Edwin Thomas Booth (November 13, 1833 â€" June 7, 1893) was an
American actor who toured throughout the United States and the major
capitals of Europe, performing Shakespearean plays. In 1869, he
founded Booth's Theatre in New York. Some theatrical historians
consider him the greatest American actor, and the greatest Prince
Hamlet, of the 19th century. His achievements are often overshadowed
by his relationship with his younger brother, actor John Wilkes Booth,
who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.Booth was born in Bel Air,
Maryland, into the English-American theatrical Booth family. He was
the son of the famous actor, Junius Brutus Booth, an Englishman, who
named Edwin after Edwin Forrest and Thomas Flynn, two of Junius'
colleagues. He was the elder brother of John Wilkes Booth, himself a
successful actor who gained notoriety as the assassin of President
Lincoln.Nora Titone, in her book My Thoughts Be Bloody, recounts how
the shame and ambition of Junius Brutus Booth's three actor sons,
Junius Brutus Booth, Jr. (who never achieved the stage stardom of his
two younger actor brothers), Edwin Booth, and John Wilkes Booth,
spurred them to strive, as rivals, for achievement and
acclaimâ€"Edwin, a Unionist, and John Wilkes, a Confederate and the
assassin of Abraham Lincoln.In early appearances, Booth usually
performed alongside his father, making his stage debut as Tressel or
Tressil in Colley Cibber's version of Richard III in Boston on
September 10, 1849. His first appearance in New York City was in the
character of Wilford in The Iron Chest, which he played at the
National Theatre in Chatham Street, on the 27th of September 1850. A
year later, on the illness of the father, the son took his place in
the character of Richard III.
American actor who toured throughout the United States and the major
capitals of Europe, performing Shakespearean plays. In 1869, he
founded Booth's Theatre in New York. Some theatrical historians
consider him the greatest American actor, and the greatest Prince
Hamlet, of the 19th century. His achievements are often overshadowed
by his relationship with his younger brother, actor John Wilkes Booth,
who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.Booth was born in Bel Air,
Maryland, into the English-American theatrical Booth family. He was
the son of the famous actor, Junius Brutus Booth, an Englishman, who
named Edwin after Edwin Forrest and Thomas Flynn, two of Junius'
colleagues. He was the elder brother of John Wilkes Booth, himself a
successful actor who gained notoriety as the assassin of President
Lincoln.Nora Titone, in her book My Thoughts Be Bloody, recounts how
the shame and ambition of Junius Brutus Booth's three actor sons,
Junius Brutus Booth, Jr. (who never achieved the stage stardom of his
two younger actor brothers), Edwin Booth, and John Wilkes Booth,
spurred them to strive, as rivals, for achievement and
acclaimâ€"Edwin, a Unionist, and John Wilkes, a Confederate and the
assassin of Abraham Lincoln.In early appearances, Booth usually
performed alongside his father, making his stage debut as Tressel or
Tressil in Colley Cibber's version of Richard III in Boston on
September 10, 1849. His first appearance in New York City was in the
character of Wilford in The Iron Chest, which he played at the
National Theatre in Chatham Street, on the 27th of September 1850. A
year later, on the illness of the father, the son took his place in
the character of Richard III.
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