William Mills (actor)

William Mills (1701-1750) was a British stage actor.

The son of veteran stage actor John Mills and his wife Margaret Mills, he was born in London and baptised at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 29 June 1701. Under his father's guidance he made his debut as a child actor in 1712.[1]

Like his father, he was a long-standing member of the Drury Lane theatre company. He took part in the Actor Rebellion of 1733, and left to work at the Haymarket Theatre for a season before returning to Drury Lane.[2] His last appearance was in The Merchant of Venice in February 1750 and he died two months later on 18 April, shortly before a benefit was to be staged for him, and was buried at St Martin-in-the-Fields.[3]

He was married to the actress Theodosia Mills until her death in 1733, after which he married another actress Elizabeth Holliday.[4] With his first wife he had a daughter also called Theodosia who likewise became an actress.

Selected roles

References
  1. Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.253
  2. The Routledge Anthology of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama p.lviii
  3. Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.256
  4. The Routledge Anthology of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama p.lviii

Bibliography
  • Highfill, Philip H, Burnim, Kalman A. & Langhans, Edward A. A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers, and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800: Garrick to Gyngell. SIU Press, 1978.
  • Straub, Kristina, G. Anderson, Misty and O'Quinn, Daniel . The Routledge Anthology of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama. Taylor & Francis, 2017.
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