National Portrait Gallery JOHN PHILIP KEMBLE by Stuart A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, title: Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers & Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660- 1800. Vol. 8, Hough to Keyse Highfill, Philip H.; Burnim, Kalman A.; author: Langhans, Edward A. publisher: Southern Illinois University Press isbn10 | asin: 080930919X print isbn13: 9780809309191 ebook isbn13: 9780585031521 language: English Performing arts--England--London-- Biography--Dictionaries, Actors--England-- London--Biography--Dictionaries, subject Theatrical managers--England--London-- Biography--Dictionaries, London (England)--Biography--Dictionaries. publication date: 1982 lcc: PN2597.H54 1982eb ddc: 790.2/092 Performing arts--England--London-- Biography--Dictionaries, Actors--England-- London--Biography--Dictionaries, subject: Theatrical managers--England--London-- Biography--Dictionaries, London (England)--Biography--Dictionaries. A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers & Other Stage Personnel in London, 16601800 Volume 8: Hough to Keyse Philip H. Highfill, Jr. Kalman A. Burnim Edward A. Langhans SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY PRESS CARBONDALE AND EDWARDSVILLE Copyright © 1982 by Southern Illinois University Press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Edited by Joyce Atwood Designed by Andor Braun and George Lenox Publication of this work was made possible in part through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data (Revised) Highfill, Philip H A biographical dictionary of actors, actresses, musicians, dancers, man- agers & other stage personnel in London, 16601800. Includes bibliographical references. CONTENTS: v. 1. Abaco to Belfille.v. 2. Belfort to Byzand. {etc.}v. 8. Hough to Keyse. 1. Performing artsLondonBiography. I. Burnim, Kalman A., joint author. II. Langhans, Edward A., joint author. III. Title. PN2597.H5 790.2'092'2 {B} 71-157068 ISBN 080930919X (v. 8) List of Illustrations Operas, Promptbooks, and Parts Frontispiece to Ariadne, 30 March 1674 437 The Beggar's Opera, 29 January 1728 438 Title page, The Siege of Belgrade, 1 January 439 1791 The King's Theatre opera house, 27 September 440 1820 Promptbook for James Shirley's The Sisters 441 Promptbook for John Wilson's Belphegor 442 Promptbook for Charles Johnson's The Force of 443 Friendship David Garrick's preparation book for Hamlet 444 George Colman's promptbook for The Merry 445 Wives of Windsor Trace of prompt copy "(Call Quickwitt") 446 Trico's part in translation of Ruggle's Ignoramus 447 Don Felix's part in Centlivre's The Wonder 448 Page 1 H (continued) Hough, Mr [fl. 17951800], boxkeeper. Mr Hough was one of the boxkeepers at Drury Lane who was listed in annual benefit bills from 5 June 1795 through 14 June 1800. Hough, Peter d. 1759, dancer, tumbler. The Mr Hough who danced a Servant in Harlequin Restored at Drury Lane on 7 October 1735 was very likely Peter Hough, who was active at Sadler's Wells the following decade. During the remainder of the 173536 season at Drury Lane Mr Hough was seen as the Constable in The Harlot's Progress, John Trot (probably the Servant) and Monsieur Roundall in Harlequin Restored, Monsieur Roundall again in Taste à la Mode (apparently a piece from Harlequin Restored), and in an entr'acte turn drawn from Taste à la Mode. Hough continued dancing at Drury Lane through the 174142 season, performing such new characters as Fatty and the Clockmaker in Poor Pierrot Married, Mother Midnight in The Harlot's Progress, one of the Chinese Guards in Harlequin Grand Volgi, the Egg Woman and a Clown in Harlequin Shipwrecked, Slouch in Robin Goodfellow, one of the crowd of citizens in both Oedipus and Julius Caesar, and the King of Antipodes in Chrononhotonthologos. He occasionally shared benefits in the spring with other minor performers. Hough's activity at Drury Lane ceased after the spring of 1742, and it seems most probable that he was the Mr Hough who had a benefit at the New Wells, London Spa, on 23 February 1743 (the place seems to have been specially opened for the occasion). On 7 February 1746 the Reverend John Lloyd leased Sadler's Wells to Thomas Rosomon, who had previously managed the New Wells, Spa Fields, and to Peter Hough. The lease that Peter and Rosomon obtained was for 21 years at a yearly rental of £100 plus the rates and taxes. The partners opened Sadler's Wells in April 1746, and Hough appeared there as a tumbler from time to time. Dennis Arundell says that Peter Hough died in 1759, apparently on stage at Sadler's Wells. His epitaph, as reported by Arundell, read, "Here lies the bones of Peter Hough / Of Sadler's Wells, and that's enough." Hough, Mrs [Peter?] [fl. 17411748], singer, dancer. A Mrs Hough replaced Miss Minors as a Gypsy in the pantomime The Fortune Tellers at Drury Lane Theatre on 12 November 1741. She was probably the Mrs Hough who danced at Sadler's Wells in April 1746 and sang there on 14 March 1748. The dates of her activity coincide sufficiently with those of Peter Hough that one may guess she may have been his wife. Houghton. See also HAUGHTON. Houghton, Mr [fl. 17841794], drummer. Mr Houghton played kettledrums at the Handel Memorial Concerts in Westminster Abbey and at the Pantheon in May and June 1784. Doane's Musical Directory of 1794 listed him as a member of the Academy of Ancient Music and a participant in oratorio performances at Drury Lane and Westminster Abbey. He also performed at Covent Garden, according to Doane, and may have been a permanent member of the band there. Houghton lived in Newport Street. Houghton, [Robert?] [fl. 17761793?], painter. A manuscript at the Folger Shakespeare Library lists a Mr Houghton as a painter at Covent Garden Theatre on 30 September 1793. It is quite possible that he was Robert Houghton, whose name was recorded many times in the accounts of the Theatre Royal in Liverpool. The earliest mention of him there was in 1776, when he was receiving 9s. weekly as a painter during the winter season and was noted as having worked a week cleaning scenes before the 1776 summer season. Other entries, in 1776, 1777, and 1778, mention Houghton's services in connection with scenery: grinding colors, serving as a painter's man, assisting in the preparation of Harlequin's Invasion (five and a half days; 4s. paid him on 21 June 1777), and working on "the stuff to make the New Shapes of Robes" (£9 10s. 9d. paid him on 29 November 1786, probably for the materialsand that night he received £2 3s. for his benefit tickets). A second Houghton, probably related to Robert the painter, served in Liverpool as a checker and general handyman at 4s. weekly. He may have been the Houghton "Junr" who was paid a shilling as an "Extra man" at Liverpool on 18 August 1777; he seems not to have worked in London. Page 2 Houseman, Mr [fl. 1723], dancer. A Mr Houseman danced the Drunken Swiss at the Haymarket Theatre on 26 and 27 December 1723, according to Latreille. The London Stage cites the dancer as "Noaseman" and lists him as dancing on 26 and 30 December. A clipping in the Burney Collection at the British Library cites him as "Nosemen" and as dancing on 30 December. Houseman, William [fl. 16751676], actor. The London Stage lists William Houseman as an actor in the King's Company at Drury Lane in 167576. Howard. See also HAWARD. Howard, Mr [fl. 17331745], dancer. Mr Howard's benefit tickets were accepted at Covent Garden on 2 May 1733, and it is probable that he was the dancer who appeared there as an Ethiopian and as Euryale in performances of Perseus and Andromeda beginning on 13 February 1735. He was not otherwise noted in the bills, but he may have been in the dancing chorus throughout the season. The same person was probably the dancer Howard who was in the Goodman's Fields troupe in 174445 and was seen as the Farmer in The Jealous Farmer on 28 February 1745. The last mention of him in the bills was on 2 December 1745, when he shared a benefit with several others. A Mrs Howard was granted a benefit at Goodman's Fields on 6 February 1747; she is not known to have been in the troupe, though she may well have been. Howard, Mr [fl. 17351736], house servant. Latreille identified Mr Howard of the Covent Garden Theatre in 173536 as a pit office keeper at a salary of 2s. 6d. nightly. On 31 May 1736 Howard shared a benefit with two others, and at some point during the season he replaced Mrs Redfern as a boxkeeper.