Ham Actor
Preserved but no longer current.
A bad actor, especially one who over-acts or performs his part in a stiff and stilted fashion. The origin of the term is uncertain; it may arise from the delusion such bad actors often entertain that they can perform that most difficult of parts — Hamlet.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Ham Actor” mean?
A bad actor, especially one who over-acts or performs his part in a stiff and stilted fashion. The origin of the term is uncertain; it may arise from the delusion such bad actors often entertain that they can perform that most difficult of parts — Hamlet.
Is “Ham Actor” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.