Edwin Thomas Booth

I was born into the Booth heritage, a theatrical family who first came to prominence in London, England. As the second in line of ten children, I was born to my parents Junius Brutus and Mary Ann Holmes Booth, my father’s second wife, on our Maryland farm on November 13, 1833.

The theater ran deep in our loins. Although I spent much of my boyhood on the farm with my parents beckoning me to become a carpenter, my father also saw fit to have me tour with him. I made by first known appearance on stage in a small, but elegant theater in Boston in 1849.

Following my father and older brother, Junius Brutus, Jr., to California in 1852, I performed in San Francisco and Sacramento City, gateway to the gold fields. We were all well-versed in Shakespearean theatre and were considered great tragedians. Of course, performing in theaters during the rush for gold made us all the more well-received since the mining men were truly lacking civilized and cultured entertainment. While in Sacramento City, I stayed at the Clarendon House owned by William Baron Hunt, a regal gentleman and savvy businessman.

A personal tragedy was upon us when we were notified that our loving father, Junius Brutus, Sr., died of a fever on November 30, 1852, on the steamboat J.S. Chenoweth, when returning home from his California tour. At that time, I had ventured up to the gold field mining camps and did several performances there. I was in Grass Valley at the time I heard of my father’s passing. I then made my way to San Francisco, joining my brother, Junius, Jr. However, following our mother’s advice, we remained in California and continued acting. She said that father would have wanted us to do so.

In 1853, my first appearance as Hamlet, was in a San Francisco theatrical company owned by Catherine Sinclair, the divorced wife of actor Edwin Forrest. My leading lady quite often was the lovely Laura Keene.

My thirst for travel, though, could not be quenched. In 1854, I ventured to Australia and then to the Sandwich Islands. By 1856, I returned to the mainland at Richmond Virginia. While there, I met Mary Devlin, a talented actress who caught my eye and my heart. We were married in 1860. Although Mary retired from the stage, she encouraged me and supported me in developing a more natural acting style. With her love and devotion for me and the theatre, I became evermore successful.

We traveled to London in 1861 where I continued my Shakespearean performances. While there, Mary gave birth to our first child, Edwina, that December. Later, we returned to the United States and moved to New York City in 1863. And, to my great sorrow, my Mary passed away unexpectedly. To carry on, in 1864, I performed with my two brothers, Junius, Jr. and John Wilkes in New York City’s Winter Garden Theatre. This was the one and only time we performed together. It was my greatest time in the theater as I appeared as Hamlet in one hundred consecutive performances through 1865.
Then, tragedy struck not only our family, but the nation, as I found out that John Wilkes had assassinated the President of the Union, Abraham Lincoln. It was a dark day on April 14, 1865. I was compelled to write my condolences and most regrettable sorrows for the dastardly deed by my flesh and blood.

Life continued for me and in 1869 I opened my own theater in New York City. I met another actress, Mary McVicker, and falling in love again, we were wed. Another sorrow fell upon us when Mary lost our son who died in birth.

In 1876, the call of the west beckoned me, and Mary and I traveled to California twenty years after my first visit. We stopped in Sacramento City, staying at the Hotel de France, formerly the Clarendon House. I discovered that Mr. Hunt, now a state Senator, resided in San Francisco. We were able to visit with him prior to our departure for New York City.

Back in New York City, Mary’s health began to deteriorate and she succumbed to consumption and madness in November 1881. I continued to be with the theater and in 1888 I founded the Player’s Club, a social gathering place for thespians such as my friends, Mark Twain, and William T. Sherman. The club was located in a handsome building in the city. I took residence in the top floor.

My last official performance was as Hamlet at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1891.
I continued seeing to the Player’s Club until my passing on June 7, 1893. I was elected to the Actor’s Hall of Fame in 1925.