Boucicault, Dion

Boucicault, Dion
orig. Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot

born Dec. 26, 1820/22, Dublin, Ire.
died Sept. 18, 1890, New York, N.Y., U.S.

Irish-born U.S. playwright.

He began acting in 1837 and wrote the successful comedy London Assurance (1841) and The Corsican Brothers (1852). In 1853 he moved to New York City, where he was instrumental in obtaining the first copyright law for drama in the U.S. His successful play The Poor of New York (1857) was presented elsewhere
as, for example, The Poor of London. Concerned with social themes, he wrote a veiled attack on slavery in The Octoroon (1859). He also wrote a series of popular Irish plays, including The Colleen Bawn (1860) and The Shaughraun (1874).

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▪ Irish playwright
original name  Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot 
born Dec. 26, 1820/22, Dublin, Ire.
died Sept. 18, 1890, New York, N.Y., U.S.
 Irish-American playwright and actor, a major influence on the form and content of American drama.

      Educated in England, Boucicault began acting in 1837 and in 1840 submitted his first play to Mme Vestris at Covent Garden; it was rejected. His second play, London Assurance (1841), which foreshadowed the modern social drama, was a huge success and was frequently revived into the 20th century. Other notable early plays were Old Heads and Young Hearts (1844) and The Corsican Brothers (1852).

      In 1853 Boucicault and his second wife, Agnes Robertson, arrived in New York City, where his plays and adaptations were long popular. He led a movement of playwrights that produced in 1856 the first copyright law for drama in the United States. His play The Poor of New York, based on the panics of 1837 and 1857, had a long run at Wallack's Theatre in 1857 and was presented elsewhere as, for example, The Poor of Liverpool. The Octoroon; or, Life in Louisiana (1859) caused a sensation with its implied attack on slavery.

      Boucicault and his actress wife joined Laura Keene's theatre in 1860 and began a series of his popular Irish plays—The Colleen Bawn (1860), Arrah-na-Pogue (1864), The O'Dowd (1873), and The Shaughraun (1874). Returning to London in 1862, he provided Joseph Jefferson with a successful adaptation of Rip Van Winkle (1865). In 1872 Boucicault returned to the United States, where he remained, except for a trip to Australia that resulted in his third marriage (for which he renounced the legitimacy of his second marriage). Among his associates in the 1870s was the young David Belasco. At the time of his death he was a poorly paid teacher of acting in New York City.

      About 150 plays are credited to Boucicault, who, as both writer and actor, raised the stage Irishman from caricature to character. To the American drama he brought a careful construction and a keen observation and recording of detail. His concern with social themes prefigured the future development of drama in both Europe and America.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Boucicault, Dion — (1820 1890)    Born Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot in Dublin, the colorful actor, manager, and prolific playwright launched his career in London. From 1853, he made his career in America, managing various theatres in New Orleans and New York, and… …   The Historical Dictionary of the American Theater

  • BOUCICAULT, Dion (1859-1929) — actor and stage director was born at New York on 23 May 1859, the son of Dion Boucicault the elder, the well known actor and dramatist, and of his wife, Agnes Boucicault, who was also well known on the stage. Boucicault was educated at Esher,… …   Dictionary of Australian Biography

  • Boucicault, Dion — orig. Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot (26 dic. 1820/22, Dublín, Irlanda–18 sep. 1890, Nueva York, N.Y., EE.UU.). Dramaturgo estadounidense de origen irlandés. Comenzó a actuar en 1837, y después escribió la exitosa comedia London Assurance (1841) y… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • BOUCICAULT, DION —    a dramatic writer, author of popular Irish pieces, as The Colleen Bawn and The Shaughraun (1822 1890) …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Boucicault, Dion —  (1822–1890) Irish playwright; pronounced boo seeko …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

  • Boucicault, Dion — (1820 90)    Actor and dramatist, b. in Dublin and ed. in London, joined Macready while still young, and made his first appearance upon the stage with Benj. Webster at Bristol. Soon afterwards he began to write plays, occasionally in conjunction …   Short biographical dictionary of English literature

  • Dion Boucicault, Jr. — Boucicault in 1913 Dion Boucicault Jr. (23 May 1859 – 25 June 1929) was an actor and stage director. Son of the well known playwright, Dion Boucicault, he followed his father into the theatrical profession and made a career as a character actor… …   Wikipedia

  • Dion Boucicault — This article is about Dion Boucicault Senior. For his actor and stage director son (1859 1929), see Dion Boucicault Jr.. Dion Boucicault, c. 1862 Born Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot December 26, 1820(1820 12 26) Dublin, Ireland …   Wikipedia

  • Dion Boucicault — en 1878 Dion Boucicault, Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot, est un acteur et dramaturge irlandais, né le 26 décembre 1822 à Dublin, mort le 18 septembre 1890 à New York. C …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Dion Boucicault — (1878) Dion Boucicault, Geburtsname: Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot (* 26. Mai 1820, nach anderen Quellen 1822, in Dublin; † 18. September 1890 in New York City) war ein irisch US amerikanischer Dramatiker …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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