David Garrick - Legacy

Legacy

• A monument to Garrick in Lichfield Cathedral bears Johnson's famous comment:

"I am disappointed by that stroke of death that has eclipsed the gaiety of nations, and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure."

• A carved stone medallion, a metre or more in diameter, showing Garrick is on display at Birmingham Central Library.
• Garrick was the first actor to be granted the honour of being buried in Westminster Abbey, in Poets' Corner next to the monument to William Shakespeare. Later Henry Irving, the first actor to be knighted, was buried beside him on the same spot. Laurence Olivier was the third to be given that honour, in 1989.
• A film made in 1937, a comedy called The Great Garrick directed by James Whale is a fictional story revolving around Garrick's acting skills and his ego which inspires the Académie française to teach him a lesson. The film stars Brian Aherne as Garrick.
• A School House at King Edward VI School, Lichfield is named after him.
• The lyrics he penned for "Heart of Oak" remain, with William Boyce's music, the official March Of the Royal Navy.
• Juan de Dios Peza (1852–1910) a Mexican poet, wrote a poem ("Reir Llorando", tr. "To Laugh Crying") about an English actor named Garrick, portraying him as a depressed comedian. Apart from being strictly a comedian, the poem's character is a nobleman ("noble he nacido"), unlike historic David Garrick.
• In May 2007, the Spanish comedy troupe Tricicle opened a production of comedic sketches entitled "Garrick" in tribute to the actor.
• Legend has it that he was so engrossed in a performance of Richard III that he was oblivious to a bone fracture, inspiring the theatrical felicitation "Break a leg!"