[2] At the Covent Garden Theatre in 1813, in light comedy and melodrama, he made his first definite success.

He created the parts of Appius Claudius in Sheridan Knowles's Virginius (1820) and of Modus in his The Hunchback (1832).

[3] In 1827 Abbot organized the company, including Harriet Smithson, which acted Shakespeare in Paris.

Two of Abbot's melodramas, The Youthful Days of Frederick the Great (1817) and Swedish Patriotism (1819), were produced at Covent Garden.

[3] Abbot also worked in America, where he first appeared as "Mr. Beverly" in an 1832 production of The Gamester at the Park Theatre in New York.

This theatre brought stars like Ellen Tree to the company there, but did not enjoy major success.