Lane, 31 October 1796, as Marcellus in ‘Hamlet.’ At this theatre he remained until the season of 1819–1820, getting few chances and failing to improve his position. Some notice was taken of his opening performance, and his Trueman in the ‘London Merchant,’ in which character he supported Mrs. Siddons as Milwood, is said to have been ‘a chaste, manly, and feeling performance’ (Monthly Mirror, ii. 499). On the death of Palmer, who was replaced by Barrymore, he took, 15 February 1798, the character of Count Wintersen in the ‘Stranger,’ and during the illness of Charles Kemble he performed Alonzo in ‘Pizarro,’ in which piece he was the original Centinel, 24 May 1799. He essayed also Palmer's character of Sydenham in the ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ and was said to have proved ‘that his talents were entitled to more attention and encouragement from the managers.’ He acted at Drury Lane many subordinate parts in unimportant dramas by Whalley, Cherry, S. Sotheby, Cumberland, and others. On 15 June 1800 he played Cassio, and on 20 November 1800 the Dauphin in ‘King John.’ On 25 April 1801 he was the original Infirmier in ‘Julian and Agnes,’ by Sotheby. On 6 June 1809, as Steinfort in ‘The Stranger,’ he made his first appearance at the Haymarket, where, 25 July 1810, he was the original Henry Mortimer in Eyres's ‘High Life in the City.’ He accompanied the Drury Lane company in its migration to the Lyceum, and on the opening of the new theatre, 10 October 1812, was Horatio to Elliston's Hamlet. Holland supported Kean in many plays, was York to Kean's Richard II, the original Hassan to his Selim in the ‘Bride of Abydos,’ the original Mendizabel to Kean's Manuel in Maturin's play of ‘Manuel,’ 8 March 1817, and Buckingham to Kean's Richard III, 8 November 1819. He was the Earl of Angus in ‘Flodden Field,’ an adaptation of ‘Marmion,’ and Cedric in the ‘Hebrew,’ Soane's adaptation of ‘Ivanhoe.’ On 24 April 1820 he played Gloucester to Kean's Lear, repeating the character on several succeeding nights. Gilliland speaks of him as having a delicacy of nerve that interfered with his success, says his intellect was under the direction of a refined education, and adds that his figure was not ungraceful and his deportment not inelegant. A contributor to ‘Notes and Queries’ recalls him as a fine-looking man, and says ‘he died in 1849.’ His sister Elizabeth married Joseph Constantine Carpue.

References

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Knight, John Joseph (1891). "Holland, Charles (1768-1849?)". In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 27. London: Smith, Elder & Co.