Edwin Booth

Originally Aired: March 31, 1941 Cavalcade of America #220, "Edwin Booth," takes listeners into the empty theater of the legendary actor on a winter night in 1873. At three o'clock in the morning, Edwin Booth awakens his assistant Gary and leads him to the furnace room, where he begins destroying costumes and mementos from his theatrical past. Among the items is a cloak belonging to his brother, John Wilkes Booth, whose actions have haunted Edwin for years. As each garment feeds the flames, Edwin relives pivotal moments from his life on the stage. Through dramatic flashbacks, the episode reveals Edwin's journey from prompter to leading man, including the fateful night when his father, the great Junius Brutus Booth, fell ill before a performance and young Edwin stepped into the role of Richard III for the first time. The burning continues as Edwin recalls other memories, including his romance with a Juliet who captured his heart during rehearsals. As Gary watches in dismay, the aging actor methodically purges his past, costume by costume, in an attempt to free himself from the ghosts that have defined and tormented his remarkable career.