QUIN, JAMES (1693-1766), Irish actor, was born in London on Feb. 24, 1693. He made his first appearance on the stage as Abel in Sir Robert Howard's The Committee at the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin. Quin's first London engagement was in small parts at Drury Lane, and he secured his first triumph as Bajazet in Nicolas Rowe's Tamerlane (Nov. 8, 1715). The next year he appeared as Hotspur at Lincoln's Inn, where he remained for 14 years. On July Io, 1718, he was convicted of manslaughter for having killed Bowen, another actor, in a duel which the victim had himself provoked. The affair was regarded as an accident rather than a crime. In 1721 a drunken nobleman reeled on to the stage of the theatre and assaulted the manager, Rich, whose life was saved by Quin's prompt armed interference. This resulted in a riot, and thereafter a guard was stationed in all theatres. In 1732 Quin appeared at Covent Garden, returning i to Drury Lane from 1734 to 1741, and in 1742 was again at Covent Garden, where he remained until the close of his career.
On Nov. 14, 1746, Quin played Horatio and Garrick Lothario to the Calista of Mrs. Cibber in Rose's Fair Penitent to an enthusi astic audience. Quin was a serious rival of Garrick. His Richard III. was pronounced inferior to Garrick's interpretation of the part ; but his Falstaff was preferred.
Quin's last regular appearance was on May 15, 1757, as Horatio in the Fair Penitent, though in the following year he twice played Falstaff for the benefit of friends. He had retired to Bath, where he lived a gay life. Quin died on Jan. 21, 1766. He was buried in the abbey church at Bath. Quin's character is summar ized by Smollett in Humphrey Clinker.