Ham Actor
Meaning
An inferior actor with, perhaps, lots of gesticulations but little else.
Origin
19th century make-up was removed with ham fat.
Alternative: a touring troupe of American actors in the mid-1800s, known as Ham’s actors from the name of their leader, was the basis of this ph
Alternative: From the popular minstrel song The Hamfat Man about an inept actor.
Alternative: A play on the word amateur.
Alternative: Ddown-at-heel actors had played Hamlet in better days.
