# Dictionary of National Biography, 1927 supplement/Hare, John

​HARE, Sir JOHN (FAIRS) (1844–1921), actor, whose original name was John Fairs, son of Thomas Fairs, of London, was born 16 May 1844 at Giggleswick, Yorkshire. His early years were spent in London, where as a boy he would frequently play truant in order to see the celebrated actors of the day. On the death of his parents he was sent by his guardian to Giggleswick grammar school to be prepared for the civil service. There came, however, an opportunity of appearing in some amateur theatricals, and his natural gifts were immediately recognized. With the consent of his guardian he went to London, studied for the stage under Henry Leigh Murray [q.v.], and made his first professional appearance at the Prince of Wales's Theatre, Liverpool, on 28 September 1864. Here he played the part of an old man (the first of a famous series) in The Lyons Mail, and made the acquaintance of the Bancrofts. Next year he appeared for the first time in London under the management of Henry James Byron [q.v.] and Mrs. Bancroft at the Prince of Wales's Theatre as Short in Naval Engagements. Two months later, on 11 November 1865, he established his reputation in the part of Lord Ptarmigan in Society by T. W. Robertson [q.v.].
Hare was now twenty-one, but had already identified himself with the most fruitful and intelligent dramatic movement of the time. Robertson's comedies, produced during the next decade at the ​Prince of Wales's Theatre, were the first clear indications that a revival of native comedy was imminent, and Hare, who began his theatrical career as one of the earliest and best-equipped recruits of the revival, was shortly one of its leading figures. He remained a member of the Prince of Wales's company for nine years, appearing in a succession of Robertson's comedies and in other plays produced at that theatre. Among his parts were Prince Perovsky (Ours, 1866), Sam Gerridge (Caste, 1867), the Hon. Bruce Fanquehere (Play, 1868), Beau Farintosh (School, 1869), Dunscombe Dunscombe (M.P., 1870), Sir John Vesey (Money, 1872), Sir Patrick Lundie (Man and Wife, 1873). He concluded in 1874 with a memorable performance as Sir Peter Teazle.
Hare's success in this series of productions was unbroken, and his reputation, when he left the Prince of Wales's Theatre in 1874, was sufficient to justify him in trying his fortune as a manager. He opened his first season as actor-manager of the Court Theatre in ‘silent’ partnership with William Hunter Kendal [q.v.] on 13 March of the following year. His tenancy lasted until April 1879. During these four years he produced some dozen plays, including a posthumous piece, The House of Dainley, by Lord Lytton, and Olivia, by W. G. Wills. The most successful productions were New Men and Old Acres (December 1876) in which he played Marmaduke Vavasour, The Queen's Shilling (April 1879) in which he appeared as Colonel Daunt, and A Quiet Rubber (January 1876) in which he took the part of Lord Kildare. The last-named play he frequently revived in later years.
On leaving the Court Theatre Hare joined W. H. Kendal at the St. James's Theatre. His association with Kendal lasted from October 1879 until 1888, beginning with a revival of The Queen's Shilling. During this period the partners produced twenty-one plays, including such conspicuous successes as Still Waters Run Deep, The Ironmaster, and two plays by (Sir) Arthur Pinero, The Moneyspinner (January 1881), in which Hare took the part of Baron Croodle, and The Squire (December 1881), in which he took the part of the Rev. Paul Dormer. Here again Hare was well in advance of his contemporaries, for The Moneyspinner was the first of Pinero's longer plays to be produced in London. The partnership ended in July 1888, and in the following year Hare took possession of the Garrick Theatre, built for him by (Sir) W. S. Gilbert. There he opened on 24 April 1889 with Pinero's The Profligate, in which he played the part of Lord Dangars. His tenancy of the Garrick lasted until 1895. He produced there over a dozen plays, including Pinero's The Notorious Mrs. Ebbsmith, in which he took the part of the Duke of St. Olpherts, A Pair of Spectacles, by Sydney Grundy, in which he played Benjamin Goldfinch, the greatest of his popular successes, and Diplomacy, in which he made another hit as Henry Beauclerc. In December 1895 he went for the first time to America, and appeared at Abbey's Theatre in The Notorious Mrs. Ebbsmith, A Pair of Spectacles, and A Quiet Rubber.
At this point Hare's career became rather less clearly associated with a definite theatrical movement. He appeared in the title-rôle of Pinero's The Gay Lord Quex in April 1899, and took the part of the Earl of Carlton in Little Mary by J. M. Barrie in 1906. These were the only new plays of importance in which he acted. For the remainder of his career he usually revived old successes, touring in America and in the provinces, and appearing in various London theatres for an occasional season. From 1902 he was engaged by Charles Frohman, under whose management he played until he entered upon the period of farewell and command performances. This period began in 1907 with a farewell tour of the provinces; he also appeared in that year by royal command in A Quiet Rubber and A Pair of Spectacles at Sandringham and Windsor Castle respectively, and was knighted on the former occasion; in 1908 he gave farewell performances of The Gay Lord Quex and A Pair of Spectacles at the Garrick Theatre. His last appearances were in July 1917, when he revived A Pair of Spectacles and made a large sum of money for King George's Fund for sailors, and in September 1917 when he again appeared in the same play at Wyndham's Theatre. He died in London 28 December 1921 at the age of seventy-seven.
The art of Hare was in the modern English tradition, which he helped to a considerable extent to mould and to develop. It avoided the formality of the older English stage, and broke completely with the French school that still relies to a great extent, even in modern comedies, upon devices which are rhetorical rather than histrionic. Hare was a pioneer in the art of suggesting character by tricks of deportment and facial expression that complete or illuminate the ​phrases of the author. He showed how this method might be applied without degenerating into grimace or becoming either elaborate or restless. His bearing and conduct on the stage were entirely natural, but were nevertheless informed at every moment with invention, and disciplined by a graceful economy to secure the effect at which he was aiming. His comedy was founded on sympathetic observation, and a zest for the intricacies of human character. He had a simple sense of fun streaked with a sentiment which was never forced and never lost touch with reality. Behind his art was a personality of rare modesty and charm, that instinctively avoided exaggeration and had a genuine dislike of publicity.
In 1874 Hare married Adala Elizabeth, daughter of John Hare Holmes, by whom he had one son and two daughters.
[T. Edgar Pemberton, John Hare, Comedian. A Biography, 1895; Who's Who in the Theatre, 1912; The Times, 29 December 1921; personal knowledge. Portrait, Royal Academy Pictures, 1893.]
J. L. P.