William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He had a wife and three children and had a successful career as an actor and playwright in London between 1585-1592. Some of his most famous works include Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. He wrote comedies, histories, and tragicomedies. Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of 52 in Stratford-upon-Avon.