William Pinkethman

William Pinkethman (also Penkethman, Pinkeman, Pinkerman, etc.; nicknamed Pinkey, c.1660–1725) was an English comic actor, a low comedian with a droll style, and theatre manager. He was considered an imitator of Anthony Leigh.

Starting in the 1690s Penkethman performed with the United Company at Drury Lane. He largely played small roles, then became known for his delivery of prologues and epilogues in plays. He was known for performing riding a donkey. He later opened a theatre at Richmond.

Rising actor
Pinkethman overcame a weakness for overacting and playing to the crowd to become a steady performer. He is first heard of at the Theatre Royal, in 1692, in Thomas Shadwell's The Volunteers, in which he played Stitchum the tailor, an original part of six lines. After the departure in 1695 of Thomas Betterton and his associates, Pinkethman was promoted to a better line of parts. In 1696, he played Jaques in the Third Part of Don Quixote, by D'Urfey; Dr. Pulse in Delarivier Manley's Lost Lover; Palæmon in Pausanias (Norton or Southerne); Sir Merlin Marteen in Afra Behn's Younger Brother, or the Amorous Jill; Nic Froth, an innkeeper, in The Cornish Comedy (George Powell); and Castillio, jun., in Neglected Virtue, or the Unhappy Conqueror (anonymous). Among his original parts, in 1697, were Tom Dawkins in Elkanah Settle's Man in the Moon, Amorous in Female Wits (Margaret Cavendish) in which also he appeared in his own character, Gusman in Triumphs of Virtue (anonymous), Major Rakish in Colley Cibber's Woman's Wit, Baldernoe in John Dennis's Plot and No Plot, First Tradesman, Quaint, and Sir Polidorus Hogstye in John Vanbrugh's Æsop, and Famine in James Drake's Sham Lawyer. He also played the Lieutenant in the Humorous Lieutenant of Beaumont and Fletcher. Min Heer Tomas, a fat burgomaster, in D'Urfey's Campaigners, or Pleasant Adventures at Brussels, Snatchpenny in John Lacy's Sauny the Scot, or the Taming of the Shrew, and Pedro in Powell's Imposture Defeated were in 1698; and Club in George Farquhar's Love and a Bottle, Jonathan in Love without Interest, Beau Clincher in Farquhar's The Constant Couple, in 1699. In that year he recited the prologue to the first part of D'Urfey's Rise and Fall of Massaniello, and probably played in both parts of the play. He was in 1700 the Mad Taylor in a revival of The Pilgrim (John Fletcher with Vanburgh and Dryden), and played the first Dick Addle in Courtship à la Mode, a play written by Crawford, and given, as were other comedies, to Pinkethman. Don Lewis in Love makes a Man, or the Fop's Fortune (Cibber's adaptation from Beaumont and Fletcher), Pun in Baker's The Humours of the Age, Clincher, the Jubilee Beau turned into a politician, in Sir Harry Wildair (Farquhar's sequel to the Constant Couple), Charles Codshead in D'Urfey's Bath, were in 1701. In 1702 he was the original Old Mirabel in George Farquhar's The Inconstant. He also recited what was known as "Pinkethman's Epilogue". He was known for his ad libs. It was at this period that Charles Gildon, in his Comparison between Two Stages, spoke of him as "a fellow that overdoes everything, and spoils many a part with his own stuff."

In 1703 Pinkethman created Squib in Thomas Baker's Tunbridge Walks, Maggothead (mayor of Coventry) in Thomas D'Urfey's Old Mode and the New, and Whimsey in Richard Estcourt's Fair Example. At the booth in Bartholomew Fair, which he held with William Bullock and Thomas Simpson, he played on 24 August 1703 Toby in Jephtha's Rash Vow, a droll. After the merger of the Haymarket and Drury Lane companies in 1708, fewer original characters came to Pinkethman, who, however, was assigned important parts in standard plays. On 4 April 1707, for his benefit, he spoke with Jubilee Dicky (Henry Norris) a new epilogue. The two actors represented the figures of Somebody and Nobody. At the Haymarket Theatre he created, on 12 December 1709, Clinch in Susannah Centlivre's Man's Bewitched, and on 1 May 1710 Faschinetti in Charles Johnson's Love in a Chest.

Branching out
From 1698 Pinkethman also operated as a promoter and impresario of entertainments outside the major theatres. There was scope for these activities when the summer season closed the theatres, and he combined fairground booths, theatre and spectacle for the rest of his life, succeeding financially.

On 15 June 1710 Pinkethman opened a theatre in Greenwich, where he played comedy and tragedy. It lasted until September 1711. On 9 September 1717 he acted Old Merriman in a droll called Twice Married and a Maid still, given at his booth taken with George Pack, at Southwark Fair.

Last years
On 19 February 1718 Pinkethman was, at Drury Lane, the first Ringwood in John Breval's The Play is the Plot. In the late 1710s he established the Richmond Theatre in London where he was for sure actively staging works in 1719 and 1722, and possibly in the years in-between. On 14 February 1721 he was the original Sir Gilbert Wrangle in Cibber's The Refusal. This appears to have been practically his last original part. On 9 January 1723 he was Pyramus in the burlesque scene from Midsummer Night's Dream fitted into Love in a Forest, an alteration of As you like it. On 23 May 1724 he appeared in Epsom Wells (Thomas Shadwell), for his benefit. At an uncertain date he played Judge Tutchin in Lodowick Barry's Ram Alley, or Merry Tricks.

Family
Pinkethman, described as a bachelor of St. Paul's, Covent Garden, married, on 22 November 1714, at Bow Church, Middlesex, Elizabeth Hill, of St. Paul's, Shadwell. Pinkethman's booth was handed on to his son, who also acted. At the opening of Covent Garden Theatre, 7 Dec. 1732, he played Waitwell in The Way of the World, was Antonio in Chances at Drury Lane, 23 November 1739, and died 15 May 1740.