Joe Cowell

Cowell, Joe [né Joseph Hawkins Witchett] (1792–1863), actor. Born in Torquay, England, he hastily decided on a theatrical career after fleeing the Royal Navy rather than face a court‐martial for striking an officer. Cowell made his acting debut in 1812 and had become a favorite at Drury Lane by the time he first appeared in America at the Park Theatre in 1821. A small, round‐faced, balding man, with large, circular eyes and a long, quizzical mouth, he excelled at comedy but was also adept at scene painting and playhouse managing. He spent several seasons at Philadelphia's Walnut Street Theatre and was later one of the first actors to gain widespread recognition by touring even the smaller theatrical centers. Throughout his career his most‐called‐for role was the one in which he had made his American debut, Crack in the Turnpike Gate. Autobiography: Thirty Years Passed Among the Players, 1844.