William Faversham was born in London on February 12, 1868, marking the beginning of a life filled with drama, both on and off stage. After attending Hill-Martin College, he briefly served in a cavalry regiment in Warwickshire before making his stage debut on November 19, 1885, in a London vaudeville theater.
Two years later, Faversham crossed the Atlantic, making his American debut on January 17, 1887, in the play "Pen and Ink." This marked the start of his successful career in the United States, where he would go on to become a renowned actor and matinee idol.
In 1893, Faversham joined Charles Frohman's Empire Theatre Company, a group he would remain with for eight years. His big break came on August 19, 1901, when he received star billing, playing the role of Don Caesar in the play "A Royal Rival." This catapulted him to stardom, and he went on to tour the United States in 1905-1907, starring in the hit play "The Squaw Man," which earned him a small fortune.
Faversham's status as a leading man continued to grow, and he appeared in many Shakespearean productions, including a notable performance as Romeo opposite Maude Adams as Juliet. He also made a few silent films, but as the years passed, his status slowly began to fade.
On July 20, 1925, Faversham married his third wife, Edith Campbell, at his estate in Huntington, Long Island. However, his fortunes began to decline, and in 1927, he filed for bankruptcy. Despite several attempts to recoup his losses, he never regained his former success.
Faversham continued to work, touring in Australia in 1929 and appearing in several plays with the Chicago Civic Shakespeare Society in 1931. He also founded a drama school in 1932, although it was short-lived.
Faversham's final stage appearance was in 1934, when he played the role of Jeeter Lester in the play "Tobacco Road." He then returned to Hollywood, appearing in a few films before retiring in 1937.
In his later years, Faversham lived at the Percy C. Williams home, a retreat on Long Island for aged actors. Despite being retired, he insisted on working for his keep, tending to a garden on the estate.
Tragically, Faversham's life came to an abrupt end on April 7, 1940, when he died of a coronary embolism. He was buried in the Huntington Rural Cemetery in Bay Shore, next to his second wife, Julie Opp.
Throughout his life, Faversham was married three times, with his first wife being Marian Merwin. He had two sons with his second wife, Julie Opp: Philip, an actor, and William Jr.
