Benjamin Chapin: "The Lincoln Man" and his Lincoln Cycle

The Lincoln Cycle was an ambitious attempt to present the life and work of a major American historical figure to early motion-picture audiences, as well as an experiment in extended film narrative that sought to differentiate itself from such competing forms as the serial, the series production, and the multireel feature. Produced independently by the noted Lincoln impersonator Benjamin Chapin, who would die before completing this visionary project, The Lincoln Cycle was first exhibited as a theatrical feature (1917) and then as a series of shorts distributed by Paramount under the title The Son of Democracy (1918). During the 1920s it reached new audiences by successfully crossing over into the emerging nontheatrical market.