BETTERTON, THOMAS (c. 1635-171o), English actor, son of an under-cook to King Charles I., was born in London. He was apprenticed to John Holden, Sir William Davenant's publisher, and possibly later to a bookseller named Rhodes, who had been wardrobe-keeper to the theatre in Blackfriars. The latter obtained in 1659 a licence to set up a company of players at the Cockpit in Drury Lane, and here Betterton made his first appearance in 166o. His talents at once brought him into promi nence, and he was given leading parts. On the opening of the new theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields in 166i, Sir William Davenant, the patentee, engaged Betterton and all Rhodes's company to play in his Siege of Rhodes.
Betterton was held in high esteem by Charles II. who sent him to Paris to examine stage improvements there. According to Cibber it was after his return that shifting scenes instead of tapestry were first used in an English theatre. In 1692, in an unfortunate speculation, Betterton and his friend Sir Francis Watson were ruined ; but Betterton's affection for Sir Francis was so strong that he adopted the latter's daughter and educated her for the stage. In 1693, with the aid of friends, he erected the New Playhouse in the tennis court in Lincoln's Inn Fields. It was opened in 1695 with Congreve's Love for Love. But in a few years the profits fell off, and Betterton determined to quit the stage. At his benefit performance, when the profits are said to have been over £5oo, he played Valentine in Love for Love. In 17 I o he made his last appearance as Melantius in The Maid's Tragedy; he died on April 28, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
In appearance he was athletic, slightly above middle height, with a tendency to stoutness ; his voice was strong rather than melodious, but in recitation it was used with the greatest dex terity. Pepys, Pope, Steele and Cibber all bestow lavish praise on his acting. The blamelessness of his life was conspicuous in an age and a profession notorious for dissolute habits. Betterton was author of several adaptations which were popular in their day. In 1662 he had married Mary Saunderson (d. an admirable actress, whose Ophelia shared the honours with his Hamlet.