Toole, JOHN LAWRENCE

Toole, JOHN LAWRENCE, the most popular low-comedian of his day, was born in London on 12th March 1832. Originally intended for city life, he soon gave up the desk and became an actor. He first played at Ipswich, then served an apprenticeship in the provinces, making a great reputation for himself in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dublin. He made his first appearance in London at the St James's Theatre in 1854, and played afterwards at the Lyceum with Charles Dillon, at the Adelphi under the management of Benjamin Webster, and at the ill-fated Queen's Theatre in Long Acre. In 1874-75 he played in the United States, and in 1890 in Australia. In 1879 he became lessee of the Folly Theatre, which he enlarged, changing the name to 'Toole's Theatre.' See his Reminiscences, chronicled by Joseph Hatton (1888).