George Vining
(1824-1875)

According to his entry in the Dictionary of National Biography, George Vining 'was educated at St Peter's grammar school, Eaton Square, London, and subsequently in France. After serving as clerk in a bank six years [...] he came out on 4 Dec. 1845 at the Newmarket Theatre as Hamlet. At Jersey he met Macready, in whose company his father had been, and accepted an engagement to play with him in Bath and Bristol. He then joined Mrs Warner at the Marylebone Theatre, making there, 30 Aug. 1847, his first appearance in London as Florizel in The Winter's Tale.' 

His most popular creation was apparently Badger, the detective in Boucicault's Streets of London.  He also obtained a great succss playing Count Fosco in the first stage adaptation of Wilkie Collin's The Woman in White at the Olympic in 1871. 

His entry in the DNB closes with the succinct summary: 'He was a respectable actor, not in the first class.'