The Resume

(February 20, 1829-April 23, 1905)
Acted in 'Our American Cousin,' 'The Rivals,' 'Cricket on the Hearth,' 'Nicholas Nickleby ,' 'The Heir at Law,' 'Dot,' and 'The Octoroon: Or Life in Louisiana'
Portrayed the role of Rip Van Winkle over 4,500 times

Why he might be annoying:

He became so identified with the role of Rip Van Winkle that he gave up acting in anything else.
He put together his costume for 'Rip Van Winkle' before a script was even written.
There is a legend that he is a distant cousin of Stan Laurel.
He wrote one of the first show biz autobiographies.
He rose to stardom in the production of 'Our American Cousin,' which Lincoln watched when he was assassinated.

Why he might not be annoying:

He had left 'Our American Cousin' long before the night Lincoln was killed.
He was perfectly content to play nothing but Rip Van Winkle for the last forty years of his career.
He was good friends with Edwin Booth and would sometimes appear in the cameo role of the First Gravedigger opposite Booth's Hamlet.
In an age when actors were viewed as drunken vagabonds, he was a deeply religious family man.
His autobiography is considered among the greatest theatrical memoirs.
He was the most beloved American actor of the nineteenth century.
The major award honoring excellence in professional theater produced Chicago is named after him.

Credit: Professor Moriarty

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Award Namesakes
• Bears
• I Died in 1905 (Ranked: 76)
• I Lived on Staten Island
• Look at Me, I Got My Hands Up
• Look at Me, Oy Vey
• Professor Moriarty's Profiles [Series 2]
• Profiles 16251-16500 (Ranked: 16388)
• Sixty-Nine
• Wizard Beards

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 72.73% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 19 Votes: 15.79% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 22 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 27 Votes: 40.74% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 21 Votes: 47.62% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 102 Votes: 49.02% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 103 Votes: 51.46% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 28 Votes: 50.0% Annoying