The medal's obverse bears portrait of Edwin Forrest, facing left. Signed at bottom, A.W. JONES DEL. F.B. SMITH & HARTMANN N.Y. FECIT.
The reverse holds wreath with ribbon bearing the famous actor's roles wrapped around it. In center field, BORN IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PA / . / MARCH 9TH 1806. / JUST TO / OPPOSERS / AND TO FRIENDS / SINCERE; dies signed at bottom, F.B.S. & H. N.Y.
Edwin Forest (1806-1872) was a celebrated American actor. He was perhaps the first native American to rise to the top-tier of Shakespear performers and his rivalry with British Shakespear actor William Charles Macready was legendary.
While most actors' rivalries don't result in casualties, Forrest and Macready's rivalry played out in a setting of Ameircan nativist fervor and the so-called Astor Place Riot was the consequence. Foreigners, and particularly the British, were deeply unpopular in America in the 1840's. Nevertheless, most actors in serious roles were British, which often made them the lightning rod for popular anger. With this as the backdrop, the rivalry between the two leading men, one British, one American, gained a new dimension.
On May 7, 1849, three nights before the riot, Forrest's supporters bought hundreds of tickets to the top level of the Astor Opera House, and brought Macready's performance of Macbeth to a grinding halt by throwing at the stage rotten eggs, potatoes, apples, lemons, shoes, bottles of stinking liquid, and ripped up seats. The performers persisted in the face of hissing, groans, and cries of "Shame, shame!" and "Down with the codfish aristocracy!", but were forced to perform in pantomime, as they could not make themselves heard over the crowd. Meanwhile, at Forrest's May 7 performance, the audience rose and cheered when Forrest spoke Macbeth's line "What rhubarb, senna or what purgative drug will scour these English hence?"
Macready wanted to leave after this disasterous performance but upper-class, educated Americans persuaded him to stay and perform once more, so on May 10, Macready once again took the stage as Macbeth. Police felt unable to control the crowds and called in the National Guard ahead of time. Tamany Hall on the other side prepared by agitating for action. During and after the performance a rioting crowd of around 10,000 faced police and military. Finally several volleys were fired into the crowd at point-blank range, resulting in over 25 dead and more than 120 injured.
The circular medal measures 77mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by F. B. Smith & Hartmann of New York City. Stack's & Bowers states that this medal is very rare but no exact mintage is reported.
