George Colman the Elder
George Colman the Elder was a prominent figure in the theater scene of the late 18th century, known for his significant contributions as a playwright and theater manager. Born in Florence around April 15, 1732, he was raised by his wealthy uncle, William Pulteney, who ensured he received a comprehensive education, including a legal training at Lincoln's Inn. Although he initially followed a legal career, Colman transitioned to theater after receiving a pension following his uncle's death in 1764. He was a close associate of famous actor David Garrick and co-managed the Drury Lane Theater, where many of his successful plays premiered, including "The Clandestine Marriage" and "The Jealous Wife." Colman was also adept at adapting classic works for contemporary audiences, enhancing the theatrical repertoire of his time. His marriage was brief, as his wife died shortly after giving birth to his son, George Colman the Younger, who would also achieve success in the theatrical world. Colman the Elder's health declined in his later years, leading to his death on August 14, 1794. His legacy continues through the influence he had on his son and the theater industry.
On this Page
Subject Terms
George Colman the Elder
Dramatist
- Born: April 1, 1732
- Birthplace: Florence, Italy
- Died: August 14, 1794
- Place of death: London, England
Biography
George Colman, the Elder was a major “man of the theater” in the second half of the eighteenth century, and he passed this title down to his son, George Colman, the Younger. The elder Colman had a privileged upbringing. His father, Francis Colman, served as royal envoy to the court of the Grand Duke of Tuscany and George was born in Florence around April 15, 1732. Francis died when George was scarcely one year old, and the boy was sent to his uncle, William Pulteney, to be raised. Pulteney was a wealthy and politically powerful figure in British society, and in fact had some responsibility for the fall of Prime MinisterRobert Walpole in 1742. He took seriously his obligations of providing for his nephew and saw to it he had an excellent education, first at the Westminster School, then at Christ Church College, Oxford, and finally at Lincoln’s Inn, where he trained as a lawyer and passed the bar.
Pulteney was generous enough to fund George’s return to Oxford for his M.A. In deference to his uncle, Colman continued his legal career up to the time of Pulteney’s death in 1764, when he was granted a yearly pension (although not the full estate he had hoped for) and that put him in a position to pursue his theatrical career. Throughout his earlier life he had written poems, essays and satires, especially for the weekly journal, The Connoisseur, which he edited with his school chum, Bonnell Thornton, from 1752 until 1757. He became a friend of David Garrick, and the two helped manage the Drury Lane Theater. They also collaborated on a number of plays, the most famous of which was The Clandestine Marriage (1766). In the years immediately following the success of The Clandestine Marriage, many plays from Colman’s pen found success.
Colman’s first work was an afterpiece written for Drury Lane in 1760 entitled Polly Honeycomb. This piece proved so popular that it held the boards for a full six years, and continued to be popular well into the nineteenth century. Among his successes, beginning with those at Drury Lane, later at Covent Garden, and finally at the Haymarket, were The Jealous Wife (1761), The English Merchant (1767), Man and Wife (1769), Mother Shipton (1770), and The Suicide (1778). He also adapted many plays to suit contemporary tastes, such as Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and King Lear, Ben Jonson’s Epicoene, and others. Much of his career was devoted to the management of the Drury Lane Theater, Covent Garden and the Haymarket. He was highly successful as a businessman and kept these theaters running with strong public support.
He was married only briefly to Sarah Ford from 1760 until her untimely death in 1763, the year after the birth of their son, George Colman the Younger, who was to go on to a successful theatrical career himself. The elder Colman suffered a stroke in 1785 and a more severe one in 1789. He died August 14, 1794.