Charles Fechter (1824–1879)

Charles Fechter

Adapter, The Count of Monte Cristo

Fechter was the author of several dramatizations of novels, including The Count of Monte Cristo, which he produced himself. Born in London of French parents, he became an actor who played in both Europe and the United States. His revolutionary Hamlet, produced in London in 1861, first brought him to prominence and he became well known for his young-hero roles. Fechter also became a theatre manager, taking over the management of the London Lyceum and opening the old Globe Theatre in New York as Fechter’s. As manager, he was responsible for a number of improvements and innovations in theatre design. In 1876 he retired to a farm near Philadelphia, where he died three years later.