Since Hollywood filmmaking began 110 years ago, U.S. presidents have been frequently depicted in American movies. The American president who has been portrayed in more movies than any other is Abraham Lincoln. This is no surprise because he is not only consistently ranked as the best and most beloved president in polls, but he is the most written-about American citizen in history.
Although Lincoln has always been a cherished national figure, his popularity rose steadily in the late 19th century, peaking in the pre-World War II days. As a result, portrayals of this president are in many old movies. These depictions are often little more than a cameo, with the 16th president showing up rather unexpectedly in only one or two scenes, usually near the end of a film, such as “The Copperhead” (1920), “The Littlest Rebel” (1935), and “Of Human Hearts” (1938).
