Gilbert, John, 1810-1889

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John Gibbs Gilbert (February 27, 1810 – June 17, 1889) was an American stage actor whose real name was Gibbs.

Born in Boston, he made his first appearance there at the Tremont Theatre, in 1828, as Jaffier in Otway's Venice Preserved. His original aim was to be a tragedian, but while on a tour through the South and West, the success of his Sir Anthony Absolute, Master Walter, etc., convinced him that his true bent was for "old men" parts, and he soon became the leading American actor in that line of comedy. In 1834, he again came forward at the Tremont Theatre, Acting Mr. Dornton in The Road to Ruin. The occasion was that of a benefit to George Barrett — a favorite comedian of that epoch. The Tremont was managed then by Thomas Barry, who died on February 11, 1876, full of years and honors. Gilbert remained at the Tremont Theatre five years. The versatility of his talents and the variety of his efforts at that time are denoted by the list of parts which he acted during the first season with Barry. This includes Master Walter, Isaac of York, Sir Peter Teale, Pizarro, Iago, Sir Edward Mortimer, Admiral Kingston, Lieutenant Worthington, Sir Robert Bramble, Polonius, Uncle John, Tom Noddy, Macduff, Mr. Dornton, Squeers, King Henry the Sixth, Adam, Malec, Kent and Rolanio. In 1847 he had a successful engagement in London. From 1862 until the close of Wallack's Theatre, New York, he was connected with that house. In December 1872, he appeared there with actress Effie Germon in a production of Brother Sam. His most famous rôle was that of Sir Peter Teazle in The School for Scandal; his Sir Anthony, Old Dornton in The Road to Ruin and Lord Ogleby in The Clandestine Marriage were also noted.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Palmer, Samuel, 1805-1881. Letter, 1880, February 18, Furze Hill House, Mead Vale, Red Hill, England, to Sir John Gilbert. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
referencedIn Clapp, William Warland, Jr., 1826-1891. Correspondence, 1790-1891 (bulk 1840-1891) Houghton Library
creatorOf Gilbert, John, 1810-1889. John Gilbert book collection, 1811-1875 Houghton Library
referencedIn Bolton, Ethel Stanwood, 1873-. The north side of Richmond Street, Boston, in 1866 [graphic] / E.S. Bolton ; from a water colour drawing by WIlliam Walker in 1866. Boston Athenaeum
creatorOf Collection of autographs, [ca. 1797 to ca. 1915] Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
referencedIn People of the theater : portraits and autographs, 1872-1923. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Boston Museum (1847-1903). Correspondence of the Boston Museum, 1864-1898 (inclusive). Harvard University, Harvard Theater Collection, Harvard College Library
referencedIn Myer S. Isaacs, (1841-1904), Collection, undated, 1844, 1851-1925 American Jewish Historical Society
creatorOf Draper, Walter S. Collection of autograph letters and autographs, 1865-1890. Boston Athenaeum
creatorOf Gilbert, John, 1810-1889,. Autograph letters signed from John Gilbert, New York, to William Winter [manuscript], 1884-1889. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Clarke, George H., 1840-1906?. Promptbooks for productions of Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor, ca.1830-1910. Houghton Library
creatorOf John Gilbert miscellany, 1887-1889 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Lagowitz, Harriet L., fl. 1877-1890. Harriet L. Lagowitz autograph albums, 1877-1890. Johns Hopkins University, Sheridan Libraries and the Milton S. Eisenhower Library
creatorOf Gilbert, John, 1810-1889. Album, 18--. Harold B. Lee Library
referencedIn Harvard Theatre Collection, collector. Harvard Theatre Collection of printed plays inscribed by John Gilbert and George Pierce Baker, circa 1823-1890 Houghton Library
referencedIn Ludlow, Noah Miller, 1795-1886. Papers of Noah Miller Ludlow, 1810-1896 (inclusive), 1835-1885 (bulk). Harvard University, Harvard Theater Collection, Harvard College Library
referencedIn Canton, Rachel L. Promptbooks for productions of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, 1834-ca.1900. Houghton Library
referencedIn Jefferson, Joseph, 1829-1905,. Autograph letter signed Joseph Jefferson, Young's Hotel, Boston, Mass., to William Winter, New Brighton, 1890 November 21. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Hackett, Norman. Promptbooks for productions of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, 1804-1905. Houghton Library
creatorOf Ludlow, Noah Miller, 1795-1886. Promptbooks for productions of Shakespeare's King John, 1830-ca.1890. Houghton Library
referencedIn Edmonds, T. W. Promptbooks for productions of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1839-ca.1970. Houghton Library
referencedIn Houghton Library printed book provenance file, E-K. Houghton Library
referencedIn Komisarjevsky, Theodore, 1882-1954. Promptbooks for productions of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, 1859-ca.1900. Houghton Library
referencedIn American Dramatic Fund Association. Letter from the Office of Dramatic Fund Association, New York, to Charlotte Cushman [manuscript], 1849 November 5. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Gilbert, John, 1810-1889,. Autograph letter signed from John Gilbert, New York, to Frederick E. Partington [manuscript], 1887 January 11. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Houghton Library printed book provenance file, E-K. Houghton Library
creatorOf Gilbert, John, 1810-1889. Autograph signature of John Gilbert, Wallack's [Theatre], New York [manuscript], 1880 October 23. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Gilbert, John, 1810-1889,. Autograph letters signed from John Gilbert to various people, 1871-1889. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Cowdery, Oliver. Letterbook [microform] 1833-1846. Harold B. Lee Library
referencedIn Cooke, George Frederick, 1756-1812. Promptbooks for productions of Shakespeare's King Richard the Third, 1785-1905. Houghton Library
creatorOf Howe, John, fl 1850. Promptbooks for productions of Shakespeare's Hamlet, 1800-1909. Houghton Library
creatorOf Skinner, Cornelia Otis, 1901-1979. Promptbooks for productions of Shakespeare's Macbeth, 1757-ca.1920. Houghton Library
referencedIn The Robert Cushman Butler Collection of Theatrical Illustrations Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
creatorOf Gilbert, John, 1810-1889,. Autograph letters signed from John Gilbert to Augustin Daly [manuscript], 1874-1889. Folger Shakespeare Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith American Dramatic Fund Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Bolton, Ethel Stanwood, 1873- person
associatedWith Booth, Edwin, 1833-1893 person
associatedWith Boston Museum (1847-1903) corporateBody
associatedWith Brooklyn Academy of Music corporateBody
correspondedWith Brown, James H. (James Hutchinson), d. 1897 person
associatedWith Clapp, William Warland, 1826-1891 person
associatedWith Cowdery, Oliver. person
correspondedWith Daly, Augustin, 1838-1899 person
associatedWith Draper, Walter S. person
associatedWith Ford collection corporateBody
associatedWith Houghton Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Jefferson, Joseph, 1829-1905, person
associatedWith Lagowitz, Harriet L., fl. 1877-1890. person
associatedWith Ludlow, Noah Miller, 1795-1886. person
associatedWith Myer S. Isaacs and Family family
associatedWith Palmer, Samuel, 1805-1881. person
correspondedWith Partington, Frederick E., d. 1924 person
associatedWith Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 person
associatedWith Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816. person
associatedWith Wallack, Lester, 1820-1888 person
correspondedWith Walton, F. S., 1871-1889 person
associatedWith Winter, Arthur, 1872-1886 person
correspondedWith Winter, William, 1836-1917 person
associatedWith Young, Robert, 1927-2008, person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Boston MA US
Subject
Actors
Actors
Actors
Actresses
Actresses
Falstaff (Fictitious character)
Occupation
Actors
Activity

Person

Birth 1810-02-27

Death 1889-06-17

Information

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