Charles Murray (1754â€"1821) was a Scottish actor and dramatist.The
son of Sir John Murray of Broughton, he was born at Cheshunt in
Hertfordshire. He spent some time in France, studied pharmacy and
surgery in London, and went surgeon's mate on some Mediterranean
voyages.After playing as an amateur in Liverpool Murray went, with an
introduction from Younger, the theatre manager there, to Tate
Wilkinson of the York circuit. He made his first professional stage
appearance at York, under the name of Raymur, and playing Carlos in
Love makes a Man, or the Fop's Fortune (Colley Cibber). A quarrel in a
tavern in Wakefield in September 1776 lost him his position.After
further time at sea Murray acted under his own name with Griffiths at
Norwich. On 8 October 1785, as Sir Giles Overreach in A New Way to pay
Old Debts, he made his first appearance in Bath. Here he remained
until 1796, playing a great variety of parts. His wife Mrs. Murray
occasionally played with him, and on 1 July 1793, for the benefit of
her father and of her mother, who played Queen Elinor, his young
daughter Harriet Murray made her first stage appearance as Prince
Arthur. She subsequently played Titania, and on Mrs. Murray's final
benefit in Bath on 19 May 1796, Fine Lady in David Garrick's Lethe. On
this occasion Murray spoke a farewell address.
son of Sir John Murray of Broughton, he was born at Cheshunt in
Hertfordshire. He spent some time in France, studied pharmacy and
surgery in London, and went surgeon's mate on some Mediterranean
voyages.After playing as an amateur in Liverpool Murray went, with an
introduction from Younger, the theatre manager there, to Tate
Wilkinson of the York circuit. He made his first professional stage
appearance at York, under the name of Raymur, and playing Carlos in
Love makes a Man, or the Fop's Fortune (Colley Cibber). A quarrel in a
tavern in Wakefield in September 1776 lost him his position.After
further time at sea Murray acted under his own name with Griffiths at
Norwich. On 8 October 1785, as Sir Giles Overreach in A New Way to pay
Old Debts, he made his first appearance in Bath. Here he remained
until 1796, playing a great variety of parts. His wife Mrs. Murray
occasionally played with him, and on 1 July 1793, for the benefit of
her father and of her mother, who played Queen Elinor, his young
daughter Harriet Murray made her first stage appearance as Prince
Arthur. She subsequently played Titania, and on Mrs. Murray's final
benefit in Bath on 19 May 1796, Fine Lady in David Garrick's Lethe. On
this occasion Murray spoke a farewell address.
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