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Thomas Barry Sullivan

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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THOMAS BARRY SULLIVAN (1824-1891), Irish actor, was born at Birmingham, and made his first stage appearance at Cork about 1840. His earliest successes were in romantic drama, for which his graceful figure and youthful enthusiasm fitted him. ,His first London appearance was in 1852 in Hamlet, and he was also successful as Angiolo in Miss Vandenhoff's Woman's Heart, Evelyn in Money and Hardman in Lord Lytton's Not so Bad as we Seem. Claude Melnotte - with Helen Faucit as Pauline - was also a notable performance. A tour of America in 1857 preceded his going to Australia (1861) for six years, as actor and manager. He completed a trip round the world in 1866. From1868-1870he managed the Holborn theatre, where Beverley in The Gamester was one of his most powerful impersonations. Afterwards he travelled over the United States, Canada, Australia and England. Among his later London performances were several Shakespearian parts, his best, perhaps, being Richard III. He was the Benedick of the cast of Much Ado About Nothing with which the Shakespeare Memorial was opened at Stratford-on-Avon. He died on the 3rd of May 1891.