Brougham, John

Brougham, John (1810–80), American actor-manager and dramatist, born in Ireland, who made his first appearance in London in July 1830 in Egan's Tom and Jerry. After a long engagement with Mme Vestris he became manager of the Lyceum, until in 1842 he went to America, making his New York début at the Park Theatre. In 1850 he opened his own theatre on Broadway as Brougham's Lyceum, hoping to rival the success of Mitchell's Olympic. Brougham was a fine actor, an experienced manager, and a jovial popular personality, and his enterprise ought to have been successful; but the short burlesques and farces which had served Mitchell well for so long were now outmoded, and in spite of the hurried importation of such stars as Florence and Charlotte Cushman control of the theatre passed into the hands of the elder Wallack. Brougham continued to act, spending several years in England before opening his second playhouse, the Fifth Avenue Theatre I, in 1869. This again was not a success. Brougham then retired from management and appeared with various stock companies in New York, making his last appearance in 1879 at Booth's Theatre. He was essentially a comedian and his best parts were stage Irishmen such as Sir Lucius O'Trigger in Sheridan's The Rivals and Dennis Brulgruddery in the younger Colman's John Bull, as well as Mr Micawber in Dickens's David Copperfield, Captain Cuttle in his Dombey and Son, and Dazzle in Boucicault's London Assurance.