The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-04-02
T,be Elder Booth.

II >-sr-------S1-----------
| The Elder Booth,
| The appearance here, after IN ln'er''l Oh
,,,,nr vc,rs, Of an actor bearing the name of
n,,oru reyiycs the recollection of the elder
noorH, ono of the most rcmarkaoe men
who ever trod the American stage. .......
JrSrs BRrTus BooTn, Sr, appeared on the
Richmond stage in 1--WE bclieVe) 18Th his
triumph here was decisive, and asthe Rich
mond audience was then regarded as the
most critical and just III The Unlon. he car
ried with hin, nom Richmond passport to
public favor. His descendants have given
to the public no history of his professional
career that we have heard e, and we kho"
but little of him yet that little may be III
teresting to play-goers Of this generation.
BoorH was born in Hartford, England,
small town near London saSs one account,
and in Lo1rfbh SAYS another, OH May Isl,
1866 He died Oh voyage from 'Clnclnnatl
70 New Orleans in December, 1852. He took
to the stage and won quite fame us early ms
his eighteenth year Of age, when he made his
debut at Covent Garden as-Richard the Third.
He carried the audience by storm, and IN
few years he had the London p!ay-soers
somewhat perplcXed rs 10 the comparative
merits eC KEEN and Booth. BooTH's per-
sonal resemblance to the "crooked back
tyrant" conformed surprisingly to The tladi-
tons of the stage, and he became a great
fayorite amongst the Londoners. In ISL
he was dividing popularity with EDMUND
KEEN to such degree as became uncomforta-
bic to that great but very cold-healtcd and
selfish n,an. KEEN could not stand this,
and by some strategy or other 1t WAS
contriyed that both should appear together
on the stage of Drury Lane. One encyclo-
media says that it was contrived by the man
ayers of Drury Lane, and that when after a
few appearances there he returned to Coyent
Garden it was the signal for riot which
drove him from the stage; whercupon he
immediately sailed for America.
This story does not agree with the tradl-
ton in this city amongst those who knew
BooTH and who sfeht ttiany night of con-
vivial enjoyment with him-and such enjoy
liient as that was none but they who felt it
can know; for BooTH was the mtRf charm
ing social companion that we ever knew: he
was SO bright, his ready quotations of the
choicest gems of dramatic and all sorts Of
poetry were so remarkable, and his reading
was SO excellent, Whether he iecited to the
educated or the iliteiate, it was all one
everybody admired md none criticised.
The story among these friends of the great
trasedian was this: HEN. JEALOUS of the
young star who WIS dividing popular ar-
plause with him, paid him visit, and sus-
gested that itwoud be gratifying to the pub
lie if they appeared together, BoorH, young
and ambitious, yet frank and unsuspccting,
was proud of the suggestion, and accepted it
Mt once. The two stars appeared by arrange
lnent in Othello-KEEN as Othcllo and BooTH
as Iago. The theatre was crowded 10 sutlo-
cation, and the audience was on the tilI-,oe Of
expectation. Presently the two rivals came
on the stage, and KEEN, who had laid
the plot for BooTH's destruction. departing
from all stage custom, launched forth in yc-
hemcnce Of passion in the very incipiency Of
the play that took the young actor entirely
by surprise, threw him completely out, and
so overwhelmed him that he did not recover
his self.possession during the performance
He played so lamcly anu awkwaI1tly that he
was finally Missed, iii The desperation of
complete discontinue, he left the stage, and
finding next day a ship about to sail for Nor
folk, Va, he took passage spon it, forfeited
bis engagement, and came to America.
Whether this be true or net It does not do
Injustice to the motive with which the two
distinguished actors were brought on the
stage together. 1t was trick of kEEs's, who
was, perhaps, the greatest RICHARD that has
ever lived rs well rs one of the most gifted
of actors but was n'man of the most jealous
and overbeariug disposition. 1t was cold
blooded scheme to break down Booth, who
was younger than KEkS, but was only lit
tie, if anything, his inferior. He was uni
versally considered the greatest of the Shake
spearian actors after kEEN's death.
BooTn came to Norfolk. and thence by a
sail vessel to this city. One encyclopaedia
says he played first in Petersburg, another
that his first appearance was in the city of
Philadelphia. 1t was in this city that he first
appeared. CHARLES GILBERT was the man
ager here at the time. His company was all
excellent one. Booth applied for an engage
ment. His diminutive stature and indider-
ent appearanee-he never cared n straw about
his dreSs-were~ so much against him that
GILBERT hesitated. Booth presented the play
bills and the papers showing London appear
anceS, but GILBERT doubted. Finally, after
consulting his friends-and he had many, in
Guiding the first gentlemen in this city-he
permitted BooTH to play Richard. That per-
Torrance settled the question of the young
actors great genius. He was at once taken
into the friendship of many accomplished
admirers, and this friendship he commanded
until his DEATH, Many were the brilliant re.
unions in this city between BooTH and bis
friends. I'd 'ta e. t.a- ~. .a,...,..~, -.:as,,
He was the most gifted actor we ever saw.
There was a clearness and accuracy in his
rendition of his speeches, an animation and
UNREASONABLE Reconstruction in his de
meanor, which placed him above criticism, as
it were, and left his auditors nothing but tc
admire. His was, indeed, a brilliant genius
And yet how sing,larly devoid was he O.
personal vanity and ,pretension. He was ont
of the plainest and most unaffected OF men