Sarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sarah Kemble 5 July 1755 Brecon, Wales |
| Died | 8 June 1831 (aged 75) London, England |
| Resting place | Saint Mary's Cemetery, Paddington Green, London, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse | William Siddons |
| Children | 7, including Henry Siddons |
| Parent(s) | Roger Kemble Sarah Ward |
| Relatives | Kemble family |
Sarah Siddons (née Kemble; 5 July 1755 – 8 June 1831) was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. Contemporaneous critic William Hazlitt dubbed Siddons as "tragedy personified".
She was the elder sister of John Philip Kemble, Charles Kemble, Stephen Kemble, Ann Hatton, and Elizabeth Whitlock, and the aunt of Fanny Kemble. She was most famous for her portrayal of the Shakespearean character Lady Macbeth, a character she made her own.
The Sarah Siddons Society, founded in 1952, continues to present the Sarah Siddons Award annually in Chicago to a distinguished actress.