Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Berlin
About Ludwig Devrient
- Ludwig Devrient (15 December 1784 – 30 December 1832) was a German actor, noted for his playing in the works of Shakespeare and Schiller. Devrient, who was born in Berlin, left a commercial career for the stage in 1804.
- He joined a travelling theatrical company, and made his first appearance on the stage at Gera as the messenger in Schiller's Braut von Messina.
- By the interest of Count Brühl, he appeared at Rudolstadt as Franz Moor in Schiller's Die Räuber, so successfully that he obtained a permanent engagement at the ducal theatre in Dessau, where he played until 1809.
- He then received a call to Breslau, where he remained for six years.
- Such was his success in the title-parts of several of Shakespeare's plays, that the leading actor August Wilhelm Iffland began to fear for his own reputation; yet that artist was generous enough to recommend the young actor as his only possible successor.
- On Iffland's death Devrient was summoned to Berlin, where he was for fifteen years the popular idol.
- He died there in December 1832.Ludwig Devrient was equally adept in comedy and tragedy.
- Falstaff, Franz Moor (in Die Räuber), Shylock, King Lear and Richard II were among his best parts.
- Karl von Holtei in his Reminiscences gave a graphic picture of him and the "demoniac fascination" of his acting.
- He also wrote several plays and a history of the German stage (1848–74) in five volumes.
- With his son, Otto, he published translations of Shakespeare's plays. Devrient was a member of a notable theatrical family, his three nephews all being actors.
- Karl August Devrient (1797–1872) was popular in heroic and character roles such as Lear, Shylock, and Faust.
- Another nephew, Philipp Eduard Devrient (1801–1877), directed the Court Theater, Dresden (1844–46), and the Karlsruhe Theater (1852–70).
- Gustav Emil Devrient (1803–1872), was the youngest and most gifted of all three nephews of Ludwig Devrient.
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