Cooke, GEORGE FREDERICK

Cooke, GEORGE FREDERICK, actor, born in Westminster in 1756, made his first public appearance at Brentford in 1776, and in the period between 1784 and 1800 became very popular in the English provinces and in Ireland, attaining a front rank in his profession, in spite of drinking habits that increased with his years. From 1801 to 1810 he played at Covent Garden both in comedy and in tragedy, and rivalled Kemble in the public favour; although here, also, from 1803, when he was hissed off the stage for drunkenness, his intemperance was a notorious thing, and a matter for jesting apology. His best characters were Richard, Shylock, Iago, Sir Giles Overreach, and Sir Pertinax MacSycophant. In 1810 he visited America, and appeared before enthusiastic audiences in the chief northern cities, where admiration for the actor secured indulgence and pity for the extravagances of the drunkard. He died in New York city, 26th September 1811; a monument marks his grave, erected in 1821 by Edmund Kean, who regarded Cooke as the greatest of actors. See his Life by William Dunlap (Lond. 1813).