About Harriet Smithson
Harriet Constance Smithson, who also went by Henrietta Constance Smithson, Harriet Smithson Berlioz, and Miss H.C. Smithson, was an Anglo-Irish Shakespearean actress of the 19th century, best known as the first wife and muse of Hector Berlioz. On 27 May 1814, Smithson made her first stage appearance at the Theatre Royal (Dublin), as Albina Mandevill in Frederick Reynolds's The Will. Four years later, 20 January 1818, Smithson made her first London appearance at Drury Lane as Letitia Hardy in The Belle's Stratagem. Smithson's portrayal of Ophelia in "Hamlet" was particularly well-received, and she quickly became a beloved figure in the theatrical community.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.