John Hare (actor)

Sir John Hare (16 May 1844 – 28 December 1921), born John Fairs, was an English actor and manager of the Garrick Theatre in London from 1889 to 1895.

Hare was born in Giggleswick in Yorkshire and was educated at Giggleswick School. He made his first appearance on the stage at Liverpool in 1864, coming to London in 1865, and acting for ten years with the Bancrofts at the Prince of Wales's Theatre. He soon built a reputation, particularly in T. W. Robertson's comedies, and in 1875 became manager of the Court Theatre. He was also a founder and first Shepherd of The Lambs.

In association with Mr. and Mrs. William Hunter Kendal at the St. James's Theatre from 1879 to 1888, Hare established his popularity in London in important character and men of the world parts. The joint management of Hare and Kendal made this theatre one of the chief centers of the dramatic world for a decade. In 1889 he became lessee and manager of the Garrick Theatre, built by his friend W. S. Gilbert, where (though he was often out of the cast) he produced several important plays, such as Pinero's The Profligate and The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith, and had a remarkable personal success in the chief part in Sydney Grundy's A Pair of Spectacles. In 1897 he took the Globe Theatre, where his acting in Pinero's The Gay Lord Quex was another personal triumph. He became almost as well known in the United States as in England, his last tour in America being in 1900 and 1901.

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