Mansfield, Richard (1854-1907), was the leading actor in the American theater from the 1880’s to the early 1900’s. Mansfield won acclaim for his performances in such classics as Richard III and Henry V by William Shakespeare. He also starred in works by modern playwrights, notably George Bernard Shaw and Henrik Ibsen. Mansfield became especially popular for his skillful physical impersonation of characters. His most famous performance was in the dual role of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, in a dramatic adaptation of a famous horror story by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Mansfield was born in Berlin, Germany, to an English father and a Dutch mother. He lived in England and elsewhere in Europe before coming to the United States at the age of 18. Mansfield moved back to England in 1877. He made his American professional acting debut in 1882.
