The Crossing -- February 22, 2025

listal.com

Today is George Washington's birthday. In 2000, Jeff Daniels played General Washington in a television movie called The Crossing. The movie told the story of Washington crossing the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton.

Happy Birthday, George Washington -- February 22, 2024

New York Daily News, 22-February-1924

Today would have been the 292nd birthday of our first President, George Washinton. 100 years ago this week, director DW Griffith's America, an epic about the Revolutionary War opened at Manhattan's Forty-Fourth Street Theater. George Washington did not play a large part in the movie, but he played an indispensable role in the events. The movie was intended to be the first in a series.  

The Spirit of '76 -- February 22, 2023

Motion Picture News, 07-April-1917

In honor of George Washington's birthday, here is an ad for The Spirit of '76 a Revolutionary War story that was released in 1917. It seems that producer and writer Robert Goldstein had invested his own money in this movie and completed it in 1916. 

Bisbee Daily Review, 05-December-1923

Soon after the film was released in 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. Robert Goldstein was the son of immigrants from Germany and the movie showed the British, who were now our allies, in a bad light. Goldstein was arrested, prosecuted and convicted under the Espionage Act of 1917, which made it illegal to attack our allies. he was sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary, but his sentence was commuted to three years by President Woodrow Wilson. 

Noah Beery played George Washington.

The Battle Cry of Peace -- February 22, 2022

Moving Picture World, 04-September-1915

In honor of George Washington's birthday, here is an ad for The Battle Cry of Peace, an epic 1915 Vitagraph production, which was co-directed by J Stuart Blackton and Wilfrid North. The film criticized America's lack of preparedness (a popular term in that era) to go to war. The film was criticized by many for glorifying militarism. George Washington turns up somewhere in there, played by a Canadian actor, Joseph Kilgour. The film survives only in bits and pieces.

Motography, 04-September-1915

Washington Under the American Flag -- February 24, 2021

 

Moving Picture World, 20-June-1909

In honor of George Washington's birthday, here is an ad for a pair of short films produced by The Vitagraph Company of America. "Washington Under the British Flag" covered George Washington's early life, and "Washington Under the American Flag" covered the American Revolution and Washington's time as president. Joseph Kilgour played George Washington. 

I Cannot Tell a Lie -- February 22, 2019

Variety, 12-February-1941

Today is George Washington's birthday.  "I cannot tell a lie," an apocryphal quote from George Washington, turns up in many ads.  Here we see Leo the M-G-M Lion chopping down a ticket booth and promising great business from the movie Andy Hardy's Private Secretary with Mickey Rooney.

I Cannot Tell a Lie -- February 27, 2018

Moving Picture World, 09-February-1918

Billy West closely imitated Charlie Chaplin in a long series of comedies for different studios. While Chaplin was making the excellent Mutual comedies, West was making imitations of Chaplin's Essanay comedies. When Chaplin moved on to First National distribution, Billy West was still making comedies for King-Bee. This ad was inspired by George Washington's birthday.

Moving Picture World, 09-February-1918

Here we see Billy West out of makeup.

Moving Picture World, 09-February-1918

King-Bee President Louis Burstein would soon receive a demonstration of a method of projecting backgrounds with a magic lantern.  Probably not back projection as we know it.

George Washington (1984) -- February 22, 2018

www.listal.com

Today is George Washington's birthday.  I remember when I read in 1984 that Barry Bostwick would play Washington in a television miniseries, I didn't have much hope.  I enjoyed the episodes that I was able to see.

DW Griffith Presents America -- February 22, 2016

In honor of George Washington's birthday, here is a poster for America, DW Griffith's 1924 epic about the American Revolution.  It is a long movie that recreates many of the events of the revolution.  George Washington appears, played by an obscure actor named Arthur Dewey.  Neil Hamilton, later Commissioner Gordon on Batman, was the hero.  Griffith's protege Carol Dempster was the heroine.

I spoke to the DAR about this movie and how it is a good example of why people don't make many movies about the revolution. 

Washington at Valley Forge -- February 22, 2015

Moving Picture World, 28-March-1914

In honor of George Washington's birthday, here is an ad for a Universal four-reeler, "Washington at Valley Forge."  Four reels was not a common length for a movie.  This was a "Universal Special Feature."  It starred Francis Ford and his frequent partner Grace Cunard.  Ford was the older brother of future director John Ford.  An actor named Pedro León played General Washington. 

Washington -- February 22, 2014

In honor of George Washington's birthday, here is an ad for a series of educational films about Washington's life produced by Eastman Teaching Films, a subsidiary of Eastman Kodak.  The films were prepared in 1931 so they would be available for Washington's bicentennial the following year. 

The ad is from The Educational Screen, December, 1931.