Osmond Tearle

Osmond Tearle (full name George Osmond Tearle: 8 March 1852 – 7 September 1901) was an English actor. He set up a touring company that performed in the provinces of England; he also appeared in America. He was known for Shakespearean roles, particularly Hamlet. Life Early life and career Tearle was born in Plymouth on 8 March 1852, son of George Tearle, a colour sergeant in the Royal Marines, and his wife Susan Lavers Treneman. After serving in the Crimean and China wars his father retired on pension to Liverpool. Educated there at St Francis Xavier's College, Tearle took part in amateur theatricals, and in 1868 in penny readings with Hall Caine. Inspired by Barry Sullivan's acting, he took to the stage, making his debut at the Adelphi Theatre, Liverpool, in March 1869, as Guildenstern to Adelaide Ross's Hamlet. In 1870, on Sullivan's recommendation, he became leading man at the Theatre Royal, Aberdeen. At Warrington in 1871 he appeared for the first time as Hamlet, a character which he played in all some 800 times. Early in 1874 he was a prominent and popular member of the stock company in Belfast. After six years appearing in the provinces he made his first appearance in London at the Gaiety Theatre in March 1875 as George de Buissy in Campbell Clarke's unsuccessful adaptation of Rose Michel, subsequently playing there Charles Courtly in London Assurance. Beginning in May of that year, he played Hamlet at the Rotunda Theatre, Liverpool, for eighteen successive nights. Afterwards he toured with Mrs. John Wood's old comedy company as Charles Surface in The School for Scandal and Young Marlow in She Stoops to Conquer.