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Tate Wilkinson

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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TATE WILKINSON (1739-1803), English actor and manager, was born on the 27th of October 1739, the son of a clergyman. His first attempts at acting were badly received, and it was to his wonderful gift of mimicry that he owed his success. His imitations, however, naturally gave offence to the important actors and managers whose peculiarities he hit off to the life. Garrick, Peg Woffington, Samuel Foote and Sheridan, after being delighted with the imitations of the others, were among the most angry, when it came to their turn, and threatened never to forgive him. Garrick never did. As an actor, Wilkinson was most successful in Foote's plays, but his list of parts was a long one. In Shakespearian characters he was very popular in the provinces. In 1766 he became a partner of Joseph Baker in the management of several Yorkshire theatres, and sole manager after his partner's death in 1770 of these and others. In this capacity he was both liberal and successful. He died on the 16th of November 1803.

See his Memoirs (4 vols., 1790) and The Wandering Patentee (4 vols., 1795).