Biography - John Wilkes Booth [VHS]

He was the most popular actor of his day, famed as "the handsomest man in America." With a single shot, he transformed the course of American history. John Wilkes Booth earned a place in infamy as the man who killed President Lincoln. But he was much more than just a desperate adherent to a losing cause. BIOGRAPHY; journeys back to 19th century America for a compelling look at the complete story of this unusual assassin. Trace his life from his pastoral childhood to his rise to fame as an actor, and discover how he became steadily more devoted to the Confederate cause as the Civil War went on. Leading historians reveal how Lee's surrender left Booth feeling like "a man without a country" and prompted his fatal visit to Ford's Theatre. From the history of insanity in his family to "Black Easter," this is the riveting tale of the actor who went down in history as an assassin.