Cibber, Colley (1671-1757), an English actor and playwright, won fame for his portrayal of eccentric characters. His first play, Love’s Last Shift, was produced in 1696. The Careless Husband (1704) was his best comedy. In 1717, George I awarded him a substantial sum of money for his political comedy The Nonjuror, which supported the king’s political view. George II appointed him poet laureate in 1730. Cibber’s Apology for the Life of Mr. Colley Cibber, Comedian (1740), gives an account of the theatrical people of his day. Cibber was born in London.
