Jefferson, Joseph

Jefferson, Joseph, 1829–1905, American actor. He was the foremost of an old and distinguished family of English and American actors. Jefferson spent the first 20 years of his life as a strolling player. His fame came with his creation of the role of Rip Van Winkle in a dramatization of Washington Irving's story, first in 1859 and later in 1865 as revised by Dion Boucicault. He performed the second version almost exclusively until 1880. He infused the character with human tenderness and dignity and heightened the "fairy-tale" elements of the play. Almost as famous was his interpretation of Bob Acres in The Rivals, a part he played hundreds of times. He was one of the first star actors in America to establish his own road company, the earlier practice being to depend for support on local stock companies. Jefferson was a painter of merit and was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1893 he succeeded Edwin Booth as president of the Players' Club, thus becoming the recognized dean of his profession. He retired in 1904.

Bibliography

See his autobiography, ed. by A. S. Downer (1964); biography by G. Malvern (1945); W. Winter, The Jeffersons (1881, repr. 1969).

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Jefferson, Joseph (1829–1905) actor; born in Philadelphia. Third in a line of that name, he was part of an old theater family. Following his debut at age four mimicking Thomas D. Rice, singer of "Jim Crow," he had a career that spanned 71 years. He became America's preeminent comedian, describing his own profile as "pure nutcracker type." In 1856 he visited Europe, then returned to join Laura Keene's company where he played Dr. Pangloss in The Heir-at-Law and Asa Trenchard in Our American Cousin. His greatest success was his own version of Rip Van Winkle, a role he played solely between 1865 and 1880. In fact, there were critics who said that all of his characterizations were identical with his Rip Van Winkle. He succeeded Edwin Booth as president of the Players in 1893. His last performance was in 1904 in Cricket on the Hearth, after which he lectured widely and published his autobiography. Four of his sons continued the family tradition as actors.