Volume III: Biographies

ROOSEVELT, Theodore *

Film subject (1910, 1915-1916)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Theodore Roosevelt may have appeared in a Thanhouser film in 1910 and did appear in a Thanhouser film in 1915. He was also seen in a 1916 Thanhouser film released in Great Britain (but possibly not in the United States).

Biographical Notes: Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) was born to a wealthy family. From his youth, outdoor activities interested him, and in addition to sports he favored natural history. Following his graduation from Harvard in 1880, he embarked upon a literary career, with The Naval War of 1812, published in 1882, being among his first credits. Within the next decade several more books, primarily on Western and historical themes, came from his fertile mind. Around the same time he became a participant in New York State politics, then national political affairs. In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, he organized a voluntary cavalry regiment, which became famous as the Rough Riders and which saw heroic and well-publicized action on Cuba. Nominated for the vice presidency on the 1900 Republican ticket headed by William McKinley, Roosevelt soon found himself in Washington. Following the assassination of McKinley, Roosevelt became the 26th president of the United States on September 14, 1901. In 1904 he successfully ran for re-election.

Theodore Roosevelt's 1901-1909 term was characterized by a special vitality in the White House. The activities of his official and personal life were many and ranged from securing the right to build a canal in Panama by a 1903 treaty; to sparing the life of a little cub while on a hunting trip in Mississippi, thus providing the inspiration for the "Teddy Bear"; to conservation efforts; to trust-busting; to the passage of the Pure Food and Drugs Act in 1906. A sparkle was added to the Washington social scene by his daughter Alice, who enjoyed smoking cigarettes in an era when for a woman to do so was considered naughty, and who told a reporter that she enjoyed being with as many men as possible. Theodore Roosevelt once stated that he could do an effective job of being president, or he could do a good job of keeping an eye on Alice, but it was impossible to do both.

Roosevelt maintained his popularity through his administration and would probably have been an easy winner for re-election in 1908, except that he disavowed interest and backed his friend and Secretary of War, William Howard Taft, instead. After leaving the White House, Roosevelt returned to his old loves of travel and writing, including a highly publicized trip to Africa in 1910. By the autumn of 1911 he was in disagreement with Taft's policies, and in 1912 he determined to throw his hat in the political ring to regain the nation's highest office. However, the Republican machine nominated the incumbent Taft. Roosevelt then set up a splinter organization, the Bull Moose Party, and ran independently. With the Republicans split in their loyalty, the election produced a landslide for the Democratic candidate, Woodrow Wilson, who ran away with 435 electoral votes, as compared to 88 for Roosevelt and a paltry eight for Taft.

A Thanhouser Film Subject: Theodore Roosevelt was to have been the subject of a Thanhouser film upon his return to the United States from Africa on June 18, 1910. Although trade announcements stated that a Thanhouser crew would be dispatched to cover the arrival of his ship, it is not known if this was accomplished. It is known that Vitagraph had cameramen on hand, and during the following weeks the Vitagraph portrayal of Roosevelt's homecoming was heavily advertised. At the time the events in the life of Roosevelt were closely watched by the public, and his game hunting exploits in Africa were the subject of films by Selig and others. In 1915 he appeared in footage in the Thanhouser film, The Spirit of Audubon. It is believed that this was "stock footage" taken earlier in Florida by bird photographer Herbert K. Job, and was not photographed especially for Thanhouser. Apparently, related footage was used in a Thanhouser film released in Great Britain in 1916, Ex-President Roosevelt's Feathered Pets.

Thanhouser Filmography:

1910: Roosevelt's Return (6-18-1910 arrival in New York Harbor; it is not certain that this film was actually made)

1915: The Spirit of Audubon (10-19-1915)

1916: Ex-President Roosevelt's Feathered Pets (British release date: 6-12-1916)

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