Edward Alleyn
The towering star of the Elizabethan stage, he channeled the roar of the crowd into a lasting legacy, founding a school that still educates children centuries later.
1566–1626 (age 60)·16th/17th-century actor and founder of schools·Birthday: September 1
Biography
In the smoky, raucous theaters of Shakespeare's London, Edward Alleyn was the original superstar. A physically imposing man with a voice that could command a yard, he was the leading actor of the Admiral's Men, the chief rivals to Shakespeare's company. He specialized in 'overreacher' roles—Marlowe's Tamburlaine and Doctor Faustus—characters of immense ambition and bombast that perfectly suited his powerful style. But Alleyn was as shrewd with money as he was commanding on stage. He co-owned the Rose and Fortune theaters, amassing a considerable fortune from both performance and management. His most enduring act, however, was one of philanthropy. With his wealth, he founded the College of God's Gift in Dulwich in 1619, a charity school for poor boys that included almshouses. Today, as Dulwich College, it stands as one of England's oldest and most prestigious schools, a brick-and-mortar legacy far outlasting the ephemeral cheers of the Globe.
#1 When Edward Was Born
The biggest hits of 1566
Edward's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1566Born
1571Started school
1579Became a teenager
1582Could drive
1584Could vote
1587Turned 21
1596Turned 30
1606Turned 40
1616Turned 50
1626Turned 60
Key Achievements
- Was the foremost tragedian of the Elizabethan era, creating the iconic title roles in Christopher Marlowe's 'Tamburlaine' and 'Doctor Faustus'.
- Co-founded and built the Fortune Theatre in 1600, one of the major playhouses of the period.
- Founded the College of God's Gift at Dulwich in 1619, which later evolved into Dulwich College and the Dulwich Picture Gallery.
- Amassed great wealth as an actor, theater owner, and investor, becoming one of the first financially successful figures in English theatrical history.
Did You Know?
He married Joan Woodward, the stepdaughter of his business partner and theater owner Philip Henslowe.
His father was an innkeeper and porter to Queen Elizabeth I.
The detailed records of his father-in-law, Philip Henslowe, provide historians with invaluable data about Elizabethan theater economics.
He retired from the stage at the height of his fame, in his early 40s, to focus on his charitable foundation.
“I am resolved to build a free school in Dulwich for the poor.”
