lra Frederick Aldridge was born in New York on 24 Ju1y 1807 and became a leading Shakespearean actor in Britain and Europe. After attending the African Free School in New York City; he furthered his education in Glasgow, Scotland, and began a stage career that lasted from 1826 to 1865. He gave command performances before, and was honoured by the monarchs of Austria, Prussia, Russia and Sweden. Billed as the ‘African Roscius’, after the great Roman comic actor, he made triumphant tours of Europe in several Shakespearean roles, including Othello, King Lear and Macbeth. Generally despised by the British press (especially in London), he played (after 1853) mostly on the continent, where he was revered. He was honoured with the title, Chevalier Ira Aldridge, Knight of Saxony. This great actor never had the opportunity to perform in his native country. Aldridge died in Poland, on 10 August 1867, while making arrangements for his first American tour.
ALDRIDGE, Ira
