A picture of rosy-cheeked loveliness.
Felled by fickle Bettymania.
Sibling of Daedalus writes:
This is one of many portraits of the famous Irish child actor William Henry West Betty (popularly known as ‘Master Betty’), who took the British Isles by storm in the early 19th century.
Betty’s first appearance at the Theatre Royal, Dublin, in 1803 was so much anticipated that the city authorities were forced to extend curfew by an hour to facilitate those attending. In London, there were even proposals to make him a ward of Chancery to protect him from the dangers of Bettymania.
Betty’s career stalled when he took time off to go to university. After a number of unsuccessful comebacks, he settled down to a quiet life of peace and good works on his very considerable savings, dying largely unremembered seventy years later. A bit like Mark Hamill.
Any excuse.
Master Betty (above) playing ‘Hamlet’ via BBC