KEMBLE, CHARLES, was born on the 25th of November 1775, at Brecon (Brecknock) in South Wales. His father was Roger Kemble, an actor and theatrical manager. He was educated at the English Roman Catholic College at Douay, in the French department of Nord, whence he returned to England in 1792. He was placed, through the influence of his brother J. P. Kemble, in the General Post-Office, London, but soon resigned his situation, and after a few trials in private theatres made his first appearance on the public stage at Sheffield, as Orlando in 'As You Like It.' He bad engagements after wards at Newcastle and other towns. On the 21st of April 1794 he made his first appearance in London, as Malcolm, on the opening of the newly-built theatre of Drury Lane, John Kemble performing Macbeth, Mrs. Siddons Lady Macbeth, and Mr. Palmer MacdufE He continued for a considerable time to play secondary characters, but gradually improved in his art. On the 28th of November 1796 be performed George Barnwell at Drury Lane, Mrs. Siddons taking the character of Millwood. In 1797 he was engaged at the Haymarket Theatre, where in 1800 he brought out his adaptation of Mercier's Deserteur,' under the title of The Point of Honour,' which was performed successfully, and became a stock-play. On the 2nd of July 1806 he married Miss Marie Therese De Camp, of French parentage, but born at Vienna in 1774. Miss De Camp was engaged by her father as a danseuse at the Opera-House, London, at a very early age. Her father died when she was in her twelfth year; she was then patronised and instructed by some ladies, and had become, when Charles Kemble married her, a favourite actress in the, walk of high comedy, and she so continued as Mrs. Charles Kemble till she left the stage in 1818. She died on the 3rd of September 1833. In 1807 Mr. Charles Kemble brought out with success at Covent Garden 'The Wanderer, or the Rights of Hospitality,' which is an adaptation of Kotzebue's ' Eduard in Schottland ;' and in 1803, at the Haymarket, with still greater success, the farce of 'Plot and Counterplot,' an adaptation of a French piece called `Le Portrait de Michel Cervantes.' Three or four other dramatic pieces from the German and French, which ho brought out afterwards, were less succesefuL Meantime he continued to improve in his profession, took a wide range, and in some of his characters was without a rival. Among his best characters may be mentioned Orlando, Falconbridge, Cassio, Leon, Benedick, Young Mirabel, Mer cutio, Petruchio, Archer, Ranger, Charles Surface, and Friar Tuck.
For several of these characters his handsome features, fine voice, and tall well-formed athletic person, peculiarly fitted him. He closed his career as an actor on the 10th of April 1840, shortly after having been appointed to the office of Examiner of Plays. He appeared in public occasionally afterwards as a reader of Shakepere. During some of his latter years he suffered the inconvenience of deafness. He was well acquainted with modern laoguages, and a tolerable classical scholar. He died ou the 12th of November 1854, aged seventy-nine years within a fortnight.
Mr. Charles Kemble left one son and two daughters. His son, John Mitchell Kemble, ie noticed iu a separate article. His eldest daughter, *Flumes ANNE KEMBLE, known as FANNY KEIABLE, was born about 1811, and made her first appearance as an actress at Covent Garden Theatre on the 5th of October 1829, as Juliet, on which occasion Mrs. Charles Kemble appeared again before the public as the Nurse, Charles Kemble, who was then manager, playing Romeo. She became an excellent actress, and for three yearn performed the prin cipal characters in tragedy and high comedy with the greatest applause, her range including Belvedere, Isabella, Lady Macbeth, Lady Townley, Lady Teazle, Julia in the Hunchback,' and Louise of Savoy in 'Francis the First,' a tragedy written by herself. In 1832 she went with her father to America, where they performed iu the principal cities of the United States. While in America Mies Fanny Kemble was married to Mr. Butler of Philadelphia, a man of property. The union proved an unhappy one, and in 1849 they were separated by a divorce. Meantime, in 1835, a 'Journal' of her travels and experiences in America was published in London. In 1837 she pub lished 'The Star of Seville,' a drama, and in 1842 a volume of 'Poems.' Her latest work, entitled 'A Year of Consolation,' is an account of her residence in Italy during a visit to her sister, Mrs. Sartoris. She has since been chiefly occupied in giving public readings of Shakspere in London, as well as in the chief provincial cities and towns of the kingdom. Mrss ADELAIDE KEMBLE, Mr. Charles Kemble's other daughter, distinguished herself as an operatic singer of a very high order. Sho became the wife of Mr. Sartoris, a gentleman of fortune, and then quitted the stage.