Sam Cowell
Samuel Houghton Cowell (5 April 1820- 11 March 1864) was an actor and singer of comical songs.
Born in London, he was the son of Joseph Cowell, a British actor who brought him to the United States in 1822.[1] He worked as a child actor in the United States, having first appeared there aged nine in Boston as Crack in The Turnpike Gate, a play by Thomas Knight, in which he sang a duet with his father 'When off in curricle we go'.[1] Thereafter he appeared at many major theatres in America, hailed as 'the young American Roscius'.[1] He also appeared in Shakespeare plays, notably in the Comedy of Errors playing one of twin brothers, with his father playing the other.[1]
At the age of 20 he returned to Britain, first to Edinburgh where he became a successful actor working for his uncle W. H. Murray, who managed the Theatre Royal and the Adelphi there.[1] He also succeeded as a comic singer in entr'actes.[1] Later as his career developed he became primarily a music hall artist, performing comical songs and burlesques in London song and supper rooms. Songs that he made famous included "The Ratcatcher's Daughter" and ''"Villikins and his Dinah"''.[2]
Cowell became extremely popular and successful, appearing twice before Queen Victoria at her court theatricals.[1] In 1860 he returned to America to tour, but at about this period his health, previously robust, began to break down.[1] He developed consumption after his return to London in 1862 and moved to Blandford, Dorset, to recuperate. In 1863 he was declared bankrupt.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).