Historic Photo Gallery: 1850 to 1899
1851
On October 4, 1851 Edwin Forrest opened a three-week run of
Macbeth. It was the actor's
first appearance in Philadelphia in two years, and he was in the middle of a highly
publicized divorce from his wife at the time. Forrest performed to sold-out houses
for the entire run and hundreds of people had to be turned away. This photograph was
taken by Mathew B. Brady, noted portrait and Civil War photographer.
(Photograph courtesy of The Lillian Booth Actors' Home of The Actors' Fund.)
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