Philippe Poisson (actor)

Philippe Poisson (8 February 1682 – 4 August 1743), known professionally as Crispin III,[1] was a French actor and playwright.

He, as well as the actor François-Arnoul Poisson de Roinville and the novelist and playwright Madeleine-Angélique de Gomez were all children of the actor Paul Poisson.

Born in Paris, Philippe made his début in 1700 in a tragedy, playing secondary roles with some success and also appearing in high comedy.

Retiring with his father in 1711, he returned to the stage in 1715 before leaving it for good in 1722.

The two most notable ones are le Procureur arbitre (1728) and l’Impromptu de campagne (1733), whilst the others are la Boite de Pandore (1729), Alcibiade (1731), le Réveil d’Épiménide (1736), le Mariage par lettres de change (1735), les Ruses d’amour (1736) and l’Actrice nouvelle (a comedy, never performed after Adrienne Lecouvreur wrote a satire mocking it).

Antoine Watteau , detail of Actors of the Comédie-Française ( The Coquettes ), 1710s, believed to be a depiction of Poisson. Hermitage Museum , Saint Petersburg