After playing for some time in the country he appeared at Drury Lane, 31 October 1796, as Marcellus in ‘Hamlet.’ At this theatre he remained until the season of 1819–1820, getting few chances and failing to improve his position.
On the death of Palmer, who was replaced by Barrymore, he took, 15 February 1798, the character of Count Wintersen in the ‘Stranger,’ and during the illness of Charles Kemble he performed Alonzo in ‘Pizarro,’ in which piece he was the original Centinel, 24 May 1799.
He essayed also Palmer's character of Sydenham in the ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ and was said to have proved ‘that his talents were entitled to more attention and encouragement from the managers.’ He acted at Drury Lane many subordinate parts in unimportant dramas by Whalley, Cherry, S. Sotheby, Cumberland, and others.
On 6 June 1809, as Steinfort in ‘The Stranger,’ he made his first appearance at the Haymarket, where, 25 July 1810, he was the original Henry Mortimer in Eyres's ‘High Life in the City.’ He accompanied the Drury Lane company in its migration to the Lyceum, and on the opening of the new theatre, 10 October 1812, was Horatio to Elliston's Hamlet.
Gilliland speaks of him as having a delicacy of nerve that interfered with his success, says his intellect was under the direction of a refined education, and adds that his figure was not ungraceful and his deportment not inelegant.