actor-manager who, after obscure beginnings, emerged as the leader of the last troupe of English strolling players in a tradition that influenced the German theatre.

Early in his career Jolly was reportedly employed at the Fortune Theatre in London. Traveling in Germany in 1648, Jolly and his company gained a foothold at Cologne, moving on to other German cities, notably Frankfurt am Main, where they performed annually at that city's fair and where they probably played before Prince Charles (later King Charles II), who visited Frankfurt in 1655. Like his predecessors Jolly made use of prosaic dialogue, violent action, visual effects, and passion, preparing German audiences to appreciate tragedy and helping significantly to revolutionize German drama.

Jolly's company performed with Italianate scenery, and Jolly was a pioneer in the use of elaborate machinery, dance, and music on the public stage in England. At the Restoration of Charles II, Jolly received a royal grant permitting him to manage a theatre in London and succeeded William Beeston as manager of the Cockpit (later Phoenix Theatre). In 1663, while Jolly was touring the provinces, Sir William Davenant (Davenant, Sir William) and the dramatist Thomas Killigrew (Killigrew, Thomas), the patentees holding the theatrical monopoly, conspired against him and persuaded the king to revoke Jolly's grant. Although Jolly fought back, he ultimately had to accept the terms of the patentees, and he agreed to serve as their “deputy” by managing the Nursery, a training school for young actors.