Barton Booth (168210 May 1733) was one of the most famous dramatic actors of the first part of the 18th century.

Early life

Booth was the son of The Hon and Very Revd Dr Robert Booth,

Dean of Bristol The Dean of Bristol is the head of the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, Bristol, England. The Dean is Mandy Ford, since her installation on 3 October 2020. List of deans Early modern *1542–1551 William Sn ...

, by his first wife and distant cousin Ann Booth, daughter of Sir Robert Booth,

Lord Chief Justice of Ireland The Court of King's Bench (or Court of Queen's Bench during the reign of a Queen) was one of the senior courts of common law in Ireland. It was a mirror of the Court of King's Bench in England. The Lord Chief Justice was the most senior judge ...

, and was educated at

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It derives from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the 1066 Norman Conquest, as d ...

, where his success in the

Roman comedy The architectural form of theatre in Rome has been linked to later, more well-known examples from the 1st century BC to the 3rd Century AD. The theatre of ancient Rome referred to as a period of time in which theatrical practice and performance t ...

Andria Andria (; Barese: ) is a city and ''comune'' in Apulia (southern Italy). It is an agricultural and service center, producing wine, olives and almonds. It is the fourth-largest municipality in the Apulia region (behind Bari, Taranto, and Foggia) ...

'' gave him a gave him an inclination for the stage. He was intended for the church, and to attend

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford. ...

; but in 1698 he ran away and obtained employment in a theatrical company in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

, where he made his first appearance as the title character in

Aphra Behn Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...

's '' Oroonoko''.

London success

After two seasons in Ireland he returned to

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, where

Thomas Betterton Thomas Patrick Betterton (August 1635 – 28 April 1710), the leading male actor and theatre manager during Restoration England, son of an under-cook to King Charles I, was born in London. Apprentice and actor Betterton was born in August 16 ...

, who had previously failed to help him, probably out of regard for Booth's family, now gave him all the assistance in his power. At the

Lincoln's Inn Fields Lincoln's Inn Fields is the List of city squares by size, largest public square in London. It was laid out in the 1630s under the initiative of the speculative builder and contractor William Newton, "the first in a long series of entreprene ...

Theatre (1700–1704) he first appeared as Maximus in '' Valentinian'', and his success was immediate. He was at the Haymarket with Betterton from 1705 to 1708, and for the next twenty years at Drury Lane. In 1713 he joint-managed the theater with

Thomas Doggett Thomas Doggett (or Dogget) (20 September 1721) was an Irish actor. The birth date of 1640 seems unlikely. A more probable date of 1670 is given in the Encyclopædia Britannica. Biography Doggett was born in Dublin, and made his first stage app ...

Colley Cibber Colley Cibber (6 November 1671 – 11 December 1757) was an English actor-manager, playwright and Poet Laureate. His colourful memoir ''Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber'' (1740) describes his life in a personal, anecdotal and even rambling ...

, and

Robert Wilks Robert Wilks (''c.'' 1665 – 27 September 1732) was a British actor and theatrical manager who was one of the leading managers of Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in its heyday of the 1710s. He was, with Colley Cibber and Thomas Doggett, one of the ...

. After his death on 10 May 1733, Booth was buried in St Laurence Cowley near Uxbridge in Middlesex. His widow had a memorial to Booth placed in Westminster Abbey in 1772. This was created by William Tyler RA.

Roles

His greatest parts, after the title part of

Joseph Addison Joseph Addison (1 May 1672 – 17 June 1719) was an English essayist, poet, playwright and politician. He was the eldest son of The Reverend Lancelot Addison. His name is usually remembered alongside that of his long-standing friend Richard ...

's '' Cato'', which established his reputation as a tragedian, were probably Hotspur and Brutus. His ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...

'' was deemed worthy of comparison with David Garrick's. As the ghost in ''Hamlet'' he is said never to have had a superior. Among his other Shakespearian rôles were Mark Antony,

Timon of Athens ''Timon of Athens'' (''The Life of Tymon of Athens'') is a play written by William Shakespeare and probably also Thomas Middleton in about 1606. It was published in the '' First Folio'' in 1623. Timon lavishes his wealth on parasitic compani ...

and

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cyp ...

. He also played to perfection

Lothario Lothario is a male given name that came to suggest an unscrupulous seducer of women, based upon a character in '' The Fair Penitent'', a 1703 tragedy by Nicholas Rowe.

in Nicholas Rowe's '' The Fair Penitent''. He also starred in Rowe's tragedies '' Ulysses'' (1705) as Telemachus and ''

The Royal Convert ''The Royal Convert'' is a 1707 tragedy by the British writer Nicholas Rowe. The play is set in England during the Saxon era featuring two brothers in a love triangle with a young Christian woman. It was staged at the Queen's Theatre in the ...

'' (1707) as Hengist, King of Kent. In 1710 he starred as Athelwold in Aaron Hill's '' Elfrid''. He starred as

Coriolanus ''Coriolanus'' ( or ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Caius Marcius Coriolanus. Shakespeare worked on it during the same ye ...

in the 1719 play ''

The Invader of His Country ''The Invader of His Country, or The Fatal Resentment'' is a 1719 tragedy by the British writer John Dennis. It is based on ''Coriolanus'' by William Shakespeare, portraying the life of the Roman general Gaius Marcius Coriolanus. Written in the w ...

'' by John Dennis. In 1724 he featured in

John Gay John Gay (30 June 1685 – 4 December 1732) was an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for '' The Beggar's Opera'' (1728), a ballad opera. The characters, including Captain Macheath and Polly ...

's tragedy '' The Captives'' as Sophernes. Booth was twice married; his second wife,

Hester Santlow Hester Santlow (married name Hester Booth; c. 1690 – 1773) was a noted British dancer and actress, who has been called "England's first ballerina". She was influential in many spheres of theatrical life. Life Hester Santlow was born circa 1 ...

, a noted actress, survived him. He was a "poet and acholar as well as actor, and certainly a man of genius...."

Death

From 1727, Booth was afflicted by ill health and in 1733 eventually called for Thomas Dover, "Doctor Quicksilver", who prescribed him quicksilver. He ingested 2 pounds of mercury and died in a week. "I endeavour'd to divide the Rectum and tie it , but it was so rotten that it broke between my Fingers like Tinder , and sent forth ''a most offensive cadaverous Stench...''" The whole intestinal track on the inside was covered with black balls of mercury the size of pinheads. This famous case greatly reduced the medicinal use of elemental mercury.

Selected roles

* Artaban in ''

The Ambitious Stepmother ''The Ambitious Stepmother'' is a 1700 tragedy by the British writer Nicholas Rowe. It was his debut play. Rowe set his play in Biblical times, but it had strong subtexts of the contemporary questions about the British succession that led to th ...

'' by Nicholas Rowe (1700) * Zueski in ''

The Czar of Muscovy ''The Czar of Muscovy'' is a play attributed to author Mary Pix, first performed and published in 1701. The play is based on the reign of False Dmitriy I (reigned 1605-1606), and also depicts his consort Marina Mniszech. It premiered at the L ...

'' by Mary Pix (1701) * King of Bayonne in '' Love's Victim'' by

Charles Gildon Charles Gildon (c. 1665 – 1 January 1724), was an English hack writer who was, by turns, a translator, biographer, essayist, playwright, poet, author of fictional letters, fabulist, short story author, and critic. He provided the source for ma ...

(1701) * Axalla in ''

Tamerlane Timur ; chg, ''Aqsaq Temür'', 'Timur the Lame') or as ''Sahib-i-Qiran'' ( 'Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction'), his epithet. ( chg, ''Temür'', 'Iron'; 9 April 133617–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī ( chg, ''Temür Kür ...

'' by Nicholas Rowe (1701) * Ormandes in ''

Antiochus the Great Antiochus III the Great (; grc-gre, Ἀντίoχoς Μέγας ; c. 2413 July 187 BC) was a Greek Hellenistic king and the 6th ruler of the Seleucid Empire, reigning from 222 to 187 BC. He ruled over the region of Syria and large parts of the r ...

'' by

Jane Wiseman Jane Holt (née Wiseman; March 1673 – after 1717) was a British poet and playwright, notable for being the first self-educated labouring-class woman to have a play professionally produced in London. Wiseman was possibly born in Holborn. Sh ...

(1701) * Cleomeden in ''

The Double Distress ''The Double Distress: A Tragedy'' is a 1701 play by the English writer Mary Pix. Despite its title, it is a comedy. Plot The play takes place amidst conflict between the Persians and the Medes. Leamira is the daughter of the Persian king, Da ...

'' by Mary Pix (1701) * Bellmein in '' The Beau's Duel'' by

Susanna Centlivre Susanna Centlivre (c. 1669 (baptised) – 1 December 1723), born Susanna Freeman and also known professionally as Susanna Carroll, was an English poet, actress, and "the most successful female playwright of the eighteenth century". Centlivre's " ...

(1702) * Eugenio in ''

The Stolen Heiress ''The Stolen Heiress or, The Salamanca Doctor Outplotted'' is a 1702 comedy play by the English writer Susanna Centlivre Susanna Centlivre (c. 1669 (baptised) – 1 December 1723), born Susanna Freeman and also known professionally as Susanna ...

'' by

(1702) * Virotto in '' The Governour of Cyprus'' by The Governour of Cyprus (1703) * Sebastian in ''

Love Betrayed ''Love Betrayed'' is a 1703 comedy play by the English writer William Burnaby. It is also known by the longer title ''Love Betray'd; Or, The Agreeable Disappointment''. It was a reworking of Shakespeare's ''Twelfth Night''.Dobson p.124 The origin ...

'' by William Burnaby (1703) * Valentine in ''

The Different Widows ''The Different Widows'' is a 1703 comedy play by the British writer Mary Pix.Nicoll p.350 It premiered at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London. The original cast included George Powell as Sir James Belmont, John Corey as Careless, Ge ...

'' by Mary Pix (1703) * Captain Basil in ''

The Stage Coach ''The Stage Coach'' is a 1704 play by George Farquhar and Peter Motteux. A farce, it is based on the 1680 French play '' Les Carrosses d'Orléans'' by Jean de La Chapelle.Richetti p.79 It was staged at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London ...

'' by

George Farquhar George Farquhar (1677The explanation for the dual birth year appears in Louis A. Strauss, ed., A Discourse Upon Comedy, The Recruiting Officer, and The Beaux’ Stratagem by George Farquhar' (Boston: D.C. Heath & Co., 1914), p. v. Strauss notes ...

(1704) * Friendly in '' The Biter'' by Nicholas Rowe (1704) * Courtly in ''

Love at First Sight Love at first sight is a personal experience as well as a common trope in literature: a person or character feels an instant, extreme, and ultimately long-lasting romantic attraction for a stranger upon first seeing that stranger. Described by p ...

'' by David Crauford (1704) * Telemachus in '' Ulysses'' by Nicholas Rowe (1705) * Dick in ''

The Confederacy The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

'' by

John Vanbrugh Sir John Vanbrugh (; 24 January 1664 (baptised) – 26 March 1726) was an English architect, dramatist and herald, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restor ...

(1705) * Sir Charles Richley in '' The Platonick Lady'' by

(1706) * Gustavus in '' The Revolution of Sweden'' by Catharine Cockburn (1706) * Gaylord in '' Adventures in Madrid'' by Mary Pix (1706) * Clerimont in '' The Double Gallant'' by

(1707) * Hengist, King of Kent in ''

'' by Nicholas Rowe (1707) * Mirvan in '' The Persian Princess'' by Lewis Theobald (1708) * Appius in '' Appius and Virginia'' by John Dennis (1709) * Cunningham in '' The Rival Fools'' by

(1709) * Athelwold in '' Elfrid'' by Aaron Hill (1710) * Worthy in '' The Fair Quaker of Deal'' by Charles Shadwell (1710) * Horatio in '' The Wife's Relief'' by Charles Johnson (1711) * Rinaldo in '' The City Ramble'' by

Elkanah Settle Elkanah Settle (1 February 1648 – 12 February 1724) was an English poet and playwright. Biography He was born at Dunstable, and entered Trinity College, Oxford, in 1666, but left without taking a degree. His first tragedy, '' Cambyses, King of ...

(1711) * Arviragus in '' The Successful Pyrate'' by Charles Johnson (1712) * Cato in '' Cato'' by

(1713) * Captain Stanworth in ''

The Female Advocates ''The Female Advocates'' is a 1713 comedy play by the British writer William Taverner. The longer title is ''The Female Advocates: or, the Frantic Stock-jobber''. The original Drury Lane cast featured William Bullock as Sir Charles Transfer, ...

'' by William Taverner (1713) * Welford in '' The Apparition'' by Anonymous (1713) * Achilles in '' The Victim'' by Charles Johnson (1714) * Lord Hastings in ''

Jane Shore Elizabeth "Jane" Shore (née Lambert) (c. 1445 – c. 1527) was one of the many mistresses of King Edward IV of England. She became the best-known to history through being later accused of conspiracy by the future King Richard III, and compelle ...

'' by Nicholas Rowe (1714) * Lord Guilford Dudley in ''

Lady Jane Grey Lady Jane Grey ( 1537 – 12 February 1554), later known as Lady Jane Dudley (after her marriage) and as the "Nine Days' Queen", was an English noblewoman who claimed the throne of England and Ireland from 10 July until 19 July 1553. Jane was ...

'' by Nicholas Rowe (1715) * Heartwell in ''

The Country Lasses ''The Country Lasses: or, The Custom of the Manor'' is a 1715 comedy play by the British writer Charles Johnson. The original Drury Lane cast included Robert Wilks as Modely, Barton Booth as Heartwell, John Mills as Freehold, Benjamin Johnson ...

'' by Charles Johnson (1715) * Lorenzo in '' The Cruel Gift'' by

(1716) * Colonel Woodvil in '' The Non-Juror'' by

(1717) * Lucius in ''

Lucius Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from ''Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames (''praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from L ...

'' by

Delarivier Manley Delarivier "Delia" Manley (1663 or c. 1670 – 24 July 1724) was an English author, playwright, and political pamphleteer. Manley is sometimes referred to, with Aphra Behn and Eliza Haywood, as one of " the fair triumvirate of wit", which is a ...

(1717) * Bajazet in '' The Sultaness'' by Charles Johnson (1717) * Coriolanus in ''

'' by John Dennis (1719) * Cleombrotus in ''

The Spartan Dame ''The Spartan Dame'' is a 1719 tragedy by the Irish writer Thomas Southerne. It was inspired by a story from Plutarch's ''Life of Aegis'' and was originally written as early 1687, but faced a long period of censorship and revision. The Drury Lane ...

'' by

Thomas Southerne Thomas Southerne (12 February 166026 May 1746) was an Irish dramatist. Biography Thomas Southerne, born on 12 February 1660, in Oxmantown, near Dublin, was an Irish dramatist. He was the son of Francis Southerne (a Dublin brewer) and Margaret ...

(1719) * Myron in ''

Busiris, King of Egypt ''Busiris, King of Egypt'' is a 1719 tragedy by the British writer Edward Young. It is set in Ancient Egypt during the reign of Busiris. It was considered a success, enjoying a good run and was subsequently published by Jacob Tonson. The work ...

'' by

Edward Young Edward Young (c. 3 July 1683 – 5 April 1765) was an English poet, best remembered for '' Night-Thoughts'', a series of philosophical writings in blank verse, reflecting his state of mind following several bereavements. It was one of the mo ...

(1719) * Phyocas in '' The Siege of Damascus'' by John Hughes (1720) * Granger in ''

The Refusal "The Refusal" (German: "Die Abweisung"), also known as "Unser Städtchen liegt …", is a short story by Franz Kafka. Written in the autumn of 1920, it was not published in Kafka's lifetime. Overview The story of "Die Abweisung" involves the narr ...

'' by

(1721) * Don Alonzo in '' The Revenge'' by

(1721) * Bevil Junior in ''

The Conscious Lovers ''The Conscious Lovers'' is a sentimental comedy written in five acts by the Irish author Richard Steele. ''The Conscious Lovers'' appeared on stage on 7 November 1722, at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and was an immediate success, with an initial ...

'' by

Richard Steele Sir Richard Steele (bap. 12 March 1672 – 1 September 1729) was an Anglo-Irish writer, playwright, and politician, remembered as co-founder, with his friend Joseph Addison, of the magazine ''The Spectator (1711), The Spectator''. Early life ...

(1722) * Vanoc in ''

The Briton ''The Briton'' is a 1722 tragedy by the British writer Ambrose Philips. The play is set in pre-Roman Celtic Britain. Performed at Drury Lane the original cast included Barton Booth as Vanoc, Robert Wilks as Ivor, John Thurmond as Didius, John ...

'' by

Ambrose Philips Ambrose Philips (167418 June 1749) was an English poet and politician. He feuded with other poets of his time, resulting in Henry Carey bestowing the nickname " Namby-Pamby" upon him, which came to mean affected, weak, and maudlin speech or ver ...

(1722) * Alberton in '' Love in a Forest'' by Charles Johnson (1723) * Omphales in '' The Fatal Constancy'' by

Hildebrand Jacob Hildebrand Jacob (1692 or 1693–1739) was a British poet and playwright, whose major works include the epic poem ''Brutus the Trojan'' and the tragic verse drama ''The Fatal Constancy''. His collected works (entitled ''The Works of H. Jacob, Esqr. ...

(1723) * Duke of Gloucester in ''

Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester Humphrey of Lancaster, Duke of Gloucester (3 October 139023 February 1447) was an English prince, soldier, and literary patron. He was (as he styled himself) "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of Henry IV of E ...

'' by

(1723) * Sophernes in '' The Captives'' by

(1724) * Julius Caesar in '' Caesar in Egypt'' by

(1724) * Polymnestor in ''

Hecuba Hecuba (; also Hecabe; grc, Ἑκάβη, Hekábē, ) was a queen in Greek mythology, the wife of King Priam of Troy during the Trojan War. Description Hecuba was described by the chronicler Malalas in his account of the ''Chronography'' as "da ...

'' by Richard West (1726) * Julio in ''

Double Falsehood ''Double Falsehood'' (archaic spelling: ''Double Falshood'') or ''The Distrest Lovers'' is a 1727 play by the English writer and playwright Lewis Theobald, although the authorship has been contested ever since the play was first published, with ...

'' by Lewis Theobald (1727)

Notes

References

* This cites: ** Cibber, ''Lives and Characters of the most eminent Actors and Actresses'' (1753) **Victor, ''Memoirs of the Life of Barton Booth'' (1733)

Bibliography

*See Cibber, ''Lives and Characters of the most eminent Actors and Actresses'' (1753). ** An etext version is available at th
University of Virginia
*Victor, ''Memoirs of the Life of Barton Booth'' (1733). * Winter, William. ''Shakespeare on the Stage''. New York, Moffat, Yard and Co., 1915. {{DEFAULTSORT:Booth, Barton 1681 births 1733 deaths English male stage actors People educated at Westminster School, London 18th-century English male actors