The Booth Family

John Sleeper Clark, a friend of the Booths since boyhood, gave John Wilkes his first stage role in 1855 and married his sister, Asia, in 1859.

She refused his marriage proposals until he committed himself to a stage career. Helped by his connection to the Booth family, Clarke became a successful comedian and theatrical manager.

Australian actress Agne Land Perry played opposite Junius, Jr. during a California tour; she would later become his third wife.

Rejecting his father's advice to become a surgeon. Junius Booth, Jr. enjoyed some stage success before settling on theatre management.

"Get off the stage, for God's sake!" hissed Edwin Booth to his brother Joseph (shown above) during a dismal performance. Joseph turned to a career in medicine instead.

"The Civil War, The Assassination", Time - Life books, page 35