French
Samuel French is a play publisher founded in New York in 1854, famous for its paperback acting editions, and part of Concord Theatricals since 2018.
- Editions tracked
- 29
- First editions
- 13
- Books
- 29
- Years
- 1856 to 1996
About French
Samuel French is a play publisher and licensing house, founded in New York in 1854 by Samuel French (1821 to 1898), known for its paperback acting editions of plays. In 1859 French met Thomas Hailes Lacy, a British actor turned theatrical bookseller who was already publishing acting editions, in London, and the two became partners, each acting as the other's agent across the Atlantic.
French settled in London in 1872, leaving his son Thomas Henry French to run the New York business. When Lacy retired in 1873 French bought his business for £5,000, making Samuel French the leading theatrical publisher in England. By his death in 1898 the firm had issued work by most of the significant English playwrights of the preceding decades.
The British company, Samuel French Ltd, published scripts as numbered French's Acting Editions: Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, for example, appeared as French's Acting Edition No. 153 in 1954.
Concord announced its purchase of Samuel French on 17 December 2018 and combined it, along with Tams-Witmark, with R&H Theatricals to form Concord Theatricals, where Samuel French continues as one of its licensing catalogues.
How to spot a French first edition
We have not yet written the guide to French's first-edition conventions. Until we do, check each book's own page: we list its points where we know them. Know how French marked its firsts? Tell us.
AuthorsAgatha Christie (5)August Wilson (3)Arthur Conan Doyle (2)Stella Adler (1)Edward Albee (1)James Baldwin (1)Albert Camus (1)Mart Crowley (1)Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1)Athol Fugard (1)
SeriesThe Adventures of Sherlock Holmescanon of Hercule Poirot
Published by French
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify a French first edition?
Check the title page and the copyright page: a French first edition gives the first date of publication with no later impression or edition stated. Each book's page here lists its own points.
How many French books does MyVolumes track?
We track 29 editions published by French, 13 of them first editions, across 29 books.
Where these facts come from
- Samuel French, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Concord Theatricals, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- The Mousetrap, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 19 October 2026.