| Code | DS/UK/3828 |
| Name | Benson; Francis Robert 'Frank' (1858-1939); British actor-manager |
| Variations of Name | Francis Robert Benson |
| Dates | 4 November 1858-31 December 1939 |
| Gender | Male (cisgender) |
| Place of Birth/Origin | Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England (born) |
| Relationships | Son of William Benson (barrister) and Elizabeth Soulsby Smith
Sibling of William Arthur Smith Benson (architect) and Godfrey Rathbone Benson (Baron Charnwood, Liberal politician)
Cousin of Basil Rathbone (actor)
Spouse of Constance Benson (actress) |
| Biography | Sir Francis Robert Benson was an English actor-manager. He founded his own company in 1883 and produced all but two of Shakespeare's plays. His thirty-year association with the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre and the annual Shakespeare Festival in Stratford-upon-Avon laid down foundations for the creation of the Royal Shakespeare Company after his death.
Benson's company toured widely, with few London seasons, and became a training ground for several generations of young performers, including Henry Ainley, Oscar Asche, Lilian Braithwaite, Isadora Duncan, Nigel Playfair, Nancy Price,Harcourt Williams and Moffat Johnston. |