In the
1880’s, Edwin Booth’s career was
experiencing a downturn. The closing of
Booth’s
Theatre on April 30, 1883 was the
result of profligate spending
artistically and poor business
management. Although Mr. Booth continued
to draw large crowds on tour and in New
York, critics often called his methods
old fashioned when compared to the
mercurial Henry Irving. Booth was also
criticized for shabby production values
and weak supporting actors.
Yet Booth
remained America’s acknowledged leading
actor, his closest rival being the
superb
Lawrence Barrett. Just five years
younger than Booth, Barrett had a huge
following and devoted partisans, but
there was only room at the top for one
great American actor of the classic
school. To Barrett’s frustration, he was
never able to overtake Edwin Booth’s
leadership.
In August
1885, Booth visited Barrett at his home
in Cohasset, MA. At a social gathering
one afternoon, Barrett exclaimed that he
would be willing to work for fifty years
without making any money if he could be
considered the head of his profession.
Booth asked: "Well Larry, after you get
this leadership, what do you think it’s
worth?"
"You
ought to know. You have it," was
Barrett’s retort.
"Leadership has its thorns," Booth
replied shaking his head.
Remarkably, during the same visit Larry
Barrett suggested that he and Booth tour
together. An excellent businessman,
Barrett offered to handle all the
management details that Booth found so
difficult. Further, Barrett suggested
that the best actors available be
recruited for the supporting players. As
for himself, Larry Barrett volunteered
to play secondary roles to Booth’s
leads. It was profound gesture, almost
unprecedented in the history of great
acting rivalries.
They set
off on tour together in September of
1887. Barrett risked everything by
doubling the ticket prices for this
unique theatrical event, but the
unprecedented three-dollar top was
gladly paid. The success of the Booth
Barrett Combine had the effect of
depressing business for all other
theatrical events that season. When a
full length portrait of
Booth’s Richelieu gesturing with
three fingers was hung in the Players,
Maurice Barrymore quipped: "It’s the old
man raising the ticket price to three
dollars."
Barrett
took on all of the day-to-day tasks of
running the tour.
Clara Morris
stated that Larry Barrett became "agent,
stage-manager, friend, co-worker, and
dramatic guardian angel" to Edwin Booth,
and "all he asked of him in return was
to act." It should be noted that Barrett
gave luminous performances night after
night, alternating the roles of Othello
and Iago with Booth, and supplying a
commanding Ghost to Mr. Booth’s Hamlet,
among others.
The
partnership continued until shortly
before Barrett’s death in 1891. In an
extraordinary act of self-effacement,
Barrett had rekindled Booth’s fading
powers and reawakened his genius.
American theatergoers were treated to a
last burst of brilliance from the
century’s greatest actor. Barrett’s
final role on stage was as de Mauprat
opposite Booth’s Richelieu. It was a
performance that Larry Barrett was
unable to finish.
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