Thomas Overskou (11 October 1798 – 7 November 1873) was a Danish actor, playwright and theatre historian and a titular professor in 1852. His plays are preserved in the Dramatic Collection of the Royal Danish Library.[1]
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Thomas Overskou was born in Copenhagen.
Unlike his slightly younger contemporary Hans Christian Andersen, Thomas Overskou was born in what was then the societal bottom, and he had to fight a hard battle to come forth in the Danish artistic scene. He was commissioned by the theatre once he had a keen understanding of the requirements for dramatic production. He was not only successful in achieving the position of stage actor in minor roles, and later theatre director, but a number of his original stage plays was performed at the Royal Danish Theatre. Capriciosa, as well as East Street and Western Street were some of his well known solid successes in the Casino Theatre in Copenhagen.[2]
Overskou's permanent profit happened as theatre historian. His first five-act comedy The Danish stage in its history (1854-64) is a fundamental tool. Also his autobiography entitled Of my life and my time (1868), re-released with notes by Robert Neiiendam (1915-16), is worth reading.[1] Here he tells, among other things, about Copenhagen bombardment of 1807 which he witnessed at first hand, in addition to the story of how he made a career in the theatre.
Overskou died in Copenhagen in 1873. After his death, a road in the Åløkke Quarter, in central Odense, has been named after him.
This article is based on the corresponding article of the Danish Wikipedia. A list of contributors can be found there at the History section.