Edwin Booth was an American actor who was born in 1833 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 19th century. He was the brother of John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Edwin Booth was known for his performances in Shakespearean plays, and he also founded the Booth Theatre in New York City in 1869. The Booth Theatre was the first theater to be built specifically for the production of Shakespearean plays. It was a popular venue for many years and was eventually demolished in 1929.