Colman, George the elder

The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre | 1996 | 700+ words | Copyright

Colman, George the elder (1732–94), English dramatist and theatre manager, who was attracted to the theatre by his friendship with Garrick, to whom his first play Polly Honey-combe (1760) was originally attributed. It was not acknowledged by its author until after the success of The Clandestine Marriage (1766), which represents Colman's best work. The play was frequently revived, the part of Lord Ogleby, which Garrick refused, considering it not suited to him and leaving it to Tom King, being a favourite with many leading character actors. To show his displeasure with Garrick, Colman took over Covent Garden, remaining there until 1774, and producing there a number of good plays, among them those of Goldsmith. In 1776 he moved to the Haymarket, where notable events of his excellent management were John Gay's Polly (1777) and some of the early works of his own son George (below).

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PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Colman, George the elder." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Colman, George the elder." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O79-ColmanGeorgetheelder.html

PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Colman, George the elder." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O79-ColmanGeorgetheelder.html

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