There were more than two of them. Some of the others were Richard Burbage, Cuthbert Burbage, Will Kempe, John Heminges, Henry Condell, Augustine Phillips, and Thomas Pope.
There was no acting company called the King's Men until 1603, and when it was started Shakespeare was one of the charter members.
We are not exactly sure which acting company Shakespeare started his career with: Queen Elizabeth's Men, Lord Strange's Men, Suffolk's Men, Pembroke's Men or Derby's Men have all been mentioned as possible acting companies Shakespeare worked for before 1594. He may have worked for all of them for all we know. But what we do know is that in 1594 Shakespeare was made a partner in a new company made up mostly of actors from Lord Strange's men, and it is this company which Shakespeare worked with for the next twenty years or so, although the personnel and even the name of the company changed from time to time. It is known usually as the Lord Chamberlain's Men or the King's Men, but it was throughout the same company. So it is impossible to say which acting group was Shakespeare's second, but it is certain that the Chamberlain's/King's Men was his last.
The Lord Chamberlain's Men
Lord Chamberlains Men
The acting company to which Shakespeare belonged for most of his working life was called The Lord Chamberlain's Men from 1594-1603, and The King's Men after that. Shakespeare was not the troupe's leader, but rather a partner.
Queen Elizabeth I supported the Chamberlains Men acting company, and King James I supported the Kings Men acting company.
Shakespeare was a part owner of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men.
Just one, Richard Burbage's company. They started out as the Lord Chamberlain's Men but changed patrons and names to the King's Men. They were still the same company though.
Shakespeare's acting company was first known as Lord Chamberlain's Men. The name was changed to The Kings Men in 1603 when King James I ascended the throne and became the company's patron.
We are not exactly sure which acting company Shakespeare started his career with: Queen Elizabeth's Men, Lord Strange's Men, Suffolk's Men, Pembroke's Men or Derby's Men have all been mentioned as possible acting companies Shakespeare worked for before 1594. He may have worked for all of them for all we know. But what we do know is that in 1594 Shakespeare was made a partner in a new company made up mostly of actors from Lord Strange's men, and it is this company which Shakespeare worked with for the next twenty years or so, although the personnel and even the name of the company changed from time to time. It is known usually as the Lord Chamberlain's Men or the King's Men, but it was throughout the same company. So it is impossible to say which acting group was Shakespeare's second, but it is certain that the Chamberlain's/King's Men was his last.
The Lord Chamberlain who was the patron for Shakespeare's acting company was Henry Carey, the 1st Baron Hunsdon. He served as Lord Chamberlain from 1585 until his death in 1596 and supported the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the acting company to which Shakespeare belonged. Under his patronage, the company flourished and performed many of Shakespeare's plays.
The company was The Lord Chamberlain's Men until 1603 when they became The King's Men.