Premise: Richard Burbage ( 6 January 1567 -- 12 March 1619 ) is considered the first great actor of English theatre . He was probably acting with the Admiral 's Men in 1590 , with Lord Strange 's Men in 1592 , and with the Earl of Pembroke 's Men in 1593 ; but most famously he was the star of William Shakespeare 's theatre company , the Lord Chamberlain 's Men which became the King 's Men on the ascension of James I in 1603 . He played the title role in the first performances of many of Shakespeare 's plays , including Hamlet , Othello , Richard III , and King Lear . Burbage 's power and scope as an actor is revealed in the sheer size of the roles he played . Edward Alleyn was the first English actor to manage such roles , in Marlowe 's Tamburlaine and The Jew of Malta ; but the majority of these star roles , thirteen of the twenty , were acted by Burbage.He was said to be quite rich because he was earning income from being the primary housekeeping of two playhouses , a sharer in the King 's Men , a lead actor and a painter .
Hypothesis: Richard Burbage existed as an actor.
Label: ENTAILMENT