?) ▁was ▁a ▁Scottish ▁actor . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Born ▁in ▁Edinburgh ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 7 7 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁app r entic ed ▁to ▁a ▁lin endra per , ▁and ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁appearance ▁on ▁the ▁Edinburgh ▁stage ▁under ▁Stephen ▁K emble ▁as ▁an ▁amateur ▁in ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁Prince ▁Ham let , ▁ 9 ▁July ▁ 1 7 9 4 ; ▁the ▁Th esp ian ▁Dictionary ▁claimed ▁that ▁he ▁also ▁played ▁Har le quin . ▁His ▁success ▁was ▁immediate . ▁After ▁playing ▁a ▁few ▁night s , ▁he ▁crossed ▁the ▁sea ▁to ▁Dublin , ▁where ▁he ▁acted ▁twelve ▁night s , ▁appearing ▁on ▁seven ▁of ▁them ▁as ▁Nor val ▁in ▁Douglas ▁by ▁John ▁Home . ▁ ▁At ▁Cov ent ▁Garden ▁John ston ' s ▁first ▁appearance ▁in ▁London ▁took ▁place ▁at ▁Cov ent ▁Garden ▁Theatre , ▁in ▁Douglas , ▁ 2 3 ▁October ▁ 1 7 9 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁pra ised ▁in ▁the ▁European ▁Review . ▁He ▁remained ▁at ▁Cov ent ▁Garden , ▁with ▁summer ▁engag ements ▁at ▁the ▁Hay market ▁Theatre , ▁until ▁the ▁season ▁of ▁ 1 8 0 2 – 3 . ▁ ▁With ▁seven ▁other ▁actors , ▁John ston ▁signed ▁the ▁statement ▁of ▁gr iev ances ▁against ▁the ▁management ▁of ▁Cov ent ▁Garden . ▁After ▁the ▁dismiss al ▁of ▁Joseph ▁George ▁Hol man , ▁he ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁ow ed ▁his ▁re - eng agement ▁to ▁John ▁F aw c ett , ▁who ▁refused ▁to ▁renew ▁his ▁contract ▁otherwise . ▁As ▁Nor