# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Emery, Samuel Anderson

​EMERY, SAMUEL ANDERSON (1817–1881), actor, the son of John Emery [q. v.], was born in Hyde Street, Bloomsbury, 10 Sept. 1817. He was educated at Bridport Hall, Edmonton, under W. Fitch, who, besides being a schoolmaster, was lessee of the City Theatre, Milton Street. On leaving school he was placed with his uncle, John Thompson, an Irish provision dealer, and became also clerk to a stockbroker, and subsequently to a jeweller and goldsmith. In May 1834 he appeared at the Queen's Theatre, Tottenham Street (then known as the Fitzroy), in his father's character of Dan in ‘John Bull.’ This led to an engagement, and under the name of Anderson he played at the same house as Robin Roughhead, and assumably in other parts. He then engaged at Hull with Downe, the manager of the York circuit, proceeded in 1835 to Edinburgh under Murray, and played in various small Scotch houses. He then became established in Liverpool, and for several years played there, at Manchester, Chester, and neighbouring towns. As Giles in the ‘Miller's Maid,’ and Lovegold in the ‘Miser,’ he made, 18 April 1843, at the Lyceum, his first appearance in London. He was engaged by Henry Wallack for Covent Garden, and appeared there 19 Oct. 1843 as Fixture in ‘A Roland for an Oliver.’ Here, through the intended vengeance of some stage carpenter whose schemes he frustrated, his life is said to have been attempted. In 1844 he was at the Lyceum under the Keeleys. In such parts as Jonas Chuzzlewit, Will Fern in the ‘Chimes,’ Peery​bingle in the ‘Cricket on the Hearth,’ and Antony Latour in the ‘Creole’ of Shirley Brooks, he established his reputation. He then joined Leigh Murray at the Olympic, was stage-manager for Charles Shepherd at the Surrey, and went in 1850 to Drury Lane, then under Mr. Anderson. He played at various country houses during the summer, and at Drury Lane was seen in many parts, chiefly in his father's line. Dandie Dinmont, Silky, Baillie Nicol Jarvie, Autolycus, Touchstone, the Gravedigger, Miramont in the ‘Elder Brother,’ Sam in ‘Raising the Wind,’ Gibbie in the ‘Wonder,’ Harrop in ‘Mary the Maid of the Inn,’ &c., were all taken about this period. He then joined B. Webster of the Haymarket and Adelphi. At the Olympic in 1853 under A. Wigan he was the original Fouché in Tom Taylor's ‘Plot and Passion,’ and was subsequently Mr. Potter in the ‘Still Waters run deep’ of the same author. He was seldom long at any theatre. At various houses accordingly he played Simon Legree in ‘Uncle Tom's Cabin,’ McClosky in the ‘Octoroon,’ Dan'l Peggotty in ‘Little Em'ly,’ Captain Cuttle in ‘Heart's Delight,’ A. Halliday's version of ‘Dombey and Son.’ This last character, played at the Globe 17 Dec. 1873, served for his return to the theatre 20 July 1878. Emery had an impetuous temper. Somewhere about 1860 he went to America, but returned at once through disagreements with his managers. In Australia also, whither towards the close of his life he proceeded, he was not a success. Six weeks after his return from Australia he died, 19 July 1881, of erysipelas at King William Street, Strand. He was in 1857 manager for a short time of the Marylebone Theatre. In addition to the houses mentioned he played at Covent Garden, the Princess's, Haymarket, and Standard Theatres. Emery was a striking, a strong, and a picturesque actor. He had a manly bearing and much blunt pathos. His success was greatest in his father's line of characters. From his father also he inherited some skill in draughtsmanship.
J. K.