Johnston Forbes-Robertson (1853-1937) was an English actor-manager who made his first stage appearance in 1874 at the Princess's Theatre, and had a long and varied stage career, despite initially training as an artist. He made his name at the Haymarket Theatre in 1876 and joined the Bancrofts at the Prince of Wales Theatre two years later, having a success in the plays Diplomacy, Duty and Ours. In 1882 he went to the Lyceum Theatre under Henry Irving and went into management there in 1895 where he played Romeo to the Juliet of Mrs. Patrick Campbell, and in 1897 Hamlet to her Ophelia.

Forbes-Robertson was considered to be one of the greatest Hamlets of all time, his fine-featured face and superb voice making him an ideal Prince of Denmark. His Buckingham in Shakespeare's Henry VIII was another of his successful roles. He became a great favourite of the public, at home and in the USA and Canada where he spent many years on tour. He was knighted in 1913 during the last week of his farewell performances at Drury Lane Theatre.