George Washington on Screen

Book excerpt: One of the most moving narratives from the American Revolution is the first presidential administration and the many precedents set by George Washington. While media historians have extensively analyzed screen portrayals of the more sensational events of America in the 1750s to the 1790s, far less attention has been paid to portrayals of the first presidency and the character of George Washington in film, television and other formats. This book addresses that gap by providing the most comprehensive analysis of the character of George Washington on screen. Divided into two parts, the book begins with an analysis of how the Washington character has evolved through time and screen media, from early silent films to modern multimedia products. In Part II, a filmography documents each piece of screen media that features a representation of Washington. It includes silent films, theatrical films, cartoons, television and screen media from the 21st century, such as streaming, video games and multimedia presentations. Arranged alphabetically, each entry includes format type, production details, crew and cast lists and a brief description of Washington's character in relation to the plot.