James H. Hackett

James Henry Hackett (March 15, 1800 – December 28, 1871) was an American actor born in New York City who performed on Broadway from 1830 to 1869. Before entering the theater, Hackett pursued several other paths: he enrolled at Columbia College in 1815 before withdrawing, subsequently studied law privately, and by 1818 was working as a wholesale clerk at a grocery firm in New York. In 1819, he married Catherine Leebuff, an actress.

Hackett made his stage debut in March 1826, taking the role of Justice Woodcock in Love in a Village alongside his wife. He quickly built a reputation for eccentric character parts, and the following year performed at Covent Garden in London to considerable success. Over the course of his career he traveled repeatedly between the United States and Britain, earning particular recognition for his interpretations of Shakespeare, most notably the role of Falstaff. His Broadway credits included The Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry IV, and Rip Van Winkle. In 1834, he commissioned a comedy from writer John Neal intended to showcase his talent for eccentric characters, but rejected the work upon receiving it.

Beyond performing, Hackett worked as a manager and impresario. He is credited with engaging the troupe of Italian opera singers who formed the nucleus of the inaugural 1854–55 season of the Academy of Music in New York City. Following that venture, his appearances on the public stage became infrequent. He was also the author of Notes and Comments on Shakespeare, published in 1863. Hackett was the father of Recorder John K. Hackett and actor James Keteltas Hackett. He died on December 28, 1871, in Jamaica, Long Island, New York.