Occupation Actor and playwright Role Playwright Name Nathaniel Bannister | Spouse Amelia Greene Language English | |
Born Nathaniel Harrington Bannister
January 13, 1813
Delaware, United States ( 1813-01-13 ) Died 1847, New York City, New York, United States | ||
Nathaniel Harrington Bannister (January 13, 1813 – November 2, 1847) was an American actor and playwright, one of the better American playwrights of his day.
Bannister wrote over 40 plays, including the very popular Putnam, the Iron Son of '76 (1844) about the American Revolutionary War hero Israel Putnam which played for 78 consecutive nights in New York at the Bowery Theatre (produced by Thomas S. Hamblin), an astounding success for its time. The bulk of Bannister's many works, only some of which were published, are historical dramas.
Bannister was born in Delaware (some sources report Maryland) in 1813, and made his first appearance on stage in Baltimore at age 16 in the role of Young Norval. He died in poverty in New York on November 2, 1847.
Bannister was married to actress Amelia Greene, who was previously married to John Augustus Stone.