Kemble, Charles

Kemble, Charles (1775–1854), English actor-manager, youngest brother of John Philip Kemble. As a child he acted in the provincial company of his father Roger Kemble and at the age of 17 he was seen as Orlando in As You Like It, later one of his best parts. He made his first appearance in London in 1794, playing Malcolm to the Macbeth and Lady Macbeth of his brother and sister ( Mrs Siddons). Not at first a good actor, being somewhat awkward, with a weak voice, he in time overcame his difficulties and was considered an accomplished player in such parts as Benedick, Mercutio, Charles Surface, and Mirabell. He wisely left tragedy to his eldest brother, whom he assisted in the management of Covent Garden, taking over when John retired in 1817. He was saved from bankruptcy by the acting of his daughter Fanny (below). Troubled by increasing deafness, Charles retired in 1832 to become Examiner of Plays and to give Shakespeare readings. He also visited America, where his courtesy and affable manner caused him to be considered a typical ‘English gentleman’.

He married in 1806 the actress Maria Theresa De Camp (1774–1838), who retired in 1819, having been much admired as Edmund in Kenney's The Blind Boy (1807) and as Lady Elizabeth Freelove in her own one-act comedy The Day after the Wedding; or, A Wife's First Lesson (1808). She was also good as Mrs Sullen in Farquhar's The Beaux' Stratagem and as Madge Wildfire in Daniel Terry's musical version of Scott's The Heart of Midlothian (1818).