Dennis Delane (died April 1750) was an Irish stage actor who appeared
for many years at the leading London theatres.Delane was educated at
Trinity College, Dublin and originally intended to become a lawyer.
His first appearance as an actor took place about 1728 at the Smock
Alley Theatre, Dublin, then under the management of Thomas Elrington.
Delane supported successfully a large round of characters in tragedy
and comedy, his principal parts being Alexander in Lee's ‘Rival
Queens’ and Young Bevil in the ‘Conscious Lovers’ of Richard
Steele.High terms were offered him by Henry Giffard for London, and he
opened at Goodman's Fields in 1730, presumably 24 November, as Chamont
in the ‘Orphan.’ His success was conspicuous and immediate. During
the four years in which he remained at Goodman's Fields he played in
rapid succession Othello, Orestes, Oroonoko, Hotspur, Ghost in
‘Hamlet,’ Richard III, Brutus, Macbeth, Lear, Cato, and very many
other roles. On 25 September 1735 he appeared as Alexander at Covent
Garden, when he added to his repertory Antony, Lothario, Falstaff,
King John, Jaffier, Richard II, Henry V, Volpone, Herod, &c. Six years
later, 28 December 1741, he is found playing Richard III at Drury
Lane, where subsequently he took Comus, Shylock, Hamlet, Bajazet,
Faulconbridge, Silvio in John Fletcher's ‘Women Pleased,’ &c., and
created the characters of Mahomet in James Miller's adaptation of
Voltaire's tragedy (25 April 1744), Osmond in Thomson's ‘Tancred and
Sigismunda’ (18 March 1745), and King Henry in Macklin's ‘King
Henry the 7th, or the Popish Impostor’ (18 January 1746).On 17
October 1748 as Hotspur he returned to Covent Garden, where he
remained until his death, which is mentioned in the ‘General
Advertiser’ of 3 April 1750 as having taken place 'on Saturday
night', that is, on 29 March 1750.[clarification needed]
for many years at the leading London theatres.Delane was educated at
Trinity College, Dublin and originally intended to become a lawyer.
His first appearance as an actor took place about 1728 at the Smock
Alley Theatre, Dublin, then under the management of Thomas Elrington.
Delane supported successfully a large round of characters in tragedy
and comedy, his principal parts being Alexander in Lee's ‘Rival
Queens’ and Young Bevil in the ‘Conscious Lovers’ of Richard
Steele.High terms were offered him by Henry Giffard for London, and he
opened at Goodman's Fields in 1730, presumably 24 November, as Chamont
in the ‘Orphan.’ His success was conspicuous and immediate. During
the four years in which he remained at Goodman's Fields he played in
rapid succession Othello, Orestes, Oroonoko, Hotspur, Ghost in
‘Hamlet,’ Richard III, Brutus, Macbeth, Lear, Cato, and very many
other roles. On 25 September 1735 he appeared as Alexander at Covent
Garden, when he added to his repertory Antony, Lothario, Falstaff,
King John, Jaffier, Richard II, Henry V, Volpone, Herod, &c. Six years
later, 28 December 1741, he is found playing Richard III at Drury
Lane, where subsequently he took Comus, Shylock, Hamlet, Bajazet,
Faulconbridge, Silvio in John Fletcher's ‘Women Pleased,’ &c., and
created the characters of Mahomet in James Miller's adaptation of
Voltaire's tragedy (25 April 1744), Osmond in Thomson's ‘Tancred and
Sigismunda’ (18 March 1745), and King Henry in Macklin's ‘King
Henry the 7th, or the Popish Impostor’ (18 January 1746).On 17
October 1748 as Hotspur he returned to Covent Garden, where he
remained until his death, which is mentioned in the ‘General
Advertiser’ of 3 April 1750 as having taken place 'on Saturday
night', that is, on 29 March 1750.[clarification needed]
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