FARREN, WILLIAM ( 1786-1861). An Eng lish actor, famous especially for his acting of old men's parts in high comedy. He was the son of a prosperous actor of the same name, who lived in London. but he made his &but at Plym outh, under his brother's management. For sonic time thereafter he lived in Dublin, till in 18IS he came to London and made his appearance at the Covent Garden Theatre, as Sir Peter Teazle. His Lord Ogleby, Sir Anthony Absolute, and Sir Andrew Agueeheek followed soon after. Having left Covent Garden in 1828, he appeared for a number of years at Drury Lane, where, in addi tion to some of his earlier favorites, he added the parts of Polonius, Sir Francis Gripe in The Busybody, Kent in King Lear, and numerous others. About 1840 he became one of the man agers of the Haymarket, where he had occasional ly played before, and there in 1843 he produced his Old Parr, an extraordinary depiction of old age. From 1850 to 1553 he was lessee of the
Olympic Theatre. His farewell appearance was at the Haymarket in 1855.' He was of distin guished appearance and unusual power of facial expression; sonic critics noted in him a lack of personal sympathy, which showed itself as well in private life. Though in his later years upon the stage, he was in feeble health, his success in his familiar characters seems to have been but increased. His Grandfather Whitehead was one of the parts for which his own advance in age as well as the practice of his art contributed to fit him. His sons, HENRY (c.1826-60) and WILLIAM, often referred to as Young Farren, both became well-known actors. Consult: Lewes, On Actors and the Art of Acting (New York, 1878); Cook, Hours with the Players (London, 1881) ; and Marston, Our Recent Actors (Lon don, 1S90).