Barton Booth facts for kids

Barton Booth (born 1682, died May 10, 1733) was a very famous actor in the early 1700s. He was known for his powerful performances on stage in London.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Barton Booth was the son of Robert Booth, who was a high-ranking church official called the Dean of Bristol. Barton went to Westminster School, a well-known school in London. While there, he acted in a Roman comedy play called Andria. He was so good at it that he decided he wanted to be an actor.

His family wanted him to study at Trinity College, Cambridge and become a churchman, but Barton had other plans. In 1698, when he was about 16, he left home and joined a theater group in Dublin, Ireland. His very first role was the main character in a play called Oroonoko.

Becoming a Star in London

After acting in Ireland for two years, Barton Booth came back to London. A famous actor named Thomas Betterton helped him get started. Barton first performed at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre from 1700 to 1704. He quickly became very popular.

From 1705 to 1708, he acted at the Haymarket Theatre with Betterton. For the next 20 years, he was a main actor at the Drury Lane Theatre. In 1713, he even became one of the managers of the Drury Lane Theatre, working with other well-known theater figures like Thomas Doggett, Colley Cibber, and Robert Wilks.

Famous Roles and Performances

Barton Booth was especially famous for playing serious, dramatic characters. His most well-known role was the main character in Joseph Addison's play Cato. This play made him a top tragedian, meaning he was excellent at sad and serious plays.

He also played many important characters from William Shakespeare's plays, such as Hotspur and Brutus. People even compared his performance as King Lear to that of the later famous actor David Garrick. Many said he was the best ever to play the ghost in Hamlet. Other Shakespeare roles he performed included Mark Antony, Timon of Athens, and Othello.

Booth was also great as Lothario in Nicholas Rowe's play The Fair Penitent. He starred in other plays by Rowe, like Ulysses (where he played Telemachus) and The Royal Convert (as Hengist, King of Kent). In 1710, he was Athelwold in Aaron Hill's Elfrid. He also played Coriolanus in a 1719 play and Sophernes in John Gay's The Captives in 1724.

Barton Booth was married twice. His second wife, Hester Santlow, was also a famous actress. People said he was not just an actor, but also a poet and a smart person with great talent.

Later Years and Legacy

Barton Booth started having health problems in 1727. He passed away on May 10, 1733. He was buried in St Laurence Cowley, near Uxbridge. Years later, in 1772, his wife had a special memorial placed for him in Westminster Abbey, a very important church in London where many famous people are honored. The memorial was created by an artist named William Tyler.