Barton+Booth

 Barton Booth (1681 - 1733)

Barton Booth was a profoundly accomplished actor who was most known for his roles in //Othello//, //Cato//, and //The Distrest Mother// in the 1700's. He held other roles throughout the years, and was able to work under great actors such as Thomas Betterton, Colley Cibber, and Robert Wilks.

Early Years
Barton Booth was born in 1681 to a family of high-standing in England. He had two other siblings: a brother and a sister, but Booth was younger than both of them. A couple years after his birth, he and his family headed to London and in 1688, Booth began attending the Westminster School. This is where Booth started to get involved in play performances. One of his first roles was Pamphlius in //Andria//. He knew once he graduated from Westminster that was going to become a professional actor (//The Biography Dictionary//).

Professional Career
Once he left Westminster, he headed for Dublin in 1698 to start his career with Smock Alley Theatre. His initial role was Oroonoko which he played in blackface. During his performance, theatre was quite warm and Booth had soot on his face. Once he went on stage, he used his hand to wipe the sweat from his face and he smeared the makeup. The entire crowd laughed and it almost ruined him. He then acted in an array of places such as Lincoln's Inn Fields, The Queen's Theatre, and ending his career in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. His roles were large, small, and vast. (//The Biography Dictionary//). The list is as follows: (Roles listed above courtesy of //A Biographical Dictionary)//
 * Role || Play || Year || Theatre ||
 * Pamphilus || //Andria // || 1694 or 1695 || The Westminster School ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Oroonoko || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Oroonoko // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1698 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Smock Alley Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Colonel Bruce || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Comical Revenge // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1698-1699 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Smock Alley Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Freeman || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">She Would If She Could // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1698-1699 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Smock Alley Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Medley || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Man of Mode // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1698-1699 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Smock Alley Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Maximus || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Valentinian // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1700 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Lincoln's Inn Fields ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Artaban || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Ambitious Stepmother // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1700 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Lincoln's Inn Fields ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Gratiano || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Jew of Venice // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1701 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Lincoln's Inn Fields ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Cassander || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Rival Queens // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1703 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Lincoln's Inn Fields ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Bedamar || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Venice Preserved // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1704 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Lincoln's Inn Fields ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Young Single || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Sir Salomon // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1704 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Florencio || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Cares of Love // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1705 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Lincoln's Inn Fields ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Dick || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Confederacy // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Telemachus || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Ulysses // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Vernon || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1 Henry IV // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Bonario || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Volpone // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Dauphine || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Silent Woman // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Julius Caesar || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Julius Caesar // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Young Bellair || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Man of Mode // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Cassio || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Othello // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Duke of Buckingham || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Henry VIII // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Polydore || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Orphan // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Alcibiades || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Timon of Athens // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Edgworth || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Bartholomew Fair // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Pyrrhus || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Distrest Mother // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Unknown || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Lennox || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Macbeth // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1707 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Hotspur || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1 Henry IV // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1707 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Laertes || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Hamlet // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1707 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Queen's Theatre ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Ghost || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Hamlet // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1708 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Scandal || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Love for Love // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1708 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Vainlove || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Old Bachelor // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1708 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Osmyn || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Morning Bride // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1708 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Elder Worthy || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Love's Last Shift // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1708 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Appius || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Appius and Virginia // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1708 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Castalio || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Orphan // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1709-1710 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Valentine || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Love for Love // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1709-1710 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Brutus || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Julius Caesar // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1709-1710 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Horatio || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Hamlet // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1709-1710 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Cato || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Cato // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1713 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">King Lear || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">King Lear // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1714 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Pinchwife || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Country Wife // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1715 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Jaffeir || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Venice Preserved // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1715 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Banquo || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Macbeth // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1715 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Melantius || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Maid's Tragedy // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1715 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Bajazet || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Tamburlaine // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1715 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Timon || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Timon of Athens // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1715 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Varanes || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Thedosius // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1723 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Manly || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Plain Dealer // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1723 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Biron || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Fatal Marriage // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1723 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Torrismond || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Spanish Friar // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1723 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||
 * <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Julio || //<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">The Double Falsehood // || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">1727 || <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Drury Lane ||

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Booth didn't start off with a lot of agency in the theatres that he performed in until he got to Drury Lane. He found a lot success and major roles at there, but eventually, management kept changing and soon Colley Cibber, Robert Wilks, and Thomas Doggett were in charge. They were all great actors, but Booth wanted more out of his career, so he petitioned to become a partner at Drury Lane. Doggett was wholeheartedly against it, so to appease Doggett, Wilks and Cibber made it so expensive for Booth to purchase a share of the theatre that they knew he'd never be able to manage it. Lord Chamberlain was made aware of the situation because Booth had good friends in high places. Lord Chamberlain thought the amount prescribed was absolutely too high, and he made them lower the price or they'd lose their license to Drury Lane, so they lowered it and Booth became a partner. However, Doggett was so disconcerted (for many reason) that he left Drury Lane. (//The Biography Dictionary//).

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Booth also had the opportunity to work with Richard Steele. In Felix E. Schelling's book, //English Drama//, Steele is described as many things, but pertaining to this, he was a great playwright. In the book, it states, "This time, with the help of an excellent cast, in which Booth, Wilks and Mrs. Oldfield were foremost...the author achieved an unquestioned success and his comedy held the stage for a century." (Schelling, 285). This was in reference to one of the plays Booth starred in for Steele, and clearly the entire cast was notable and aided Steele in some of his accomplishments.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Barton Booth as an Actor
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">There have been many discussions on Booth. Aaron Hill knew and worked with Booth on some level throughout his career and Hill had some pleasant things to say about him in his book titled, //The Works of the Late Aaron Hill, Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, and of Original Poems, Morals and Facetious; With an Essay on the Art of Acting//: <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">(All five images retrieved from: <span style="display: block; font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif; text-align: left;">play.google.com/books/reader?id=s1dVAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA156.) <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Aaron Hill wasn't the only one that had positive things to say about Booth's acting. In Thomas Betterton's, //The history of the English stage, from the Restauration to the Present Time. Including the Lives, Characters and Amours, Of the most Eminent Actors and Actresses. With the Instructions for Public Speaking; wherein The Action and Utterance of the Bar, Stage, and Pulpit are Distinctly considered. By Mr. Thomas Betterton. Adorned with Cuts,// he had a decent illustration of Booth's life and acting: <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">(All four images retrieved from: <span style="font-family: &#39;Palatino Linotype&#39;,&#39;Book Antiqua&#39;,Palatino,serif;">http://find.galegroup.com/ecco/retrieve.do?scale=0.33&docLevel=FASCIMILE&prodId=ECCO&tabID=T001&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&inPS=true&userGroupName=umd_um&docId=CW3316537182¤tPosition=1&workId=1129300200&relevancePageBatch=CW116537037&contentSet=ECCOArticles&callistoContentSet=ECCOArticles&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&reformatPage=N&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&scale=0.33&pageIndex=145&orientation=&showLOI=&quickSearchTerm=&stwFuzzy=&doDirectDocNumSearch=false&searchId=) <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Booth had many praises, but he struggled early on in his career with alcoholism. Around the year 1701, his drinking was extensive and troublesome, but when a good friend of his succumbed to the bottle, he was shocked and it made him turn his life around for the better. During the same time, Booth's father passed away and that also could have been a contributing factor for him sobering up. According to //The Biography Dictionary//, Booth was "good at volatile characters...[but] also had a solemn side to his nature, and apparently found himself comfortable in elderly roles requiring majesty." This is extremely telling and explains the wide array of characters he had in his repertoire. <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">In Bernard Grebanier's, //Then Came Each Actor: Shakespearean Actors, Great and Otherwise, Including Players and Princes, Rogues, Vagabonds and Actors Motley, from Will Kempe to Olivier and Gielgud and After,// he includes many depictions and discussions of Booth and how he executed his craft. In Chapter 5, he explains how Booth "had the extraordinary ability to make the variations in his voice perfectly match the changes in his facial expressions." (Grebanier, 56). Booth was mainly known for tragedies, but he was able to preform comedies as well. He also had the incredible ability to manage multiple roles during a single season. Not only did he act out large and prolific roles, but he "was ready to play a smaller role, such as Cassio or Laertes, in order to afford an opportunity to fellow actors to play the lead. He would be Macbeth one night, Banquo the next, and Lennox a third." (Grebanier, 56). <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Personal Life <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">It was unknown when Booth married, but he did at some point. Early on in his life, he wed Frances Barkham, but she unfortunately died in 1710 (//The Biography Dictionary//). There isn't any information on why he married Barkham; however, it is important to note that he received many early roles and was afforded certain opportunities because of who he knew, so it may not be remiss to assume he married Barkham because her father was a Sir.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Booth soon found love with a woman with many talents named Hester Santlow. She was also heavily involved in the performing arts, but their marriage was condemned because even though she was a woman with money and came from a well-to-do family, she already had a child. He enjoyed her company and didn't really care, so he went through with the marriage.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">During the of the end of his life, Booth fell very ill for many years. He preformed his last role as Julio in //The Double Falsehood//, and for the next couple of years, he visited numerous physicians and they all recommended a different treatment. Right before his death, "a quack prescribed crude mercury as a cure for all his ailments, and within five days [Booth] had taken nearly two pounds of it." (Grebanier, 57). He died in May of 1733, but the actual day is unclear (//The Biography Dictionary//).

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Interestingly, Booth had already written up his will before his death, and the majority of his money was given to his wife. He explained his reasoning by saying, "all I have now possessed of does not amount to two-thirds of the fortune my wife brought me on the day of our marriage...I thought myself bound by honesty, honor, and gratitude due to her constant affection, not to give away any part of the remainder of my fortune at death." (Grabanier, 57). Not only that, after Frances Barkham died, he became involved with a woman named Susan Mountfort. She was also from a wealthy family and during their time together, Mountfort asked Booth to keep a large sum of money safe for her and when they broke off he gave back all her money (//The Biography Dictionary//).

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Booth may have had his demons, but he was relatively equitable to the women and friends in his life. There are plenty of plays that depict men trying to set up a scheme to get money or women like //The Country Wife,// and it is a pleasant surprise to know that not all actors reflect the character they are playing. He could have kept all the money Mountfort trusted him with, but he gave it back instead. He could have done multiple things with his money when he died, but he gave it to his wife, rightfully so. It was clear that Booth was heavily invested in his career and wanted his name to be recognized. He worked hard, but he wasn't afraid to use the connections he had acquired over the years.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">In Barton Booth's honor, there is a statue of him in Westminster Abbey in London.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Image retrieved from: http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/barton-booth <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Works Cited <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">“The Age of Barton Booth, James Quin, and Charles Macklin.” Then Came Each Actor: Shakespearean Actors, Great and Otherwise, Including Players and Princes, Rogues, Vagabonds and Actors Motley, from Will Kempe to Olivier and Gielgud and After, by Bernard D N Grebanier, McKay, 1975, pp. 54–57.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">“Barton Booth (1681-1733) - Find A Grave Memorial.” (1681-1733) - Find A Grave Memorial, www.findagrave.com/memorial/84885309/barton-booth.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">“Barton Booth.” Westminster Abbey », www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/barton-booth.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Highfill, Philip H., et al. “A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers and Other Stage Personnel in London.” Eighteenth Century Drama: Censorship, Society, and the Stage, www.eighteenthcenturydrama.amdigital.co.uk/BiographicalDictionary.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">“Memoirs of Mr. Booth.” The History of the English Stage, from the Restauration to the Present Time. Including the Lives, Characters and Amours. Of the Most Eminent Actors and Actors and Actresses. With Instructions for Public Speaking; Wherein The Action and Utterance of the Bar, Stage, and Pulpit Are Distinctly Considered. By Mr. Thomas Betterton. Adorned with Cuts., by Thomas Betterton et al., 1814, pp. 141–144. Gale Cengage Learning, find.galegroup.com/ecco/infomark.do?contentSet=ECCOArticles&docType=ECCOArticles&bookId=1129300200&type=getFullCitation&tabID=T001&prodId=ECCO&docLevel=TEXT_GRAPHICS&version=1.0&source=library&userGroupName=umd_um.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">“Steele, Rowe and the Close of the Literary Drama.” English Drama, by Felix Emmanuel. Schelling, AMS Press Inc., 1975, p. 285.

<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">“The Works of the Late Aaron Hill, Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, and of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With an Essay on the Art of Acting.” The Works of the Late Aaron Hill, Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, and of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With an Essay on the Art of Acting, by Aaron Hill, II ed., vol. 2, pp. 140–144, play.google.com/books/reader?id=s1dVAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA156.

== <span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype,Book Antiqua,Palatino,serif;">Melissa Porras ==