- Spranger Barry
Spranger Barry (
November 23 ,1719 –January 10 ,1777 ), Britishactor , was born inDublin , the son of asilversmith , to whose business he was brought up. His first appearance on the stage was at the Theatre Royal, Smock Alley on theFebruary 5 ,1744 , and his engagement at once increased its prosperity. His firstLondon appearance was made in 1746 as Othello atDrury Lane . Here his talents were speedily recognized, and in "Hamlet " and "Macbeth " he alternated withDavid Garrick , arousing the latter's jealousy by his success as Romeo. This resulted in his leaving Drury Lane forCovent Garden in 1750, accompanied by Mrs Cibber, his Juliet. Both houses now at once put on "Romeo and Juliet " for a series of rival performances, and Barry's impersonation was preferred by the critics to Garrick's.In 1758 Barry built the
Crow Street theatre ,Dublin , and later a new theatre in Cork, but he was not successful as a manager and returned toLondon to play at theHaymarket Theatre , then under the management of Foote. As his second wife, he married in 1768 the actress Mrs Dancer (1734-1801), and he and Mrs Barry played under Garrick's management, Barry appearing in 1767, after ten years absence from the stage, in "Othello ", his greatest part. In 1774 they both moved to Covent Garden, where Barry remained until his death.References
*1911
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