Farren, William (1825-1908)

1825

1908

William Farren, the third actor of that name, was born at No 23, Brompton Square, London, on 28 September 1825. He was the son of William Farren (1786-1861) by an unknown woman, perhaps his first wife; and he was also the elder brother of the actor Henry Farren (1826-1860). Our subject began his career singing in the Antient Concerts in 1848, and after some provincial training and using the name of Forrester, he made his London stage debut at the Strand Theatre (under his father’s management) in September 1849. On 5 March he acted Moses in the premiere of a version of “The Vicar of Wakefield”. Moving with his father to the new Olympic later that year, he assumed his real name. In January 1852 he acted Cassio to his brother Henry’s Othello. Subsequently, at the Haymarket, the St James’s and the Vaudeville he was seen in a number of roles mainly in light comedy until the 1870s when he assumed more mature parts. His portrayal of Sir Peter Teazle in a revival of “The School for Scandal” at the Vaudeville on 4 February 1882 was favourably compared with the acting of that role by his more famous father. Other roles in London in which he excelled were Sir Anthony Absolute, Mr Hardcastle, Lord Ogleby in “The Clandestine Marriage” and Sir Harcourt Courtly in “London Assurance”. After 1896 he acted infrequently, and upon retirement in 1898 he moved to Rome. He died in Siena on 25 September 1906 and was buried in that city. Farren had become a member of the Garrick Club in June 1864 but resigned in March 1874. By his wife Josephine Elizabeth Davies, whom he married in 1846, he had a daughter (who did not become an actress) and a son, William Percival Farren (1853-1937), who also acted in London. (DNB)