Born November 18, 1833 near Bel Air, Maryland, Edwin Thomas Booth was the son of Junius Brutus Booth and Mary Ann Holmes. He was the seventh of ten children, six of whom lived to adulthood. Edwin's father was an actor and Edwin accompanied him on tours to make sure he didn't drink. It was then that he began acting, and it was at the age of fifteen that Edwin made his stage debut in the role of Tressel in Richard III. (Giblin, 2-20) From then on, Edwin was captivated. His life was not perfect, although, in fact, much of it was overshadowed by tragedy and sadness. Edwin Booth overcame his tragic personal life to become one of the most accomplished and respected American actors of the 19th century. Edwin was never without sorrow or regret. His father, Junius Brutus, caught a severe cold on a boat from New Orleans, sailing up the Mississippi River toward Cincinnati. It made him very thirsty and parched, and his father would drink glasses of contaminated river water. On November 30, 1852, the famous actor died. Edwin was only nineteen when he heard the news, and it brought waves of depression. Edwin developed a drinking habit while trying to escape his depression, just like his father. (Giblin, 27, 31) After his father's death, Edwin (who was living in San Francisco at the time) performed in local theater companies. On April 25, 1853, Edwin played Hamlet for the first time. Critics were impressed and predicted an impressive future for the aspiring actor. “We can even predict a high degree of success for the promising young artist when he has overcome some unpleasant defects of intonation and delivery and has achieved a profound conception of the role. » –Ferdinand C. Ewer for the Daily Alta California (G...... middle of paper ......m, but he continued to act. On April 4, 1891, he played Hamlet in his final performance. average, but Edwin's fans were never disappointed to see him perform. During parts of the show, Edwin showed his true genius and critics noticed: "The familiar words seemed to fall from Booth's lips to. the first time,” said David Belasco, a Broadway producer, referring to the soliloquy “To be or not to be” (Giblin, 216). but he never let it get the better of him. He always returned to the stage, performing on numerous tours, breaking records, winning international admiration and earning the high opinion of critics. most actors of his time could say, making Edwin one of the most accomplished and highly respected American actors of the 19th century..