Abraham Lincoln (United Artists) (1930)

D. W. GRIFFITH’S “ ABRAHAM LINCOLN” Build This One As A Big Production A DAILY SERIES FOR THE PAPERS Lincoln was perhaps one of the greatest story tellers and wits of his day. Books have been written about his best yarns and his particular brand of humor. . This series of his best stories, gives you a particularly good angle through which to sell his character to your public with the support of your local newspapers. Have the editor run one story each day along with a contest offering prizes for the best local yarn submitted. Also have them feature articles on humor and how to tell a funny story. ...» ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAVORITE STORIES Retold, by D. W. Griffith ( Producer-director of the mammoth United Artists spectacle, “Abraham Lincoln,” now playing at the . theatre.) NUMBER ONE Abraham Lincoln’s forte was his ability to turn a serious situation into comedy through the employment of deft illustrations. While he was a legislator in Illinois, he was advocat¬ ing a bill that was constantly being objected to on Constitutional grounds by a member from Wabash. Lincoln took the floor. “Gentlemen,” he said, “the attack of the member from Wabash reminds me of an old friend of mine. He is a peculiar looking old fellow, with shaggy, overhanging eyebrows and a pair of spectacles under them.” This was a personal description of the Wabash man and the Assembly roared. “One morning the old man got up and imagined he saw a squirrel on a tree near his house,” continued Lin¬ coln. “So he loaded his gun and fired time after time but the squirrel did not move. At the tenth shot he sat down and said to his boy, who was looking on: “ ‘Son, there’s something wrong with this gun.’ “ ‘Rifle’s all right,’ replied the boy, ‘but where’s your squirrel?’ “ ‘Up in. that tree,’ said the old fel¬ low. ‘Humped half-way up the trunk. Don’t you see him?’ The boy shook his head, then peered closely at his father. ‘I see your squir¬ rel,’ he exlaimed. ‘You’ve been firing at a louse on your eyebrow.’ ” The story needed no explanation. The Assembly burst into laughter and the member from Wabash left thor¬ oughly subdued. ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAVORITE STORIES Retold by D. W. Griffith ( Producer-director of the mammoth United Artists spectacle, “Abraham Lincoln,” now playing at the . theatre.) NUMBER TWO Shortly before President Lincoln’s . death, a delegation of Baptist, Presby¬ terian and Episcopal clergymen called on him in reference to the appointment of certain army chaplains. They brought out the point that many of the chaplains already with the troops were bad and that it was the business of the chief executive to see that more discretion was employed in their ap¬ pointment. Mr. Lincoln heard the committee patiently and rose slowly. “Gentlemen,” he said, “that is a matter the President has no control over; chaplains, you know, are chosen by the regiments.” The clergymen, however, were un¬ satisfied with this answer and they pressed for action. “If you will believe that I mean no disrespect,” said Mr. Lincoln, “I’ll tell you a true story: “Once while I was passing the time away in Springfield, Illinois, waiting for the circuit court to open its doors, I saw a little darky digging with his toes in the mud. The lad aroused my curiosity and I asked him wfiat he was doing. “ ‘Makin’ a church,’ said the boy. “ ‘A church?’ I asked, ‘what do you mean by that?’ “ ‘Jest a church,’ the boy answered, pointing with his toe. ‘Don’t you kee the shape of it; over here’s the steps; an’ there’s the steeple; an’ yonder’s the pew where the white folks set— an’ here’s the pulpit where the preach¬ er talks.’ “ ‘I see all that,’ I said, ‘but where is the preacher, son? You’ve got to have a preacher.’ “ ‘Well, I hain’t,’ grinned the little darky. ‘Laws, I hain’t got mud enough.’ ” ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAVORITE STORIES Retold by D. W. Griffith ( Producer-director of the mammoth United Artists spectacle, “Abraham Lincoln,” now playing at the . theatre.) NUMBER THREE One of Abraham Lincoln’s most amusing stories concerns the negro he met one day as he was inspecting an army cantonment. Finding that he belonged to the Ninth Illinois Infan¬ try, a regiment that had suffered se¬ vere losses, Mr. Lincoln questioned him. “Were you in the last fight?” asked the President. “Had a taste of it, suh,” said the darky. “Stood your ground, did you?” “No, suh; I ran.” “You don’t mean that you ran away, do you?” queried Lincoln. “Yes, suh.” “You don’t look like a coward.” “Well . . . fightin’ isn’t my line,” drawled the negro. “I’m a cook, suh.” “But have you no regard for your reputation?” insisted Lincoln. “I don’t know. Dat’s nothin’ to me compared to life.” “Do you reckon your life worth more than other people?” “It’s worth more to me, suh.” “Then you value your life very highly?” “Yes, suh. I sure do; more than all this world; more than a million dol¬ lars, ’cause what would that be worth to a man with the breath out of him?” “But why should you act differently from other men?” “Because,” answered the negro, “different men have different values on their lives; mine isn’t for sale, at no price.” “But if you lost it,” continued the President, “you would have the satis¬ faction of knowing that you died for your country.” “What satisfaction would that be,” the darky retorted, quickly, “when the power of feeling is gone?” “Then patriotism and honor are nothing to you?” “Nothin’ whatever, suh, they’re vani¬ ties.” “If our soldiers were all like you this country would not exist.” “I know that,” agreed the negro, frankly, “but I wouldn’t put my life in the scale against any government that ever existed, for no government could replace the loss to me. A dead white man ain’t much to lose in this war, let alone a dead darky; but I’d a missed myself and that, suh, was the point with me.” Mr. Lincoln made a hasty and dig¬ nified retreat, having for once been bested in repartee. ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAVORITE STORIES Retold by D. W. Griffith ( Producer-director of the mammoth United Artists spectacle, “Abraham Lincoln,” now playing at the .. theatre.) NUMBER FOUR On the day of the betrothal of the Prince of Wales to the Princess Alex¬ andria of Denmark, Queen Victoria sent a letter of announcement to each of the European sovereigns and also to President Lincoln. The letter was delivered to Lin¬ coln personally by Lord Lyons, Vic¬ toria’s ambassador and a prominent bachelor of the period. Lyons deliv¬ ered an oration lasting fifteen minutes in which he eulogized the newly- weds-to-be, the Queen and everything else he could think of. “Lyons,” said Lincoln, “that is all very well and you can tell her Majes¬ ty how happy I am for these young people, but, Lyons, I have a few words to say to you privately and these are: | “Go thou and do likewise.” ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAVORITE STORIES Retold by D. W. Griffith ( Producer-director of the mammoth United Artists spectacle, “Abraham Lincoln,” now playing at the . theatre.) NUMBER FIVE At the preliminary peace confer¬ ence, which was held on the steamer, River Queen, in Hampton Roads, Feb¬ ruary 3rd, 1865, the case of the rebel president, Jeff Davis, came up for considerable discussion. Representing the Union were Presi¬ dent Lincoln and Secretary Seward; the South had three of its greatest statesmen there in the persons of Al¬ exander H. Stevens, J. A. Campbell and R. M. T. Hunter. Hunter argued that the recognition of Jeff Davis’ power in the Confed¬ eracy was the first and indispensable step to peace, and in illustrating his point he referred to the correspond¬ ence between Charles the First and his Parliament and cited it as a well known precedent of a constitutional leader treating with rebels Lincoln paid strict attention until Hunter closed his argument, when he rose and remarked: “Upon questions of history, I must refer you to Mr. Seward. He is posted in such things and I am not; but it is my distinct recollection of the mat¬ ter that Charles lost his head. “I do not intend to lose my head, Mr. Hunter.” ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAVORITE STORIES Retold by D. W. Griffith (. Producer-director of the mammoth United Artists spectacle, “Abraham Lincoln,” now playing at the. .. theatre.) NUMBER SIX Abraham Lincoln, like most presi¬ dents of the United States, was troubled with many foolish questions hurled at him by well-wishing visi¬ tors, but unlike many other chief mag¬ istrates, he had an effective way of discouraging these useless interroga¬ tions. A young lady once asked him how many men the Confederates had in the field. “According to the very best author¬ ity,” said Lincoln, “they must have twelve hundred thousand men.” The young lady gasped. “Good heavens!” she exclaimed. “That can’t be possible, Mr. President.” “Well,” drawled Lincoln, “that may be, bflt I have no doubt of it. You see, when my generals are defeated in battle they usually say they were outnumbered three to one. Now we have four hundred thousand men in the field, and three times that num¬ ber makes twelve hundred thousand. “Don’t you see?” ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAVORITE STORIES Retold by D. W. Griffith ( Producer-director of the mammoth United Artists spectacle, “Abraham Lincoln,” now playing at the . theatre.) NUMBER SEVEN One of the numerous visitors to Abraham Lincoln’s Presidential recep¬ tion was Congressman Thomas Shan¬ non, of California. Shannon con¬ versed with the President and re¬ minded him of a mutual friend, Thompson Campbell, who knew Lin¬ coln very well in Springfield, Illinois. “Campbell used to be a witty fel¬ low,” said Lincoln. “He used to be Sec¬ retary of State for Illinois. One time a meek, cadaverous-looking individual presented himself and stated that he was informed Campbell had the let¬ ting of the Assembly chamber. He ex¬ plained further that he wanted to give a course of lectures for the edifi¬ cation of Springfield’s citizens. “ ‘What is to be the subject matter of your lectures?’ asked Campbell. “ ‘The course I wish to deliver,’ said the man solemnly, ‘is on the sec¬ ond coming of our Lord.’ “ ‘It is of no use,’ said Campbell field once, He will not want to come dryly. ‘It is my private opinion, sir, that if the Lord has been in Spring- field once He will not want to come the second time.’ ” ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAVORITE STORIES Retold by D. W. Griffith ( Producer-director of the mammoth United Artists spectacle, “Abraham Lincoln,” now playing at the . theatre.) NUMBER EIGHT Abraham Lincoln was very fond of this story about General Fisk, which he retold many times: The General, when he began his military career as the Colonel of a volunteer regiment from Missouri, proposed to his men that he should do all the swearing for his troops. A teamster named John Todd, how¬ ever, was having a hard time extricat¬ ing his mules and wagon from a deep mud hole and the man used the time¬ worn language of his class as an in¬ centive to the animals. Fisk heard the volley of energetic oaths and took Todd to account., “I thought I was to do all the swearing for this regiment,” Fisk reprimanded. “Yes, sir,” agreed the abashed Todd, “but the fact is, sir, the swear¬ ing had to be done then or not at all and you weren’t here to do it.” ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAVORITE STORIES Retold by D. W. Griffith ( Producer-director of the mammoth United Artists spectacle, “Abraham Lincoln,” now playing at the . theatre.) NUMBER NINE Abraham Lincoln was fond of tell¬ ing this amusing anecdote in connec¬ tion with his early experiences as a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois. He had the reputation, in a small way, of be¬ ing a wise trader of horses, and a circuit judge, who was also a practi¬ cal joker, bet Lincoln $25 he could best him in a trade. Lincoln accepted and agreed that they should meet the following morning and conclude their deal. The judge arrived at the meeting place on time, leading the poorest specimen of a horse this side of the grave. A fevy. minutes later Lincoln arrived with a wooden saw-horse, which he juggled with great difficulty on his shoulders. The crowd that had gathered to witness the trading roared with laughter and acclaimed Lincoln the victor, but the future President, after one brief glance at the judge’s horse, sorrowfully called for silence. “Judge,” he said, gravely, “this is the only time I ever got the worst of it in a trade.” ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAVORITE STORIES Retold by D. W. Griffith ( Producer-director of the mammoth United Artists spectacle, “Abraham Lincoln,” now playing at the . theatre.) NUMBER TEN At a time when every man’s hand seemed to be turned against him, and even his cabinet was conspiring to thwart his purpose, Abraham Lincoln was visited by a personal friend who cautioned him against putting his trust into the soiled hands of his offi¬ cial family. “That reminds me of a story,” said Lincoln. “Daniel Webster, when quite young, was guilty one day of a gross violation of the school rules. He was caught in the act and the punishment was to be the old-fashioned feruling of the hand. “Daniel’s hands happened to be very- dirty and knowing this he spat upon the palm of his right hand and wiped it off on the side of his pantaloons. “Give me your hand, sir,” said the teacher. “Webster’s right hand, partly cleansed, went out. The teacher looked at it a moment and said: “ ‘Daniel, if you will find another hand in this school room as filthy as that I will let you off.’ “Instantly Daniel showed his left hand, until then safely hidden behind his back. ‘Here it is, sir,’ said the boy. “The teacher snorted angrily but stuck to his odd bargain. ‘That will do,’ he reprimanded. ‘This time you can take your seat.’ ” Forty-Five Lincoln "Doubles” Found During Casting For Film Director Griffith Besieged By Applica¬ tions From Rich and Poor, Men and Women, to Play Title Role in Picture of Emancipator’s Life Throughout the length and breadth of the United States there are forty- five men who resemble Lincoln so closely that no facial make-up is neces¬ sary; and there are two women, one of them a prominent actress, who be¬ lieve they would make perfect Lincolns with the simple addition of a “prop” beard. Of these would-be-Lincolns, says D. W. Griffith, whose United Artists’ epic, “Abraham Lincoln,” is scheduled to open at the. theatre next ., eighty percent were forced to embark on pro¬ fessional acting or lecture careers be¬ cause of their resemblance to Lincoln. The rest are engineers, lawyers, a judge and a “southern gentleman.” Even after Walter Huston, the noted stage and screen actor, had been chosen for the role, more than a dozen applications a week poured into the studio from persons in all walks of life who felt they were reincarnated Lincolns. The two women who believed they looked enough like the Emancipator to warrant the risk of a million dollar expenditure on the picture were Lu¬ cille La Verne, the celebrated Ameri¬ can actress who recently startled Lon¬ don by appearing as “Shylock” and who eventually compromised on a les¬ ser role; and Sophia A. Hume, of Los Angeles, who accompanied her appli¬ cation with a photograph of herself in beard, top hat and costume of the late fifties. More than twenty potential Lin¬ colns of the movie colony were given elaborate voice and screen tests before Huston was chosen for the part be¬ cause he most closely resembled the assassinated President in height, voice, appearance and temperament. Those who were seriously consid¬ ered on the score of resemblance alone were C. E. Drake, of New York City; Luther D. Aydelotte, of Buffalo; Ste¬ phen Fitzpatrick, of South Bound Brook, N. J.; Richard Eleveth, of Oak Park, Ill.; J. M. Bladden, of Cedar City, Utah; C. L. Williams, Bovill, Idaho; W. R. Massey, Covington, In¬ diana; J. B. Fussell, Winslow, Ariz.; Arch Anderson, Rockton, Ill.; W. Vance Varcoe, Honesdale, Pa.; Max J. Young, Indianapolis; Frank Mc- Glynn, Jr., New York City; N. E. Slayton, San Francisco; Milton Mos- kow, San Francisco, and James F. Gilbert, Manhattan Beach, Calif. Los Angeles and Hollywood entered the most candidates, with B. A. Duni- vaut, Frank McGlynn, Harry Sullivan, George Billings, Maurice Sonnen- schein, Danny Hay, Jack Baxley, Ern¬ est Murray, Frank Jones, T. Darcy Corrigan, Charles Middleton, Joe Mills and William Bertram. In addition, a dozen prominent Hollywood actors presented tests of their own making but most of these were ruled out of consideration be¬ cause none closely approximated Lin¬ coln’s height of six feet four inches. Griffith’s picture reveals Lincoln during his beardless prairie days — about the age of twenty to twenty-five —and later as the successful first Republican President, who saved the Union during the Civil War. Only slightly less active was the vig¬ orous campaigning by women stars for the coveted roles of “Mary Todd Lincoln” and “Ann Rutledge,” Lin¬ coln’s wife and boyhood sweetheart respectively. For “Ann Rutledge,” Griffith remembered a little girl he had used as an “extra” in his New York studios eight years ago. This “little girl,” Una Merkel, since developed into one of Broadway’s most sought after ingenues. The task of picking a “Mary Todd” was extremely difficult because history records Lincoln’s wife as a peppery- tongued, scolding woman. Finally, after 22 tests of leading actresses had been made, Griffith chose another play¬ er from the stage in the person of Kay Hammond. “Booth,” too, had its horde of can¬ didates. Ian Keith plays this charac¬ ter with a fine understanding of the assassin’s moods and motives. Jason Robards is seen as “Herndon,” Lin¬ coln’s junior law partner; Hobart Bosworth, as “General Lee”; Frank Campeau, as “General Sheridan,” and Miss La Verne, as the matron at Lin¬ coln’s birth. In all, there are 112 important speaking roles in “Abraham Lincoln.”