Francis Ford as the Great Emancipator -- February 12, 2017

It, 15-July-1920

Happy 208th birthday to Abraham Lincoln, our greatest president.  In 1915, Universal released a Gold Seal production, "The Heart of Lincoln," just in time for his birthday.  Francis Ford, brother of future director John Ford, played Lincoln.  Ford directed the film and co-starred with his frequent partner, Grace Cunard.  She wrote the scenario. 

"... in his Big Americanization Feature which is soon to be released, and John Dean, father of Harry Ellis Dean, who voted for Abraham Lincoln."  Since the movie was released in 1915, this item must refer to a re-release.  Harry Ellis Dean was the business manager of the Francis Ford Studios.


I posted a 1915 story about the movie:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-heart-of-lincoln-february-12-2015.html

Francis Ford played Abraham Lincoln in seven other films.   

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. 

The Heart of Lincoln -- February 12, 2015

Moving Picture World, 30-January-1915

Happy 206th birthday to Abraham Lincoln, our greatest president.  In 1915, Universal released a Gold Seal production, "The Heart of Lincoln," just in time for his birthday.  Francis Ford, brother of future director John Ford, played Lincoln.  Ford directed the film and co-starred with his frequent partner, Grace Cunard.  She wrote the scenario. 

"As a basis for the multiple-reel picture perhaps no period of history has lent itself so unstintingly to the screen as that of the Civil War; nor has any single personality of history been more largely monopolized as a subject for screen impersonation than that of Abraham Lincoln."  This is interesting to read with the premiere of Birth of a Nation Waiting just around the corner. 

Francis Ford had played Abraham Lincoln in seven other films.