George Rignold
Encyclopedia
George Richard Rignold, born George Richard Rignall, (1839 – 16 December 1912) was an English
-born actor, active in Australia
.
. He was the son of William Rignall, an actor and theatre manager, and his wife Patience Blaxland, an actress. The surname Rignold was used professionally by both George and his brother William. George Rignold began his acting career quite young, playing the part of the messenger in Macbeth
.
the parts of William in Black-Eyed Susan
and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet
. In 1869, he was part of the company at the Queen's Theatre, Long Acre
. He then toured the United States
(where women would fight over the good-looking actor) and Canada
from 1875, where he made a great impression — a reference in the The Atlantic Monthly
in 1938 shows that memory of him persisted. He then toured in Australia. He spent a season playing Henry V
at Drury Lane
, where Staffordshire replicas were made of Rignold as the king on horseback.
Rignold again toured the United States and then settled in Australia. He held the lease for Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney
when it opened 10 September 1887 and held it for seven years. Rignold played Henry V on opening night.
The Bulletin
of 18 November 1899 criticised his arrogance and impatience with stage-managers. He retired in 1900 but came out of retirement in 1907 to play Jason successfully in The Bondman, produced by Bland Holt
. His last stage appearance was at a benefit for George Sutton Titheradge
in December 1910.
, there were no children by either marriage. Rignold died on 16 December 1912 at Charlemont Private Hospital, Darlinghurst
. He left his estate of £11,000 to the Royal General Theatrical Fund.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born actor, active in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Early life
Rignold was born in LeicesterLeicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. He was the son of William Rignall, an actor and theatre manager, and his wife Patience Blaxland, an actress. The surname Rignold was used professionally by both George and his brother William. George Rignold began his acting career quite young, playing the part of the messenger in Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
.
Acting career
Rignold soon gained a reputation as an actor, playing in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
the parts of William in Black-Eyed Susan
Black-Eyed Susan
Black-Eyed Susan; or, All in the Downs is a comic play in three acts by Douglas Jerrold. The story concerns a sailor, William, who returns to England from the Napoleonic Wars and finds that his wife Susan is being harassed by her crooked landlord uncle and later by his drunken, dastardly captain,...
and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
. In 1869, he was part of the company at the Queen's Theatre, Long Acre
Queen's Theatre, Long Acre
The Queen's Theatre was established in 1867, as a theatre on the site of St Martin's Hall, a large concert room that opened in 1850. It stood on the corner of Long Acre and Endell Street, with entrances in Wilson Street and Long Acre...
. He then toured the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(where women would fight over the good-looking actor) and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from 1875, where he made a great impression — a reference in the The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic is an American magazine founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1857. It was created as a literary and cultural commentary magazine. It quickly achieved a national reputation, which it held for more than a century. It was important for recognizing and publishing new writers and poets,...
in 1938 shows that memory of him persisted. He then toured in Australia. He spent a season playing Henry V
Henry V (play)
Henry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to be written in approximately 1599. Its full titles are The Cronicle History of Henry the Fifth and The Life of Henry the Fifth...
at Drury Lane
Drury Lane
Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster....
, where Staffordshire replicas were made of Rignold as the king on horseback.
Rignold again toured the United States and then settled in Australia. He held the lease for Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney
Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney
Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Australia, refers to three theatres of the same name:One was a theatre which opened on 10 September 1887 and closed on 10 June 1933.It was located on the corner of Pitt and Market Street, Sydney, where Centrepoint stands today....
when it opened 10 September 1887 and held it for seven years. Rignold played Henry V on opening night.
The Bulletin
The Bulletin
The Bulletin was an Australian weekly magazine that was published in Sydney from 1880 until January 2008. It was influential in Australian culture and politics from about 1890 until World War I, the period when it was identified with the "Bulletin school" of Australian literature. Its influence...
of 18 November 1899 criticised his arrogance and impatience with stage-managers. He retired in 1900 but came out of retirement in 1907 to play Jason successfully in The Bondman, produced by Bland Holt
Bland Holt
Bland Holt, born Joseph Thomas Holt, was a comedian and theatrical producer, active in Australia.Holt was the son of Joseph Frederick Holt and his first wife Marie, née Brown...
. His last stage appearance was at a benefit for George Sutton Titheradge
George Sutton Titheradge
George Sutton Titheradge was an English-Australian actor.Titheradge was born at Portsea, England, eldest son of George Robert Titheradge and Sarah Isabelle Emblim...
in December 1910.
Late life
Rignold's first wife died in 1902, he remarried in 1907 a daughter of George Selth CoppinGeorge Selth Coppin
George Selth Coppin was a comic actor, entrepreneur and politician, active in Australia.-Early life:Coppin was born at Steyning, Sussex, England, son of George Selth Coppin and Elizabeth Jane, née Jackson. His grandfather had been a well-known clergyman at Norwich...
, there were no children by either marriage. Rignold died on 16 December 1912 at Charlemont Private Hospital, Darlinghurst
Darlinghurst, New South Wales
Darlinghurst is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Darlinghurst is located immediately east of the Sydney central business district and Hyde Park, within the local government area of the City of Sydney...
. He left his estate of £11,000 to the Royal General Theatrical Fund.