Green’s Dictionary of Slang

anyone out to deceive or to project a phoney image, a con-man or liar.

1844		New Sprees of London 3: I’ll introduce you to the [...] Hokusers, Prigs, Swell-mobmen, Chanters, Actors, and all the flash and slang Mots, Donners, and Cullies that's faking the slums on the cross.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 17/1: Actor. A faker; a swindler.
1950		P. Tempest Lag’s Lex. 1: actor. A bluffer, a spiv.