1804, William Henry West Betty's debut at Covent Garden, obverse; WILLm. HENRY WEST BETTY / BORN 13TH SEPTr. 1791, draped bare-headed bust right, by Kettle, reverse; HE ASTONISHES THE JUDICIOUS OBSERVERS OF HUMAN NATURE 1804 seven lines within oak wreath, BRITISH / TRAGEDIAN above, 24mm, 5.20g brass, BHM-556, NF
William Henry Best Betty (1791-1874) was a famous and hugely popular child actor, known as "Master Betty" and "The Young Roscius." On 11th August 1803 he debuted to great critical acclaim as Osman in Voltaire's Zaire
, and subsequently attracted large audiences as Young Norval in John Home's Douglas,
as Frederick in Elizabeth Inchbald's Lovers' Vows
, and as Shakespeare's Hamlet, apparently committing the part to memory in only three hours.
