page_title: Master Betty
section_title: Retirement and attempted comebacks
hierarchical_section_title: Master Betty / Retirement and attempted comebacks
caption_attribution_description: English: Identifier: shaksperetosheri00thal (find matches) Title: Shakspere to Sheridan; a book about the theatre of yesterday and to-day Year: 1922 (1920s) Authors: Thaler, Alwin, 1891- Subjects: Theater -- England History English drama -- History and criticism Actors and actresses -- England Theaters -- England London Publisher: Cambridge&#160;: Harvard University Press (etc., etc.) Contributing Library: University of California Libraries Digitizing Sponsor: MSN View Book Page: Book Viewer About This Book: Catalog Entry View All Images: All Images From Book Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book. Text Appearing Before Image: at the rate of £20 per annum, that, there might be Cessation_of playeing and playes_there. The Elizabethan provincial companies, likewise, were constantly engaged in the most vigorous sort of rivalry, even to the extent of stealing one anothers licenses; and the stealing of plays was a rather commonplace occurrence, even in London. We have seen that many of the old tricks of the trade were still very much alive in Restoration times and in the eighteenth century, and that the companies continued to borrow each others plays and players with delightful in-formality. They kept a keen watch upon each other also when it came to securing the services of new actors who had made their mark in the provinces. Thus, both houses sought to engage James Spiller, sometime about 1708 or 1709, when that comedian had won fame as a ^ See above, p. 74. ■ Hamlet, ii, 2,355 fF. ^ Wallace, Shakespeare and his London Associates, pp. 95-96. * Malone, III, 229, 159-160; cf. the writers note in Modern Philology, XVII, 12. Text Appearing After Image: The Young Roscius - Master Betty reading his part. This astonishing youth was only thirteen years of age last September 1804 THE MANAGERS 151 stroller. Again, in 1775, Garrick sent out two scouts to report concerning the acting of Mrs. Siddons, who was beginning to make a reputation. One of them wrote to his principal that if he wished to engage the actress it would be necessary to strike at once, since some Covent Garden emissaries were hanging about for that very purpose.^ Richard Cumberland tells of a similar case, — that of Henderson, whom he recommended to Garrick after seeing him act at Bath. While Garrick hesitated, Henderson was engaged by Colman for the Haymarket, and there he scored so heavily that Sheridan made it one of the first acts of his management to secure him for Drury Lane. Competition of this sort, of course, far outlived the eighteenth century. The Master Bettycraze of 1804 is but one later case in point. Both patenthouses laid claim to the valuable services of this infant prodigy, and an official arbitrator decided that both claims were just. And so the boy actor played first at Covent Garden and Note About Images Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original work.
context_page_description: William Henry West Betty was a popular child actor of the nineteenth century, known as "the Young Roscius."
context_section_description: An advert on 3 February 1807 of a tour of the provinces:
  THEATRE, STAMFORD. Messrs. ROBERTSON and MANLY, most desirous of manifesting their respect for the town Stamford and its vicinity, have the satisfaction of announcing the appearance of The celebrated YOUNG ROSCIUS Three Nights during the Mart, 9th, 10th, & 11th March. They have gladly availed themselves on this occasion of presenting to the very liberal patrons of the Theatre this distinguished young Actor, whose extraordinary talents cannot fail of contributing highly to the pleasures of their season. N. B. The very great expence attending Master Betty's engagement compels the necessity of raising the prices of admission ; Boxes, 5s.  Pit, 3s. 6d.—Gallery, 2s.
  Provincial theatres raising their ticket prices in order to cover the higher fees charged by well known actors on tour in the provinces did not go unnoticed or without comment.
  The following hint has been given to Master BETTY'S Father, in a Provincial Journal, which we hope will not be given in vain. The  Salopian Journal, after a liberal eulogium on Young BETTY'S acting, says " There is one character yet which will delight us all to him personate - that of Benefactor  of the Salopian Infirmary; by performing on one night for that noble Institution." What a monument  of fame might both Father and Son; easily raise if the latter were, in the Provincial Towns in which he performs, to appear one night in support of every neighbouring Institution for the relief of infirmity and distress.
  The fees charged did not appear to have put off James Robertson (actor) as he offered additional appearances at their other theatres, however Master Betty declined as he was going to appear on a Northern tour. 
  "Master BETTY's profits, for three nights performances at Boston Theatre amounted to £182. 18s. 6d. being half the takings. At Stamford he received the huge sum of £800 for five weeks. He declined accepting  Robertson's proposals for Wisbech, Peterboro' &c. as he was immediately going into the North for the whole of the summer" reported the British Press on 30 March 1807.
  Betty did however appear the next year on the Lincoln Circuit, first at Huntingdon between 20 and 25 May, then at Peterborough 27 May and 1 June, finally at the Georgian Wisbech Theatre (now the Angles Theatre), Isle of Ely in June not long before he quit the stage in 1808 in order to attend Christ's College in Cambridge.  After graduation, he lived with his family in the country, having become financially secure.
  He was invited back to Covent Garden in 1812. He arrived in London on Monday 26 October, his first appearance was to be Achmet. The critics derided his performance, talking more about his former career as a child actor than his performance at the age of 21.
  Betty never returned to perform in London again. Nine years later, he once again tried to mount a comeback and failed. He then tried to commit suicide, which also failed. He gave up acting in 1824. Hough,  his former dramatic tutor from his youth did not survive to see him retire, Hough died in London in the summer of 1821.
  Betty devoted the remainder of his life to works and theatrical charities. He died on 24 August 1874 in Ampthill Square, London.
caption: Some of the roles Betty (thirteen) had played
exif: {}