“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” That Abraham Lincoln quote sums up the quiet, thoughtful dignity that actors have tried to portray on film for several generations now. And on screen, the 16th president has done everything from meeting Shirley Temple to fighting vampires. In honor of Presidents Day, here are some of the actors who have played Honest Abe over the years.
Kino Video
Walter Huston – “Abraham Lincoln” (1930)
D.W. Griffith would revisit the Lincoln legend in 1930 with “Abraham Lincoln,” which more closely follows the life of the president and culminates in his death. The film somewhat atoned for the other sins of “The Birth of a Nation,” and it was celebrated in its day. But it has been looked at less fondly in recent years for its historical inaccuracies. Walter Huston also portrayed Lincoln in a 1929 short film called “Two Americans,” about Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
RKO Radio Pictures
Raymond Massey – “Abe Lincoln in Illinois” (1940)
Massey had become synonymous with the role of Abe Lincoln, having played him numerous times in his career, following his Oscar-nominated work in “Abe Lincoln in Illinois.” The film is based on a Pulitzer Prize winning play, and Massey’s croaking baritone voice sounds closer to a Hollywood, idealized image.
Warner Bros.
Hal Holbrook – “Lincoln” (1974) and “North and South” (1985)
Hal Holbrook is another institution who Hollywood turned to time and again to play Lincoln. He acted as Lincoln during the miniseries “Lincoln” in the 1970s and would win an Emmy for his work. Fittingly, Steven Spielberg found a part for him in his 2012 film “Lincoln.”
CBS
Orion Pictures
Rex Features
Jason Robards – “The Perfect Tribute” (1991)
Jason Robards played Lincoln three times: first for a TV movie adaptation of “Abe Lincoln in Illinois,” and then in 1991 and 1992 for two separate TV movies, including “The Perfect Tribute,” about how Lincoln came to write the Gettysburg Address.
The Family Channel
Kris Kristofferson – “Tad” (1995)
Lincoln was a lawyer from Illinois, not a singer from Texas. Kris Kristofferson is one of the stranger casting choices for this 1995 TV movie on The Family Channel, as told through the eyes of Lincoln’s son.
20th Century Fox
Benjamin Walker – “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” (2012)
And you thought D.W. Griffith took liberties with history. Somehow, Timur Bekmabetov made it such that Benjamin Walker wouldn’t look half as badass if he weren’t twirling an axe and cutting down demons without his stove pipe hat.
20th Century Fox
Daniel Day-Lewis – “Lincoln” (2012)
Like Fonda, Daniel Day-Lewis taps into the more relaxed aspects of Lincoln’s persona, even showcasing a softer side to Day-Lewis’ intense method acting. Steven Spielberg highlights the sanctity of the democratic process in “Lincoln” and how Honest Abe’s wise presence allowed him to broker such a landmark victory for democracy. The film is at its best when Lincoln isn’t giving grand speeches but is being a father and revealing the humanity behind the iconic leader.
NatGeo
Billy Campbell – “Killing Lincoln” (2013)
Billy Campbell portrayed Lincoln in the National Geographic biography based on Bill O’Reilly’s book.
NBC
Michael Krebs – “Timeless” (2016)
Michael Krebs has seven acting credits to his name dating back to 1994, and he’s played Lincoln in all of them, taking advantage of his spitting resemblance on screen and stage. He most recently starred in an episode of the series “Timeless.”