Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fisher, David (1788?-1858)
FISHER, DAVID, the elder (1788?–1858), actor, one of the managers of Fisher's company, which had a monopoly of the Suffolk theatres, was the son of David Fisher (d. 6 Aug. 1832), manager of the same circuit. Fisher made his first appearance in London at Drury Lane, as Macbeth, 3 Dec. 1817. This was followed on the 5th by Richard III, and on the 10th by Hamlet. The recovery from illness of Kean arrested his career. On 24 Sept. 1818, at Drury Lane, then under Stephen Kemble, he played Jaffier in 'Venice Preserved.' Subsequently he appeared as Lord Townly in the 'Provoked Husband,' and Pyrrhus in 'Orestes.' He was the original Titus in Howard Payne's 'Brutus, or the Fall of Tarquin,' 3 Dec. 1818, and Angelo in Buck's 'Italians, or the Fatal Accusation,' 3 April 1819. He failed to establish any strong position, and discovered at the close of the second season that his presence was necessary on the Suffolk circuit. On 7 Nov. 1823 he appeared at Bath in 'Hamlet,' and subsequently as Shylock, Leon, and Jaffier. He was pronounced a sound actor, but with no claim to genius, and failed to please. Returning again to the eastern counties, he built theatres at Bungay, Beccles, Halesworth, Eye, Lowestoft, Dereham, North Walsham, and other places. About 1838 he retired to Woodbridge, where he died 20 Aug. 1858. He was a musician and a scene-painter, and in the former capacity was leader for some time of the Norwich choral concerts.
[Grenest's Account of the English Stage; Gent. Mag. 1858, ii. 422; Theatrical Inquisitor, vol. xi.]