Richard Burbage

Richard Burbage (1567-March 13, 1619) was an actor in William Shakespeare's theater company, The Chamberlain's Men. He played the title role in the first performances of many of Shakespeare's plays, including Hamlet and King Lear, as well as in the plays of many of the great contemporary writers, such as Ben Johnson and Thomas Kyd. He was also a co-onwer, with his brother Cuthbert, Richard, of the Globe Theater and the Blackfriar's Theater, both established by their father James Burbage.