Lewis Waller

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Lewis Waller in Julius Caesar in 1898

Lewis Waller (November 3, 1860 - November 1, 1915) was an English actor and theatre manager (real name: William Waller Lewis), born in Spain. His father was a civil engineer.

He first appeared on the London stage in 1883, at Tooles, and for some years added to his reputation as a capable actor in London and the provinces. He came more particularly to the front by a fine performance as Buckingham in The Three Musketeers under Herbert Beerbohm Tree's management at His Majesty's in 1895, and soon afterwards organized a company of his own, first at the Haymarket and afterwards at the Shaftesbury, Imperial, Apollo and other theatres.

His fine voice and vigorous acting earned him critical acclaim in a number of Shakespeare roles, such as the title character in Henry V, Brutus in Julius Caesar, and Faulkenbridge in King John. He had his greatest successes, however, in romantic roles, such as Monsieur Beaucaire, often with his wife, the former Florence West, who was also well known as a powerful and accomplished actress.

The photographic portrait above has been copied from the V&A Lafayette website. No request for permission to use was received.