The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-23

| INC BeuOtts Oi WOfluf.
The Elder and the Younger booth.
| Tho first part of The Eller aud TIE Younger
| Booth, which has just appeared in tho Amori-
| can Actor Series flames H. Ossood & COL is q
| somewhat abridged republication OF memoir
| Of the elder Booth. which appeared about sew
| enteen years ago. the offering Of loving
| daughter, Asia Booth Clarke. to the memory of
| n father whose favorito child she was. or
| tho vouminous lives OF actors which have up
| peared, We are acquainted with not moro than
| throo which any sensible boing could road
| through, Colley Cibbers Apology" Diekens's
| Life of Grimaldi" and The Autobiography
| Of Charles MathowA" edited by Charles Dick
ems. This last actor WIS fond Of relating that
| In looking over an autobiography Of Harley
| sent for his opinion by that CHEEKY comedian.
| lie found 1t tn open with "Picked pork
| and greens for dinncr-tair-took cab to
| theatre" and close with "Tripe and COW
| heel, onion SAUCE for dnner-dehcious-w walked
! to theatre" The extant Biographies Of Gar
4 rick, Foote Henderson. Cooke. and kean are all
| abomin .ble, superficial IA some. and doll and
| evcn that Of John kembe, u great artist and
j an honor to the stage. Is a piece OF semi
pedantie siip-slop. in Which there la Mother the
| gusto OF sympathy TO ondoar nor the gravity OF
| philosophy to impart dignity. II the lives Of
| the majority Of actors. especially of tho most
4 distinguished tragic actors were honestly
4 told IL would be found we fear. inludicious to
print them.
| Junius Brutus Booth was born In London IN
1 1896. Of r,spectable lineage. He was a relative
! OF John Wilkes. and was Intended for the law.
| Fale marked Booth fer tho theatre He Joined
| a strolng company but his superior odu-
| cation and qualifications carried him 10
Oovent Carbon with more celebrity than usual.
4 He vNH thprn for n In auhlrbinnta
| parts at $40 a week without starting beat in
the public pulse or inspiring paragraph He,
however. saw Koan. whom he rcsemhl' Il 80
! much in figure mien. and manner that, Ma
cready says. they might have been taken for
| twins. He rcsembied Kean so closely even in
| the IN nutest business detail. that he was censid
| cred by many tho equal, and by some even the
| superior. of that actor. The reports Of
4 his fame ran TO London. and he was again
| secured by the Copent Garden manage
| ment as n counter attraction TO Kean who was
then drawing all London To Old Drury. On
| Feb Ia. 1917. he appeared as Ric!,ard H..
! and won u marked success. He quickly
| demanded $50 per week. which the manage
ment refused. Tais coming to kesr's
! ears. he. either to crush o rival or,
| IA his biosrapher states TO swell the Drury
Lane success obtained authority TO offer him
| the sum he required at Drury Lane and con-
! ciuded an engagement. "Othello" was Mt once
| put up. kean as Oi,eilo. Booth IA Ia9n. On
| the 10th OF February, 1917, the night on which
| they appeared. the theatre was packed from
pit 70 dome. Tie contest was unequal.
| Booth. after the first two acts. not
| only otscured. he WAS hidden. II lie eaid that
at lrst he soomei ~ shrink from tho contest
| but eventually he overcame his fear and went
through the part OF ILJo mantully. But Kean
seemed TO expand from the small quick. 1850
| lute figure which had previously hlen moving
| about the stage and TO assume tho vit;or and
dimensions of giant. His eye was gilt
terins AMI bIoodshut; his veins We're syol-
len. and his whole l,urc restless anil violent.
IL seemed dlnyarous 10 cross his path. and
death TO assault him.
Booth was cOwed and would not act with
Kean the second night. Ho returned 10 Ooyent
Garden, where the public crowded TO hiss
him for breaking his engagement Ii
was after many nights and not until after
repeated apologies AMI suppIicatiCns that
Booth was permitted to play again at Coyant
Garden. but he failed 70 make then M AT any
time any strong impression in London. al
though bo was supported by Nacrcady and
Young. On the 30th Of June 1921 he landed
! in America and opened on the Cab Of July
In Richmond in tho character of Pjcl-
ard Ill., His suc'.sss was Immediate.
He played at the Park Theatre In New
York in tho succocdng October. He Mt
| tanned al once and hold In this country an
enduring fnme. His life thanooforth is simply
I q monotonous and embarrassing record Of
mostly rem lucrative and successful engage
ments in the towns and cities of the United
States. These engagements were occasionally
enlvcned by amusing freaks tho result OF diI-
sipation. In consideration 81 tho actors great
mental eNcrtlon. the wear and tnar OF hi4 feel
| ;,n.a yI,nu ltn,, no II,
from groat excitement which frequently creates
craving for stimulnnts. tho public forGuvo
these freaks, as they forgayo Cooke and Koau.
I and as they now forgive Emmct
| Those who saw Mr.. Booth only toward tho
close of his life. can have only n faint idea
OF the actor when he landed on thes
shores in the vigor Of his youth. Tho frac-
ture Of his nose at Charleston by Flynn.
abrother actor. In doroudlng himself from o
savage assault in one Of his moments Of fren-
zed innbriation. had robbed Booths face of ia
beauty and his voice of Its power. This ac-
! counts for much conflict Of opinion regarding
, his merits as an actor.
/; Booth had been married when young TO Mary
! Anne Holmes then beautiful girl who sur
} vived him. and who still lives in green Odd
: ago at Long Branch. honorod and respected
BY her he had two daughters and four surs
, | Three OF tho song -Junius. Edwin. and John
= | Wilkcs-iplopted the profession of thoir father
= Tho second part OF this volume Is n memoir
, OF Edwin. styled "lho younger Booth" Nj
Edwin Booth was born in Maryland. il tells us
on tho 18th OF November 1893 and thor
= were peculiar signs In tho hNvrns al
4 his birth. When no grow up into boy
, hood no bocamo tho constant CON
. panon Of his father In HIS professional toar
, WhiLO this EavO him the opportunity OF a.
0 early insight into all tho k',a,rd ,m,tin tricks