The Heir at Law (1797) is a comedic play in five acts by George Colman the Younger that remained popular through the 19th century. It and John Bull (1803) were Colman's best known comedies.[1]
Sol Smith Russell, one of many well-known actors who have played Dr. Pangloss
The piece debuted at the Haymarket in London on 15 July 1797, with John Fawcett playing Dr. Pangloss, and ran for 27 performances.[2]
It was first performed in the United States at the Park Theatre in New York in April 1799. Many American actors played the role of Pangloss to success, including comedian Joseph Jefferson starting in 1857 at the Olympic Theatre in New York.[3][4]
The play is best known for creating the comic character of Dr. Peter Pangloss, a greedy and pompous teacher hired at a salary of 300 pounds a year to tutor merchant Daniel Dowlas, who has been recently elevated to the title of Lord Duberly after the death of a distant cousin. Pangloss refers to himself as an "LL.D. and A.S.S.", and the character is fond of spouting off literary quotes which he then attributes in the fashion of "Lend me your ears. Shakespeare. Hem!" or "Verbum sat. Horace. Hem!"[5] The surname "Pangloss" is derived from the character of that name in the 1759 novel Candide by Voltaire, the personal tutor of the main character Candide.[6]
The Heir at Law public domain audiobook at LibriVox
January 01, 1970
heir, 1797, comedic, play, five, acts, george, colman, younger, that, remained, popular, through, 19th, century, john, bull, 1803, were, colman, best, known, comedies, smith, russell, many, well, known, actors, have, played, pangloss, piece, debuted, haymarket. The Heir at Law 1797 is a comedic play in five acts by George Colman the Younger that remained popular through the 19th century It and John Bull 1803 were Colman s best known comedies 1 Sol Smith Russell one of many well known actors who have played Dr Pangloss The piece debuted at the Haymarket in London on 15 July 1797 with John Fawcett playing Dr Pangloss and ran for 27 performances 2 It was first performed in the United States at the Park Theatre in New York in April 1799 Many American actors played the role of Pangloss to success including comedian Joseph Jefferson starting in 1857 at the Olympic Theatre in New York 3 4 Contents 1 Characters and plot 2 July 1797 cast 3 References 4 External linksCharacters and plot editThe play is best known for creating the comic character of Dr Peter Pangloss a greedy and pompous teacher hired at a salary of 300 pounds a year to tutor merchant Daniel Dowlas who has been recently elevated to the title of Lord Duberly after the death of a distant cousin Pangloss refers to himself as an LL D and A S S and the character is fond of spouting off literary quotes which he then attributes in the fashion of Lend me your ears Shakespeare Hem or Verbum sat Horace Hem 5 The surname Pangloss is derived from the character of that name in the 1759 novel Candide by Voltaire the personal tutor of the main character Candide 6 July 1797 cast editJohn Fawcett as Dr Pangloss Richard Suett as Daniel Dowlas Lord Duberly John Palmer as Dick Dowlas Joseph Shepherd Munden as Zekiel Homespun Charles Kemble as Henry Horeland James Aickin as Steadfast John Henry Johnstone as Kenrick Maria Theresa Kemble Miss De Camp as Caroline Dormer Maria Gibbs as Cicely Homespun Mary Ann Davenport as Deborah Dowlas Lady Duberly 7 References edit Dabundo Laura ed Encyclopedia of Romanticism Routledge Revivals Culture in Britain 1780s 1830s p 117 1992 Highfill Philip H Jr et al A Biographical Directory of Actors 1660 1800 Vol 5 p 201 1978 The Drama Its History Literature and Influence on Civilization Volume 20 pp 110 11 1906 29 March 1890 At the Theatres New York Dramatic Mirror Vol 23 No 587 p 4 review of 1890 revival Brewer E Cobham Character Sketches of Romance Fiction and the Drama Volume V p 153 1902 Peake Richard Brinsley Memoirs of the Colman family including their correspondence Vol II pp 277 79 1841 Munden Thomas Shepperd Memoirs of Joseph Shepherd Munden Comedian pp 73 74 1844 External links editThe Heir at Law at Internet Archive nbsp The Heir at Law public domain audiobook at LibriVox Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Heir at Law amp oldid 1144925961, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
