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King's Men personnel


King's Men personnel were the people who worked with and for the Lord Chamberlain's Men and the King's Men (for all practical purposes a single continuous theatrical enterprise) from 1594 to 1642 (and after). The company was the major theatrical enterprise of its era and featured some of the leading actors of their generation — Richard Burbage, John Lowin, and Joseph Taylor among other — and some leading clowns and comedians, like Will Kempe and Robert Armin. The company benefitted from the services of William Shakespeare, John Fletcher, and Philip Massinger as regular dramatists.

The actors who performed the plays have left the most evidence of their lives and activities; but they were supported by musicians and other functionaries, and were enabled by managers and financial backers like Cuthbert Burbage.

For more information on specific individuals, see individual entries: Robert Armin, Christopher Beeston, Robert Benfield, etc.

Twice in 1648, in January and December, different groups of former King's Men tried to re-activate the troupe, despite the formal prohibition on play-acting by the Commonwealth regime. The January endeavor involved Benfield, Bird, Clark, Hammerton, Lowin, Pollard, and Robinson (all of whom signed the dedication to the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio in 1647, along with Allen, Swanston, and Taylor). The December effort was by Baxter, Blagden, Burt, Clun, Cox, Hall, Kettleby, Loveday, and Charles and William Hart. Neither effort was successful, though groups of King's Men personnel were arrested at least twice in 1648 and 1649 for clandestine acting.


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