Every once in a while, a performer becomes famous for their lack of talent. Florence Foster Jenkins was so convinced of her operatic talent that she rented Carnegie Hall, and people came to marvel at her terrible singing. Tommy Wiseau produced, directed, and acted in a movie that people only watched because it was so awful. But they came in late to the game compared to Robert Coates, who took to the stage as a Shakespearean actor in 1809.
Coates was convinced he had a talent for drama, and he was certainly dramatic. He designed his own costumes, improvised his lines, and repeated death scenes over and over on stage until he got it right. The audience thought Coates' debut as Romeo was a comedic take, and loved it. When it became clear Coates was confidently earnest, just very bad at what he was doing, he became a sensation in England. Audiences flocked to see Coates act, so they could laugh, ridicule him, and sometimes throw vegetables at him. The actor was just as flamboyant off stage. Read about the notorious Robert Coates at Amusing Planet.
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