In addition to his literary career, Gregory was a skilled actor and was an expert in the portrayal of Shakespearean characters. His acting career was thwarted by the disdain the public held for him. In February 1843 he was performing as Prince Hamlet in a production at Covent Garden when members of the audience began loudly whistling, catcalling and shouting at the stage. The group was led by the Duke of Brunswick, who signalled the crowd to begin their disruption from his private box. Gregory then filed conspiracy charges against the Duke in court. He alleged that the Duke had paid members of the crowd to disrupt the performance. During the trial, Gregory produced witnesses who admitted being paid by the Duke. The Duke's defence was that his actions were justified because of a man of Gregory's character should not be permitted to appear on the stage. His defence was successful and he was found not guilty.
