Richard Burbage

Common card · No. 262661

Richard Burbage (6 January 1567 – 13 March 1619) was an English stage actor, widely considered to have been one of the most famous individuals of the Globe Theatre, and of his time. In addition to stage acting, he was also a theatre entrepreneur. He was the younger brother of Cuthbert Burbage. They were both actors in drama. Burbage was a business associate and friend to William Shakespeare. He was the son of James Burbage, a joiner who became a theatrical impresario and entrepreneur, founding a theatre. Burbage was a popular actor by his early 20s. He excelled in tragedies. His early acting career is poorly documented. Like many young actors of his time, he may have played the part of women in productions before taking any of the roles for which he is known. As James Burbage acted for the Earl of Leicester's company, it has been suggested that his son, Richard, likely got his start with the company as well. Burbage was described as being short and stout but was said to be an impressive...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Unknown for sure; reputedly a self-portrait by Richard Burbage, Public domain