orig. John Henry Brodribb
born Feb. 6, 1838, Keinton Mandeville, Somerset, Eng.
died Oct. 13, 1905, Bradford, Yorkshire
British actor.
He toured for 10 years with a stock company before making his London debut in 1866. With his success in The Bells (1871), he became a leading actor in H.L. Bateman's company (1871–77). As actor-manager of the Lyceum Theatre (from 1878), he made it London's most successful theatre. He formed a celebrated acting partnership with Ellen Terry that lasted until the company dissolved in 1902. They were noted for their Shakespearean roles, and their theatrical qualities complemented each other: he the brooding introvert, she the spontaneous charmer.