John Brougham
John Brougham was an Irish playwright and actor, born in 1814. Initially aspiring to become a surgeon, he shifted his focus to acting and made his stage debut in London in 1830. Brougham quickly began writing, producing his first play—a burlesque—in 1831, and later collaborated with fellow Irish playwright Dion Boucicault on the production "London Assurance," where he played the character Dazzle. In 1840, he became the manager of the Lyceum Theater, crafting numerous burlesque works before relocating to the United States in 1842. Settling in New York City, he established Brougham's Lyceum in 1850 and continued to write comedies throughout his career. After a period back in London, he returned to New York in 1869 and showcased his play "Better Late than Never." Despite his prolific output of over a hundred plays and various writings, Brougham struggled financially in his later years, eventually shifting to stock market investments. He passed away in 1880, leaving behind a legacy marked by his contributions to theater and literature.
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John Brougham
Actor
- Born: May 9, 1814
- Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
- Died: June 7, 1880
- Place of death: New York, New York
Biography
Born in Ireland in 1814, John Brougham pursued his early education with the ambition of becoming a surgeon. He left school to become an actor and debuted onstage in London in 1830. The following year, he wrote his first play, which was a burlesque. He then collaborated with Dion Boucicault, a fellow Irish actor and playwright, in creating the production London Assurance, in which Brougham played his signature character, Dazzle.
John Brougham became manager for the Lyceum Theater in 1840, writing several burlesque plays for the venue before leaving two years later. In 1842, he immigrated to the United States and settled in New York City. Brougham worked for numerous American playhouses, where he wrote comedies before opening his own theater, Brougham’s Lyceum, in 1850. The theater closed, and John Brougham returned to London in 1860, where he remained for nine years, writing such plays as The Duke’s Motto.
Returning to New York City in 1869, Brougham debuted his play, Better Late than Never. He failed to find financial success in the theater, and decided to play the stock market instead. He made his last stage appearance in 1879 and died a year later. The author of over a hundred plays, John Brougham also served as editor for a paper called The Lantern and published two books of various writings. He was married twice, first to Emma Williams and then to Annette Hawley.