Kitty Clive

Tanya M. Caldwell (Georgia State University)

Ed. by Nicholas Seager, University of Keele
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.05: English Writing and Culture from the Glorious Revolution to the French Revolution, 1689-1789.
Vol. editors: Paul Baines (University of Liverpool), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Pat Rogers (University of South Florida), Nicholas Seager (University of Keele)

Dates

Born 1711
Died 1785
Activity 1731-1785

Places

Born in England
Active in England

Activities

Primary

Theatre actor

Resources

Clive's Works

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Known to her contemporaries by the endearment Kitty, the mid-century actress Catherine Clive was an outstanding personality of her time. During a period when women’s roles in public life were murky, Clive negotiated the cutthroat theatre world and manipulated her persona through the periodical presses as they became influential as a conduit for social media. She is an example not only of one of the first celebrity actresses but also of an early businesswoman who manipulated the resources of her time. Clive’s success helped shape drama at midcentury and underscored the power of the presses in the theatre.

Clive was among a large percentage of London actors of Irish descent. Her father was William Raftor, a Kilkenny lawyer. She was born in 1711—according to her own account, on 5

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1124 words

Citation: Caldwell, Tanya M.. "Kitty Clive". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 September 2016 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=923, accessed 21 November 2024.]