James+Spiller


 * James Spiller (1692-1730)**



James Spiller was a popular British comedic actor and dancer of the Restoration period (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 219). He was born in 1692 as the son of a Gloucester carrier (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 219). As a youth, he was an apprentice of the landscape painter, Ross, but he soon lost interest and joined a troupe of traveling actors (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 219). His first professional performance was at Drury Lane Theatre as the Porter in //The Country Wit// on December 6, 1709, although before that he had already done a substantial amount of smaller-scale acting work (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 219). Most of his roles seemed to be lowbrow comedic characters, and his noted specialty was in playing old men (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 219). He worked with several different theater companies during his professional career, mainly, Drury Lane, Pinkethman, and John Rich's theater at Lincoln's Inn Fields (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 219). He played characters such as Periwinkle in //A Bold Stroke for a Wife// and Blunt in //The Rover//, but his most notable role was playing Matt of the Mint in John Gay's //The Beggar's Opera//, where he starred in the play's original production in 1728. (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 221; Whiting 239).

Besides being an actor, he also performed as a pantomime and entr'acte dancer, and was a popular speaker of epilogues early on in his career, some of which he wrote himself (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 221). Outside of the stage, he was known as a gregarious, good-humored jokester, with a hint of mischievousness, and he was well liked by most (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222; Akerby 37). His free-spirited nature caused him to be an extravagant spender, though, which got him into some trouble with debt, even though he earned a good salary for his work (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). He also acted morally indecent at times, according to some of his critics (Akerby 45). He was married to the actress Elizabeth Thompson (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 219). In the latter stage of his career, he lost sight in one of his eyes, which inspired him to employ a squint for some of his characters (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 223). While playing Clodpole in //The Rape of Prosperine//, he had an apoplectic seizure and died shortly after on February 7, 1730, at the age of 37 (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 223).


 * Professional Career **

While he was still apprenticed under Ross in Gloucester, he joined a strolling company, where his comedic talent was made known when he burlesqued great men such as Alexander the Great (Ireland 64). His comedic inclinations were better fit for the tastes of London, though, so Drury Lane was the first theater company to hire him (Ireland 64). In the 1709-1710 theater season at Drury Lane, he starred in the following roles (from earliest to latest): Day in //The Committee//, Harlequin in //The Emperor of the Moon//, Corporal Cuttum in //The Walking Statue//, the Fourth Citizen in //Oedipus//, Don Francisco in //The Successful Strangers//, Don Felix in //The Mistake//, and the Boatswain in //Bickerstaff's Burial// (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 219). .

Spiller then worked for a time at Pinkethman's theater in 1710, performing in roles such as Sampson in //The Fatal Marriage//, Polonius in //Hamlet//, Lopez in //The Mistake//, Kite in //The Recruiting Officer//, and Brass in //The Confederacy// (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 219-20).

He returned to Drury Lane in 1711 and continued to work there until late 1713, playing a Citizen in //Philaster//, Smart in //The Female Advocates//, Foist in //The Apparition//, and Drawer in //The Wife of// Bath, among other characters (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 220). While at Drury Lane, he was in stiff competition with his comedic rival Pinkethman (Ireland 64). He also had to deal with the bad temper of Robert Wilks, who was a manager at Drury Lane, so in 1715 he had had enough and transferred to John Rich's theater in Lincoln's Inn Fields (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 220).

At Lincoln's Inn Fields, he first played Setter in //The Old Bachelor// on January 4, then he went on to play Sailor in //The Fair Quaker//, Moneytrap in //The Confederacy,// Harlequin in //The// //Emperor of the Moon//, Crispin in //The Perplexed Couple//, and the title character in //The False Count// (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 220). He was an active player at Lincoln's Inn Fields every year from 1715 until his death in 1730, acting in many roles, such as Don Lewis in //Love makes a Man//, Toby Guzzle in //The Cobler of Preston//, the title role in //The Walking Statue//, the Gravedigger in //Hamlet//, Old Belfond in //The Squire of Alsatia//, the title role in //Hob//, Harlequin in //The Jealous Doctor//, Periwinkle in //A Bold Stroke for a Wife////,// Francis in //I Henry IV//, the Murderer in Macbeth, the Mad Englishman in //The// //Pilgrim//, Higgen in //The Beggar's Bush//, The Clown in //Measure for Measure//, the Butler in //The Drummer//, a Citizen in //Oedipus//, Blunt in //The Rover//, the First Murderer in //Richard III//, Antonio in //Venice Preserv'd//, Merryman in //The Amorous Widow//, and Matt of the Mint in //The Beggar////'s Opera// (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 221)//.//

He also displayed his dancing talent during this time period, mostly in pantomime roles, but also sometimes as an entr'acte dancer, such as on August 3, 1715, when he performed a //French Peasant// dance with his wife and Frances Leigh (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 220-1). Also, he performed a //Miller's Dance// with his wife on October 12, and he was a Countryman in the //Harlequin, Scaramouch, and a// //Countryman// dance on April 25, 1721 (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 221).

More than that, he spoke and wrote epilogues, and occasionally prologues as well (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 221). On May 17, 1715, he spoke a prologue for his wife's benefit while on a donkey, which was a comic tradition started by Joe Haines a generation earlier (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 220). He delivered his "New Comi-Tragi-Mechanical Prologue in the gay Stile" on April 13, 1717 (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 221). He performed his "ass-epilogues" frequently in the early part of his career, but they became less popular over time (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 221). When benefits were held for him at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theater, though, he would sometimes perform his most popular epilogues, such as when he performed his epilogues for //The Walking Statue//, //Hob//, and //The Cobler of Preston// on March 31, 1720 (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 221).

When he wasn't performing during the theatrical season, Spiller kept himself busy by performing or managing summer fairs at various booths (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). For example, he played Trusty in //Twice Married// for Pinkethman and Pack's booth at Southwark Fair on September 9, 1717 (his earliest fair appearance) (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). He also played John in //Sir Richard Whittington// at the same fair in 1718, and managed a booth with Lee at Bartholomew Fair in 1719 (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). The only years he was not present at the fairs were 1721, 1725, and 1729 (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). In 1726, he played Sir Adam Wealthy in //The Unnatural Parents// at Southwark Fair (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). His last appearance at the fairs was in 1728, where he produced with Harper the plays //Hero and Leander// and //The Quaker's Opera// for both fairs (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222).

While he was in a debtor's sanctuary (called "the Mint") from November 1722-September 1723, he put on the play, //The// //Drummer//, for his own Benefit (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). As well, on January 5, 1723, the //St James's Journal// printed his epilogue of the play for his Benefit (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222).

Spiller mostly stayed in London throughout his career, but he did perform in fairs at Richmond in 1718 (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). Some of his roles there were Squib in //Turnbridge Walks//, the title role in //Hob//, unknown roles in //The Spanish Fryar// and //The Stage// //Coach//, and a dance called Italian Night Scene between Harlequin and a Countryman (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222).

In 1728, Spiller had a ticket for his //Beggar's Opera// Benefit drawn for him by Hogarth, which shows his considerable popularity at the time (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). (Shown below). He also had his portrait engraved by I. Bell, which was published in George Akerby's biography of Spiller, titled, //The Life of Mr. James Spiller// (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 223).



His last performance before his death was on January 31, 1729 (Ireland 75). He performed before the Prince of Wales as the clownish Clodpole in //The Rape of Prosperine//, at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theater (Ireland 75). It was then that the suffered an apoplectic seizure, which led to his death at age 37 on February 7.

**Personal Life and Peer Opinion**

Spiller was outgoing and had a very active social life (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). He loved to drink and get intoxicated, as did his wife, and he socialized with both the upper-class and common folk (Akerby 38). However, his constant socializing emptied his pockets to the point where he had to borrow at high interest rates, mortgage his salary, and live in the Mint (debtor's sanctuary) in Southwark for almost a year (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222). He displayed his wit when making light of his debt to a dentist: "I cannot spare one tooth now, friend; but, after the tenth of June (the time of the house shutting), you may have them all; I shall have no further occasion for them, as I shall have nothing to eat" (Ireland 70).

At an unknown time in his career, he separated from his wife and had an affair with one Mrs. Stratford of Wild Street, who was said to be very beautiful (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 222).

Growing up, his father wanted to make him a prim and proper gentleman of the liberal arts (Akerby 6). He actually grew to be fairly proficient at painting while apprenticed under Ross, but the sedentary lifestyle of a painter did not agree with his vivacious spirit, so he joined a company of strolling players (Akerby 6). His work with the company was less profitable than painting, but he enjoyed it heartily, and was said to be the life of the performance where ever he went (Akerby 7). Unfortunately, though, his choice to abandon painting created a rift between him and his father, since it was so against his father's will for him (Akerby 7).

He was praised by many for his natural humor and acting ability. George Akerby said that his death is "melancholy... to all the friends of Wit, Humour, and good Acting!" (Akerby 46). The Italian actor Riccoboni said of him, " He who acted the Old Man executed it to the nicest perfection; which one could expect in no player who had not forty years exercise and experience" (Ireland 72). His good friend Christopher Bullock, who dedicated his comedy //Woman's Revenge, or a Match in Newgate// to him, said in his dedication, "I could expatiate on your many excellent virtues, your chastity, your temperance, your generosity, your exemplary piety, and your judicious and fashionable management in your conjugal affairs; but since I am so well acquainted with your aversion to reading, I shall content myself with mentioning the many obligations I have to you, particularly for your good performance in this farce... you have natural impudence proper to the character" (Ireland 69). A butcher in Clare Market wrote in his epitaph: "He was an inoffensive, merry fellow, When sober hipp'd, blithe as a bird when mellow" (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 223).

Not all that was said of him was positive, though. For example, in his biography of Spiller, George Akerby recounts how Spiller made a fool of himself in front of the Duke of Wharton and other upper-class men (Akerby 38). Supposedly, he forgot to put on his shirt that day, and so he found himself shirtless in front of the group after engaging in a strip drinking game with them (Akerby 38). Akerby also accuses him of picking the pocket of William Pinkethman for the script of Charles Johnson's //The Cobler of Preston//, so that his friend Bullock could upstage him by writing his own version of the play. (Conaway 401). This account is believed to be false by many, however, since the two plays have markedly different themes and social commentaries (Conaway 401-2). Later in his biography, Akerby essentially says that Spiller poured himself so deep into his roles that the vulgarities of his characters caused him to be unlawful and indecent in his own life (Akerby 45). Akerby does grant, though, that Spiller was otherwise obedient to society's rules when not consumed by a role (Akerby 45). Akerby further proves his dedication to acting by reporting that Spiller decided to act in what would be his last play, even though he was feeling very ill (Akerby 47).

**//The Beggar's Opera//**

//The Beggar's Opera// is the play that Spiller was most known for, partially due to the controversy that the play ignited. On the one hand, it was immensely popular with its Restoration audience, as //The Dublin Evening Post// notes in 1736, "...there is an Uproar and general Call every Night for the Beggar's Opera in Drury-Lane Play-house " (//The Dublin Evening Post// 278). However, it was criticized by some for appearing to promote indecent values, including the debaucheries of a robber, which they thought might negatively affect the character of an audience that is too naive to discern the greater moral message (if one was intended by John Gay, the author) (//The Dublin Evening Post// 266). Others saw the play as an obvious satire of plays that display depravity on stage (//The Comedian//, //or philosophical enquirer// 40).

Another conversation sparked by this play was how society should define its leaders and heroes (Wanko 482). In the play, the roles of criminals and statesman are compared to interrogate and challenge these societal categories, which caused people to wonder if common folk, like actors, could become heroes despite lacking cultural prerequisites like nobility or bravery in war (Wanko 482). Some thought that this new, democratized notion of who could be a hero is debased, since regular people have faults that traditional heroes should not have, and according to them, "owe their fame more to luck or audacity than to virtue or diligence" (Wanko 482-3). They were concerned that people would get cultural power merely through media proliferation of a single act, rather than through continual hard work (Wanko 483). Some, like George Akerby, even tried to suppress the actors' popularity through biographies that were more a criticism than celebration of their lives (Wanko 482). However, these biographies had the opposite effect intended: They only served to solidify the actors' public presence (Wanko 483).

It is unknown whether Gay's intention was to support the advent of this new hero or disparage it, but regardless, Spiller probably supported the traditional notion of a hero. This fact is evidenced when, in a letter to a friend, he claims that //The Beggar's Opera// was plagiarized off of Bullock's //Woman's Revenge////, or a Match in Newgate//, and that the play is "a Libel against the King and Government," (Whiting 240) so it seems that he did not support the new notion of heroism that he thought //Beggar's Opera// was advocating, which is understandable, considering how hard he worked as an actor.

**How He Might Have Acted**

In Akerby's biography, he describes Spiller on the stage: "His Looks, his most significant Shrugs and Gestures, would oftentimes set the whole Audience a laughing before he had spoke one Word" (Akerby 7). Based on this quote and the descriptions of his personality, I imagine that much of his performance involved physical comedy through exaggerated movements, facial expressions, and well-placed pauses. He probably also employed an over-dramatic or goofy voice, depending on the character. When he was playing more serious characters, he likely retained a certain vigor in his movement and expressions, but in a less comic fashion. Furthermore, "shrugs and gestures" seems to imply that at times he humorously implied his character's thoughts through his body language alone. When playing old men he might have imitated their stereotypical dusty-sounding voice and crotchety walk or other clumsy movements. Finally, I imagine the colorful characters he played required a lot of makeup and dress to look the part, especially the old men. This is confirmed by Riccoboni's account: "I could not conceive it possible for a young actor, by the help of art, to imitate that debility of nature to such a pitch of exactness; but the wrinkles of his face, his sunk eyes, and his loose and yellow cheeks were incontestible proofs against what they said to me" (Highfill, Philip H., et al. 221).


 * Works Cited**

1732. //The Comedian, or philosophical enquirer//. London, United Kingdom:Available through: Adam Matthew, Marlborough, //Eighteenth Century Journals//, http://www.18thcjournals.amdigital.co.uk.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/Documents/Details/Comedian.

1736. //The Dublin Evening Post//. Dublin, Ireland:Powell, S.; McCulloch, A.; Powell, T. H.; Campbell, C.; Magee, J. Available through: Adam Matthew, Marlborough, //Eighteenth Century Journals//, http://www.18thcjournals.amdigital.co.uk.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/Documents/Details/TheDublinEveningPost1736.

Akerby, George. //The life of Mr. James Spiller, the late famous comedian. In which is interspers'd much of the poetical history of his own times. By George Akerby, painter//. Printed for J. Purser in White-Fryers, Fleet-Street, [1729] [1730]. //Eighteenth Century Collections Online//, find.galegroup.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/ecco/infomark.do?&source=gale&docLevel=FASCIMILE&prodId=ECCO&userGroupName=umd_um&tabID=T001&docId=CW3300469472&type=multipage&contentSet=ECCOArticles&version=1.0.

Conaway, Charles. “Shakespeare, Molly House Culture, and the Eighteenth-Century Stage.” //Comparative Drama//, vol. 38, no. 4, 2004, pp. 401–423. //JSTOR//, www.jstor.org/stable/41154247.

Highfill, Philip H., Jr., Kalman A. Burnim, and Edward A. Langhans. //A Biographical Dictionary Of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers And Other Stage Personnel In London, 1660-1800, XIII: Roach To H. Siddons; XIV: S. Siddons To Thynne//. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 1991. //MLA International Bibliography//, http://web.a.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzIzNjBfX0FO0?sid=c3bd0c59-66c9-4076-9db4-259da65d5eba@sessionmgr4009&vid=0&format=EB&rid=1.

Ireland, Samuel. //Graphic illustrations of Hogarth, from pictures, drawings, and scarce prints in the possession of Samuel Ireland, author of this work; of a picturesque tour through Holland, Brabant, &c. and of the picturesque beauties of the rivers thames and Medway//. Published by R. Faulder, New Bond street; and J. Egerton, Whitehall, MDCCXCIV. [1794]. //Eighteenth Century Collections Online//, find.galegroup.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/ecco/infomark.do?&source=gale&docLevel=FASCIMILE&prodId=ECCO&userGroupName=umd_um&tabID=T001&docId=CW3306472467&type=multipage&contentSet=ECCOArticles&version=1.0.

Wanko, Cheryl. “Three Stories of Celebrity: The Beggar's Opera ‘Biographies.’” //Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900//, vol. 38, no. 3, 1998, pp. 481–498. //JSTOR//, www.jstor.org/stable/451059.

Whiting, George W. “Spiller's Jests.” //The Modern Language Review//, vol. 28, no. 2, 1933, pp. 238–240. //JSTOR//, www.jstor.org/stable/3714977.

Joseph Tolker

.