How long was Shakespeare in the theatre and playwriting job?

Shakespeare was involved in the theatre and playwriting for around 20 years, from the mid-1580s to the early 1600s. He first arrived in London in the 1580s and started working as an actor and playwright for various theatre companies, including Lord Chamberlain's Men, which later became known as the King's Men. Over the course of his career, he wrote approximately 37 plays, including comedies, histories, and tragedies, which are considered some of the greatest works in English literature. He retired from the theatre around 1613 and spent his final years in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he passed away in 1616.