Killing Lincoln Update

[Laurie Verge]

I have just been informed that the docu-drama, Killing Lincoln, will premiere to the general public on the National Geographic Channel on February 17 at 8pm EST.

Since Betty O will be representing me in the Surratt contingency for the special premiere on February 11, I suspect we will have a full review on this forum before the film reaches the airwaves.

[Dawn E Foster]

National Geographic Channel OnDemand (at least on my cable provider) is airing several previous Lincoln documentaries, in anticipation of their new Killing Lincoln. In just the past couple of days I have binged on The Hunt for Lincoln's Assassin; Lincoln, American Mastermind; The Real Abraham Lincoln; and Lincoln's Secret Killer. I'm sure we've probably discussed them all before (especially the MEN2B-Marfan one), but would everyone (anyone?) please help me out by commenting on the true (or not so) aspects of the others? Even I can tell that the assassination segment of the "Real" one is wonky. But, then, if I remember correctly, the first time I ever saw that one, a couple of years ago, was the first time I ever heard the name Mary Surratt. And that was what led me, trying to find out more, to discover Roger's incredible site. And that led me to another forum, where I first met all of you fascinating friends! And the rest, as they say, is history ...

[LincolnMan]

Is it a two-hour film?

[Laurie Verge]

I haven't heard how long it is, but I would assume that it has to be two hours.

I just received a call yesterday from the PR people at Nat Geo. They are bringing a group of press people here on Monday before the premiere that night. They first said "about 15," but the group has now grown to 35. That sounds good to me.

[RJNorton]

Good morning, Dawn. I can comment briefly on Lincoln's Secret Killer. Dr. John Sotos believes Abraham Lincoln (plus his mother and some of the sons) suffered from a rare genetic cancer syndrome called MEN2B (multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2B). Dr. Sotos was denied a DNA request by at least one museum. However, a DNA test was made on what was said to be a small piece from Laura Keene's dress. The piece allegedly had Lincoln's blood on it. Personally, I question whether the blood on Keene's dress was Rathbone's or Lincoln's. So I have no idea whose blood Dr. Sotos was really testing (my opinion is that it's Rathbone's). Anyway, the tests performed were inconclusive for MEN2B. But Dr. Sotos has continued his search for Lincoln's DNA by contacting private collectors. I have exchanged a few emails with him, and I commend him on his determination, even though I disagree with his theory.

So, to try to answer your question, it is my personal opinion that the show's truthfulness is open to question because I don't feel it's known for certain whose blood was really tested.

[Laurie Verge]

Dr. Sotos will be discussing his theories with the Lincoln Group of D.C. at their Lincoln Birthday Banquet next week. I bet he's going to have a lot of questions thrown at him.

[Dawn E Foster]

Is it a two-hour film?

About an hour and a half on onDemand without commercials, so it probably was two hours when it originally aired. I remember it showed him heading off to Springfield on his horse, in a light colored coat and straw hat, and beard.

[LincolnMan]

Ah Dawn, are you seroius? They showed him with a beard?

[Dawn E Foster]

National Geographic Channel OnDemand (at least on my cable provider) is airing several previous Lincoln documentaries, in anticipation of their new Killing Lincoln. In just the past couple of days I have binged on The Hunt for Lincoln's Assassin; Lincoln, American Mastermind; The Real Abraham Lincoln; and Lincoln's Secret Killer. I'm sure we've probably discussed them all before (especially the MEN2B-Marfan one), but would everyone (anyone?) please help me out by commenting on the true (or not so) aspects of the others? Even I can tell that the assassination segment of the "Real" one is wonky. But, then, if I remember correctly, the first time I ever saw that one, a couple of years ago, was the first time I ever heard the name Mary Surratt. And that was what led me, trying to find out more, to discover Roger's incredible site. And that led me to another forum, where I first met all of you fascinating friends! And the rest, as they say, is history ...

Looks like National Geographic Channel is actually airing those same four documentaries tonight.

[Rob Wick]

National Geographic Channel OnDemand (at least on my cable provider) is airing several previous Lincoln documentaries, in anticipation of their new Killing Lincoln. In just the past couple of days I have binged on The Hunt for Lincoln's Assassin; Lincoln, American Mastermind; The Real Abraham Lincoln; and Lincoln's Secret Killer. I'm sure we've probably discussed them all before (especially the MEN2B-Marfan one), but would everyone (anyone?) please help me out by commenting on the true (or not so) aspects of the others? Even I can tell that the assassination segment of the "Real" one is wonky. But, then, if I remember correctly, the first time I ever saw that one, a couple of years ago, was the first time I ever heard the name Mary Surratt. And that was what led me, trying to find out more, to discover Roger's incredible site. And that led me to another forum, where I first met all of you fascinating friends! And the rest, as they say, is history ...

Dawn,

I was in the Hunt for Lincoln's Assassin, and I always tell people they got about 90 percent of it correct. They completely left out Byron and Lafe Baker and Edward P. Doherty in favor of Everton Conger simply because the producers were trying to tie it in to the movie Manhunt, which had been announced and was to star Harrison Ford as Conger, which would have been a joke given that Conger was in his mid-20s when Booth was captured and Ford was in his 60s at the time, and Conger was not much over 5 foot tall and Ford was over 6 foot.

It wasn't a bad experience for me, but it did prove one thing. Talking heads are only there, and only get air-time, for things the producers want to highlight. When I first read the script, I told the producers that much of their script was incorrect. They thanked me and filmed it anyway. Here is a picture of me being intereviewed at Cleydael in June 2007 with no air conditioner wearing a long-sleeved shirt because the producer thought it would film better.



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Best
Rob

[Dawn E Foster]

How odd, they edited out all the conspiracy and assassination bits in The Real Abraham Lincoln, and then ended it rather abruptly with them going to Ford's - they literally cut it in half! And they added all sorts of pop-up post-it-note factoids, which might not have been quite so distracting if my TV wasn't so tiny that I could actually read them. Strange ...

The Hunt for Lincoln's Assassin was the one I found most interesting but, for some reason, of the four they didn't air that one after all. It was nice to have another face and voice to add to Laurie's and Betty's and some of the others of our friends that I've "met" Rob!

[Dawn E Foster]

Does anyone know anything about "Lincoln's Washington at War" that The Smithsonian Channel is premeiring tonight?

[RJNorton]

There is a nice article today about Killing Lincoln and Billy Campbell on a South African website.