John Wilkes Booth

NAME John Wilkes Booth. He was named after English radical politician John Wilkes, a distant relative.

WHAT FAMOUS FOR John Wilkes Booth is infamous for assassinating President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865.

BIRTH John Wilkes Booth was born on May 10, 1838, in Bel Air, Maryland, United States.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Booth came from a prominent theatrical family. His father, Junius Brutus Booth, was a renowned British actor, and his mother, Mary Ann Holmes, was his father's mistress before they emigrated to the United States and married.

Booth’s brother, Edwin Booth, was the greatest American actor of the nineteenth century. 

CHILDHOOD Booth grew up on the family farm in Maryland, known as Tudor Hall. He was the ninth of ten children and was reportedly a spirited and often rebellious child.

EDUCATION Booth received his early education at private schools in Maryland and later attended the Milton Boarding School for Boys. He was known more for his athleticism and charm than his academic achievements.

CAREER RECORD Booth followed in his father's footsteps, becoming an actor. He made his stage debut at the age of 17 in Baltimore. Over the next decade, he gained fame for his performances in Shakespearean plays, particularly for his portrayal of characters such as Romeo and Brutus.

APPEARANCE He stood 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall, had jet-black hair, Booth was described as strikingly handsome, with a well-groomed mustache, and expressive eyes. His physical appeal contributed to his popularity on stage.

John Wilkes Booth

FASHION Booth was known for his elegant and fashionable attire, often wearing well-tailored suits that highlighted his charismatic stage presence.

CHARACTER Booth was charismatic and passionate but also deeply impulsive and hot-tempered. He held strong political beliefs, particularly in favor of the Southern cause during the Civil War.

SENSE OF HUMOUR He was known to be charming and engaging, with a sharp wit and a talent for mimicry.

RELATIONSHIPS Booth was romantically involved with several women throughout his life, though he never married. His relationships were often intense but fleeting.

Booth had a whirlwind romance with Lucy Lambert Hale, daughter of Senator john P. Hale of New Hampshire, They became secretly engaged in early 1865 and Booth composed a handwritten Valentine card for his fiancée on February 13, 1865, expressing his "adoration". However, she was unaware of Booth's deep antipathy towards Lincoln. A photo of Hale was found on Booth's body.

MONEY AND FAME Booth dabbled in oil during the Pennsylvania boom. In late 1863, he partnered with Cleveland's Academy manager and a gambler to form the Dramatic Oil Company. They leased land and drilled a well, but inexperience and a risky attempt to boost production led to disaster. The company folded, leaving Booth with a failed business venture before his even more infamous act.

By the time of his death, Booth had achieved considerable fame and wealth as an actor, earning substantial sums for his performances.

FOOD AND DRINK As a man of his era and social standing, he likely enjoyed the finer things, including rich meals and spirits.

Booth spent the afternoon drinking before assassinating Lincoln, so was quite drunk when he pulled the trigger during the third act.

MUSIC AND ARTS Booth was deeply immersed in the arts, particularly theater. He was known for his dramatic interpretations of Shakespearean roles and had a passion for performance and dramatic expression.

Booth made his stage debut on August 14, 1855, in the supporting role of the Earl of Richmond in Richard III at Baltimore's Charles Street Theater.  His debut was about as smooth as a greased pig wrestling competition. The Baltimore audience weren't shy about hissing at the young actor when he fumbled his lines in Richard III. 

But Booth persevered. He honed his craft, eventually charming audiences and critics alike. The man became a box office magnet, raking in a cool £20,000 a year – a king's ransom in those days.

Then came a truly bizarre coincidence. Just days before delivering his immortal Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln caught Booth onstage, chewing the scenery as some villain in a play. Apparently, Booth delivered his lines with such venom, someone quipped to Lincoln, "He almost seems to be reciting these lines to you."" Lincoln, ever the picture of stoicism, just chuckled and said, "He does talk very sharp at me, doesn't he?" Little did he know how prophetic that would be.

Boston Museum playbill advertising Booth in Romeo and Juliet, May 3, 1864

LITERATURE Booth was well-read, particularly in Shakespearean literature, which influenced his acting career and perhaps his dramatic worldview.

NATURE Booth enjoyed outdoor activities and was known for his physical vigor, often engaging in horseback riding and hunting.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS His primary hobby was acting, but Booth also loved fencing, a skill that added to his on-stage presence. He also enjoyed horseback riding and other outdoor activities.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Booth was a staunch supporter of the Confederacy and held strong beliefs in states' rights and Southern honor. He viewed Lincoln's policies as tyrannical and felt a deep sense of mission in opposing him.

SCANDAL On April 14, 1865. Booth was picking up his mail at Ford's Theater when he overheard a juicy tidbit – President Lincoln planned to catch a show that very night! Now, Booth knew this particular play, Our American Cousin, like the back of his hand. A truly terrible play, by all accounts, but perfect for Booth's nefarious plans.

What unfolded next is the stuff of history books (and, unfortunately, some truly terrible movies). Booth hatched a harebrained scheme to assassinate not just Lincoln, but the entire cabinet .  He snuck into the presidential box during a particularly hilarious bit – apparently, the audience roared with laughter after a line about a "sockdologizing old man-trap." It was then, under the cover of guffaws, that Booth did the unthinkable.

With a bang that silenced the merriment, Booth pumped a bullet into Lincoln's head.  Then, in a move that would make any self-respecting thespian cringe, he shouted a triumphant line (presumably not from the play) and leaped from the balcony like a deranged acrobat.  He landed with a sickening thud, breaking his leg in the process, but managed to hobble out on his trusty steed and disappear into the night.

Booth ended up holed up in a barn, where a Union soldier named Boston Corbett, in a moment of questionable aim, shot him. Let's just say Booth's curtain call came a bit sooner than he anticipated.

The assassination of Lincoln was a national tragedy. Even newspapers that had previously criticized the president condemned the act. Sure, some folks in the South might have secretly cheered, but most people, North and South alike, were just plain horrified. Booth's actions not only ended a life, but cast a long shadow over a nation still reeling from the Civil War.

MILITARY RECORD Booth did not serve in the Confederate Army, though he was a strong supporter of the Southern cause. He acted as a spy and courier for the Confederacy and briefly considered a plot to kidnap Lincoln to aid the Confederacy..

POLITICAL BELIEFS Booth became politically active in the 1850s, joining the Know-Nothing Party, a group that wanted fewer immigrants to come to the United States.

A strong supporter of the Confederacy and the Southern way of life, Booth deeply resented President Lincoln and his abolitionist policies. His political views ultimately led to the assassination of Lincoln

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Booth was in good physical shape, known for his athletic build and vigorous activity level, which included horseback riding and fencing.

HOMES Booth grew up on a 150-acre (61 ha) farm near Bel Air, Maryland, Booth's father built Tudor Hall on the Harford County property as the family's summer home in 1851, while also maintaining a winter residence on Exeter Street in Baltimore. 

Booth lived in various places throughout his acting career, including Baltimore, New York, and eventually Washington, D.C.

TRAVEL As an actor, Booth traveled extensively across the United States, performing in numerous cities and theaters.

DEATH Booth was killed on April 26, 1865, twelve days after assassinating President Lincoln. He was tracked down to a farm in Virginia and was shot by Union soldiers while hiding in a barn that was set on fire.

The killing of Booth (Frank Leslie's Illustrated News)

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Booth has been portrayed in numerous films, television shows, and books, often focusing on his role in the assassination of Lincoln and his life as an actor and Confederate sympathizer. They include:

Movies: The Birth of a Nation (1915), Prince Of Players (1955), The Lincoln Conspiracy (1977) , The Conspirator (2010), Killing Lincoln (2013).

TV:  Apple TV+ miniseries Manhunt (2024)

Documentary: American Experience: John Wilkes Booth (2011)

Books: John Wilkes Booth : A Sister's Memoir by Asia Booth Clarke (1938), Manhunt: The Twelve-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson (2006)

ACHIEVEMENTS Booth achieved considerable acclaim as an actor and was well-regarded in theatrical circles. However, his lasting legacy is overwhelmingly overshadowed by his act of assassinating Abraham Lincoln, an event that profoundly impacted American history.