Heinrich Christian Beck (19 February 1760 in Gotha – 7 May 1803 in Mannheim) was a German actor and playwright.
Beck began his theatrical career with August Iffland and Johann David Beil at the Hoftheater (Court Theater) in Gotha and, like most of the ensemble, went to the Mannheim National Theater after the Hoftheater was disbanded in 1779.
The National Theater was then blossoming artistically under the leadership of Wolfgang Heribert von Dalberg.
While there, Beck took part in the premieres of Schiller's first plays Die Räuber (as Kosinsky) and Fiesco (as Bourgognino).
In 1799 Prince-Elector Maximilian IV.
Joseph von Bayern called him to Munich as a director.
He returned to Mannheim in 1801 as theater director, dying there in 1803.
Beck was known for his acting skill and his good voice and acted with the same finesse in tragedies and comedies as in musicals.
Among his own plays, the comedies Die Schachmaschine (Berlin 1798), Die Quälgeister (Frankfurt 1802) and Das Kamäleon (Frankfurt 1803) found the most acclaIm.