actor-manager

[ ak-ter-man-uh-jer ]

noun

1. a leading actor who produces and usually stars in their own productions:

   Sir Henry Irving was one of the first actor-managers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of actor-manager¹

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

The acting is uneven here, the rhythms sometimes off, though Sean McNall, a festival veteran, has a terrific turn as a newcomer in the first act, and Merritt Janson, a welcome Off-Broadway presence, does pointed and specific work as an actor-manager in the second.

From New York Times

His son, the actor-manager Gerald du Maurier, was Daphne's father.

From BBC

The four-person “actor-manager” model, they said, began to show signs of erosion, as one of the members, troupe standout Brandon Carter, shifted to programming duties.

From Washington Post

Eventually, according to Kelly Burdick Carter — Brandon’s wife — a management committee of six department managers, representing production, engagement and other units, replaced the actor-manager model as the company’s essential supervisors.

From Washington Post

“We had been starting to plan this actor-manager model, learning the ins and outs of administration and development and education, so we could have more agency and input moving forward,” she said.

From New York Times