author
Samuel Foote
1720–1777
A sharp-tongued star of 18th-century London theater, this playwright and performer built his reputation on quick wit, bold satire, and brilliant mimicry. His comedies made him famous in his own lifetime, and his life was nearly as dramatic as anything he put onstage.
1 Audiobook
The Lame Lover: A Comedy in Three Acts
by Samuel Foote
About the author
Born in Truro, Cornwall, in January 1720 and baptized on January 27, Samuel Foote became one of the best-known theatrical figures of his age. He studied at Worcester College, Oxford, but left without taking a degree, and later made his name in London as an actor, playwright, and theater manager.
Foote was especially celebrated for comedy, mimicry, and satire. He wrote and performed in a string of popular works, and his stage persona made him both admired and feared, since he often lampooned public figures and fellow performers. He was closely associated with the Haymarket Theatre, where his talents as both writer and performer found their fullest audience.
One of the most striking episodes of his life came after a riding accident in 1766 led to the loss of a leg. Rather than retreat from the public eye, he famously turned even that misfortune into part of his theatrical legend. He died at Dover, Kent, on October 21, 1777, remembered as a lively and daring force in 18th-century British theater.