the story begins with this man -- junius brutus booth, fathered edwin and john wilkes. ived on american shores in 1821 on a ship ironically enough called "two brothers." junius was a shakespearean actor. he was an international star. his bizarre volcanic and sensational interpretations of shakespeare sparked riots in london. he belonged to a circle of famous men, romantic artists that included lord byron and the poets shelly and keats. junius was a radical non-conformist. he rejected christianity. he dabbled in islam and hinduism, he was a vegetarian which in the 1820s was like being a lunatic. he was an opponent of savory, and he was a genius who could write poetry, sculpt marble, speak ten ancient and modern languages and act. booth had what he liked to call with a gesture appear on his forehead, mind. he believed he was a rare being. someone separated from the rest of humanity by his incredible talents and american residents agreed. booth was huge here. he toured nationally every year. he was admired by presidents from john quincy adams to andrew jackson, and he raise

>> what of the story that junius brutus booth once threatened the life of president andrew jackson? i've read the letter. people said that junius brutus booth, they wondered if he were insane or simply drunk all the time. l [ laughter ] and opinions differ on this point, but it's certainly clear that he loved his brandy, and a lot of his letters when you read them are scrawled. they're -- they're confused. they're almost impressionistic, and he would often say to theater managers, he'd send ahead, you know, i may not make it there. i'm drinking today. don't announce me until the beast arrives. meaning himself. and so the letter he wrote to andrew jackson talking about a hanging, i think, to me reads like a drunken joke. you know? i don't think it was an actual threat of assassination. i think he was just bluflterring in a way a guy had two pints of brandy would bluster, but he was friends with andrew jackson. i mean, their friendship would, i think, permit that kind of teasing or, you know what we would seep at completely inappropriate statements to make to a president, but it was -