Garrick, David

David (1717-1779), an eminent English actor. He was descended from a Huguenot family that fled from Bordeaux to England on the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. David's father was an army officer. His mother resided at Lichfield, where the lad attended the grammar school kept by Samuel Johnson. In later London days, when Garrick was the greatest actor of his age, and Johnson was the recognized authority on literary matters, Garrick used to amuse his friends by relating anecdotes of Johnson and mimicking his eccentricities. His reputation was made chiefly at Drury Lane Theater, where he acted many of Shakespeare's characters, among others Hamlet, King Lear, and King Richard. He was the first of the great English actors who have made Shakespeares plays classic. His remains were buried in Westminster Abbey near the Poets' Corner. See Drama; Actor