Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Goodall, Charlotte
GOODALL, CHARLOTTE (fl. 1784–1813), actress, was the daughter of Stanton, manager of what was called a ‘sharing company’ in Staffordshire. From an early age she played in her father's company. She made so successful a début at Bath as Rosalind, 17 April 1784, that John Palmer [q. v.] engaged her for his theatre. In Bath or Bristol she played Lady Teazle, Lydia Languish, Miss Hardcastle, Mrs. Page, and many other characters, including Juliet and Desdemona. On 6 Oct. 1787, still in Bath as Mrs. Goodall, late Miss Stanton, she played Miranda in the ‘Busybody.’ On 2 Oct. 1788 she made her début in London, at Drury Lane, as Rosalind. She supported Miss Farren [q. v.] and Mrs. Jordan [q. v.] in other characters, and played also Charlotte Rusport in ‘West Indian,’ Angelica in ‘Love for Love,’ Millamant in ‘Way of the World,’ and Viola in ‘Twelfth Night.’ Her refusal to play Lady Anne in ‘King Richard III’ led to a quarrel with Kemble and to a keen newspaper controversy. On 30 July 1789, expressly engaged by Colman the younger for ‘breeches parts,’ she appeared at the Haymarket as Sir Harry Wildair in the ‘Constant Couple.’ At one or other house she played many original characters in plays of secondary importance now forgotten. With the Drury Lane company she migrated in 1791–2 to the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, where she played, 30 Nov. 1791, Katharine to the Petruchio of Palmer, returning in 1794 with the company to Drury Lane. Two or three years later she ceased to belong to the summer company at the Haymarket, and in 1798–9 her name disappears from the Drury Lane bills. She played at the Haymarket for a short time in 1803. On 19 July 1813 an action was brought by her husband, Thomas Goodall [q. v.], a merchant-captain in Bristol, who took the title of Admiral of Hayti, against William Fletcher, an attorney, for criminal conversation. A verdict for the plaintiff, with 5000l. damages, was given. In the evidence it is stated that Mrs. Goodall was originally an actress, and had eight children. Mrs. Goodall died at Somers Town, London, in July 1830. She had a symmetrical figure, and in this respect was pitted against Mrs. Jordan, whom she surpassed in height. Her voice was melodious, but her articulation not quite clear. Her character is said to have been amiable. A portrait by De Wilde [q. v.], representing her as Sir Harry Wildair, is in the Mathews Collection at the Garrick Club. In the ‘Druriad,’ a satire, 1798, 4to, she is described as possessing a neat figure and
a pretty, lifeless face; and it is said
Nor joy, nor grief, affect (sic) her lifeless frame,
Inanimate and gentle, mild and tame.
A note says she conveys the idea of ‘a well-constructed automaton.’
[Genest's Account of the English Stage; Hazlewood's Secret History of the Green Room, 1795; Gilliland's Dramatic Mirror, 1808; Report of Trial, Goodall v. Fletcher, 8vo, n. d. (1813); works cited.]Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.137
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 115 | i | 24-25 | Goodall, Charlotte: for (fl. 1784-1813) read (d. 1830) |
| ii | 11-12 | for From this point traces of Mrs. Goodall disappear, read Mrs. Goodall died at Somerstown, London, in July 1830. |