Booth, Edwin Thomas (1833–1893)

US actor. He was one of America's most acclaimed Shakespearean performers, famous for his portrayal of Hamlet. As lead actor, theatre manager, and producer, he successfully brought to the New York stage numerous Shakespearean tragedies. His career suffered in the wake of the public disgrace of his brother, John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated President Lincoln 1865.

Born near Bel Air, Maryland, USA, Booth was a member of a distinguished theatrical family. After the assassination scandal, Booth suffered a series of financial reverses and spent the rest of his life in performance tours of Europe, the British Isles, and the USA.