Blas,’ 2 Feb. 1751; Puff in Foote's ‘Taste,’ 11 Jan. 1752.
In 1753–4 Mrs. Graham, subsequently Mrs. Mary Ann Yates [q. v.], joined the company, and Yates was thenceforward closely associated with her. They seem to have been married in the autumn of 1756. In his later years he is said to have been eclipsed by her and engaged chiefly on her account. He was, however, always worth his salary, and his position in comedy was never questioned. He was, 30 April 1754, the original Grumbler, altered from Sedley, who himself translated ‘Le Grondeur’ of Brueys. Yates had previously, 18 March, been the first Grumio in Garrick's ‘Catharine and Petruchio.’ He was the first Wingate in Murphy's ‘Apprentice,’ 2 Jan. 1756; O'Clabber in Smollett's ‘Reprisal,’ 22 Jan. 1757; Vamp in Foote's ‘Author,’ 5 Feb.; Dizzy in Garrick's ‘Modern Fine Gentleman,’ afterwards called ‘Male Coquette,’ 24 March; Barnacle in Garrick's ‘Gamesters,’ 22 Dec.; Quidnunc in Murphy's ‘Upholsterer,’ 30 March 1758; Feeble in Hill's ‘Rout,’ 20 Dec.; Sir Charles Clackit in the ‘Guardian,’ 3 Feb. 1759; Captain Hardy in Mozeen's ‘Heiress,’ 21 May; Philip in ‘High Life below Stairs,’ 31 Oct.; Snip in Garrick's ‘Harlequin's Invasion,’ 31 Dec.; played a part in Mrs. Clive's ‘Every Woman in her Humour;’ was, 20 March 1760, the first Honeycombe in Colman's ‘Polly-Honeycombe,’ 5 Dec.; Sir Bashful Constant in Murphy's ‘Way to keep him,’ enlarged to five acts on 10 Jan. 1761; Major Oakly in Colman's ‘Jealous Wife,’ 12 Feb.; Sir John Restless in Murphy's ‘All in the Wrong,’ 15 June; Old Philpot in Murphy's ‘Citizen,’ 2 July; Old Mask in Colman's ‘Musical Lady,’ 6 March 1762; Sir John Woodall in Mrs. Sheridan's ‘Dupe,’ 10 Dec. 1763; Hobbinol in Lloyd's ‘Capricious Lovers,’ 28 Nov. 1764; Sir William Loveworth in Murphy's ‘Choice,’ 23 March 1765; Sterling in Garrick and Colman's ‘Clandestine Marriage,’ 20 Feb. 1766; Slip in ‘Neck or Nothing,’ attributed to Garrick, 18 Nov.; and Freeport (the merchant) in Colman's ‘English Merchant,’ 21 Feb. 1767. He had at some date not fixed, but probably near 1760, set up with Shuter and others a booth at Bartholomew Fair, playing Pantaloon to Shuter's Harlequin. Yates was an admirable pantomimist, and was frequently seen as harlequin.
Under the management of Harris, Rutherford, Colman, and Powell, he made his first appearance at Covent Garden on 31 Oct. 1767 as Major Oakly, and was the original Prig and Frightened Boor in ‘Royal Merchant,’ an opera founded by Hull on the ‘Beggar's Bush’ on 14 Dec. At this house he played Cloten, Floirmond in ‘Edgar and Emmeline,’ Sir Gilbert Wrangle in the ‘Refusal,’ Brass, and Lucio. He was the original Sir Benjamin Dove in Cumberland's ‘Brothers,’ 2 Dec. 1769; and Stanley in ‘An Hour before Marriage,’ 25 Jan. 1772. On 11 Jan. 1773 he appeared at Edinburgh in ‘Othello,’ and played also Captain Brazen, Touchstone, and Shylock. On 5 May 1775 he reappeared at Drury Lane as Scrub, but does not seem to have acted again that season. Next season he played for the first time Captain Otter in ‘Epicœne,’ and was the first Hargrave in Mrs. Cowley's ‘Runaway,’ 15 Feb. 1776. He was subsequently Fondlewife in ‘Old Bachelor,’ and Clown in the ‘Winter's Tale,’ and was on 8 May 1777 the original Sir Oliver Surface in the ‘School for Scandal.’ No further character in which he had not been seen was assigned him at Drury Lane. From 1780 to 1782 he was not engaged. On 6 Dec. 1782 he made, as Sir Wilful Witwoud in the ‘Way of the World,’ his ‘first appearance at Covent Garden these ten years,’ and was on 28 Jan. 1783 the first Sir Edmund Travers in Cumberland's ‘Mysterious Husband.’ He was then no more engaged in London. Yates was engaged with his wife in Edinburgh 1784–5, and probably acted with her in York during her return journey on 21 April 1785. He offered for Mrs. Clarke's benefit to play Scrub in place of her husband on 6 May 1786, but had a violent attack of the gout. On 21 April 1796, at his house, Stafford Row, Pimlico, he died, it is said, in a fit of rage at being unable to obtain eels for dinner, and was buried at his own request by his second wife in the chancel of Richmond church.
Yates was held unequalled in Shakespearean clowns. Wilks says in 1759: ‘If humour, propriety, and a close adherence to nature render a man valuable in the theatrical world … there is not a more useful nor a more pleasing performer now in Drury Lane.’ The ‘Dramatic Censor’ calls him ‘a very just comedian who is seldom beholden to trick for applause.’ Davies coupled him with Benjamin Johnson [q. v.] as a Heemskirk or Teniers of the stage. The author of the ‘Theatrical Biography,’ 1772, commends his propriety in dressing his parts, and says that the stage has no better actor in low humour. Dibdin likens him to Underhill, and awards him the preference over all French actors of his day. Churchill concedes grudgingly his merits, but chides him for forgetting his words, and holds him unable to play a gentleman.
