Henry Erskine Johnston (1777â€"1830?) was a Scottish actor.Born in
Edinburgh in May 1777, he was apprenticed to a linendraper, and made
his first appearance on the Edinburgh stage under Stephen Kemble as an
amateur in the part of Prince Hamlet, 9 July 1794; the Thespian
Dictionary claimed that he also played Harlequin. His success was
immediate. After playing a few nights, he crossed the sea to Dublin,
where he acted twelve nights, appearing on seven of them as Norval in
Douglas by John Home.Johnston's first appearance in London took place
at Covent Garden Theatre, in Douglas, 23 October 1797. He was praised
in the European Review. He remained at Covent Garden, with summer
engagements at the Haymarket Theatre, until the season of
1802â€"3.With seven other actors, Johnston signed the statement of
grievances against the management of Covent Garden. After the
dismissal of Joseph George Holman, he is said to have owed his
re-engagement to John Fawcett, who refused to renew his contract
otherwise. As Norval in Douglas he made, 15 September 1803, his first
appearance at Drury Lane, playing Anhalt in Lovers' Vows by Elizabeth
Inchbald on 22 September, to the Amelia of his wife. There he remained
for two years, playing among other characters Petruchio and Duke
Aranza in The Honey Moon (John Tobin). He returned to Covent Garden 13
October 1805, as the original Rugantino in Monk Lewis's Bravo of
Venice.
Edinburgh in May 1777, he was apprenticed to a linendraper, and made
his first appearance on the Edinburgh stage under Stephen Kemble as an
amateur in the part of Prince Hamlet, 9 July 1794; the Thespian
Dictionary claimed that he also played Harlequin. His success was
immediate. After playing a few nights, he crossed the sea to Dublin,
where he acted twelve nights, appearing on seven of them as Norval in
Douglas by John Home.Johnston's first appearance in London took place
at Covent Garden Theatre, in Douglas, 23 October 1797. He was praised
in the European Review. He remained at Covent Garden, with summer
engagements at the Haymarket Theatre, until the season of
1802â€"3.With seven other actors, Johnston signed the statement of
grievances against the management of Covent Garden. After the
dismissal of Joseph George Holman, he is said to have owed his
re-engagement to John Fawcett, who refused to renew his contract
otherwise. As Norval in Douglas he made, 15 September 1803, his first
appearance at Drury Lane, playing Anhalt in Lovers' Vows by Elizabeth
Inchbald on 22 September, to the Amelia of his wife. There he remained
for two years, playing among other characters Petruchio and Duke
Aranza in The Honey Moon (John Tobin). He returned to Covent Garden 13
October 1805, as the original Rugantino in Monk Lewis's Bravo of
Venice.
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