The Birth of a Nation (1915)

Two families, abolitionist Northerners the Stonemans and Southern landowners the Camerons, intertwine. When Confederate colonel Ben Cameron is captured in battle, nurse Elsie Stoneman petitions for his pardon. In Reconstruction-era South Carolina, Cameron founds the Ku Klux Klan, battling Elsie's congressman father and his African-American protégé, Silas Lynch.

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The Birth of a Nation

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The Birth of a Nation The Birth of a Nation

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Lillian Gish
Lillian Gish
as Stoneman's Daughter Elsie
Mae Marsh
Mae Marsh
as Flora Cameron
Henry B. Walthall
Henry B. Walthall
as Col. Ben Cameron
Miriam Cooper
Miriam Cooper
as Margaret Cameron
Mary Alden
Mary Alden
as Stoneman's Housekeeper Lydia
Ralph Lewis
Ralph Lewis
as Leader of the House Hon. Austin Stoneman
George Siegmann
George Siegmann
as Lieut. Governor Silas Lynch
Walter Long
Walter Long
as Gus
Robert Harron
Robert Harron
as Tod
Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid
as Jeff, the Blacksmith
Joseph Henabery
Joseph Henabery
as Abraham Lincoln
Elmer Clifton
Elmer Clifton
as Stoneman's Elder Son Phil
Josephine Crowell
Josephine Crowell
as Mrs. Cameron
Spottiswoode Aitken
Spottiswoode Aitken
as Dr. Cameron
George Beranger
George Beranger
as Wade Cameron
Maxfield Stanley
Maxfield Stanley
as Duke Cameron
Jennie Lee
Jennie Lee
as Mammy
Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp
as Gen. U.S. Grant
Howard Gaye
Howard Gaye
as Gen. Robert E. Lee
Sam De Grasse
Sam De Grasse
as Senator Charles Sumner (uncredited)
William De Vaull
William De Vaull
as Nelse (uncredited)
Willam Freeman
Willam Freeman
as Jake / Sentry at Hospital (uncredited)
Tom Wilson
Tom Wilson
as Stoneman's Servant (uncredited)
Fred Burns
Fred Burns
as Klansman (uncredited)
Allan Sears
Allan Sears
as Klansman (uncredited)
Elmo Lincoln
Elmo Lincoln
as Blacksmith (uncredited)
Madame Sul-Te-Wan
Madame Sul-Te-Wan
as Black Woman (uncredited)
Raoul Walsh
Raoul Walsh
as John Wilkes Booth (uncredited)
Monte Blue
Monte Blue
as (uncredited)
Harry Braham
Harry Braham
as Cameron's Male Servant (uncredited)
Bob Burns
Bob Burns
as Klan Leader (uncredited)
Edmund Burns
Edmund Burns
as Klansman (uncredited)
Edward Burns
Edward Burns
as Klansman (uncredited)
Peggy Cartwright
Peggy Cartwright
as Young Girl in Cabin (uncredited)
Dark Cloud
Dark Cloud
as General (uncredited)
Leonore Cooper
Leonore Cooper
as Elsie's Maid (uncredited)
Charles Eagle Eye
Charles Eagle Eye
as Man Who Falls from Roof (uncredited)
John Ford
John Ford
as Klansman (uncredited)
Olga Grey
Olga Grey
as Laura Keene (uncredited)
Alberta Lee
Alberta Lee
as Mrs. Lincoln (uncredited)
Betty Marsh
Betty Marsh
as Child with Dr. Cameron (uncredited)
Donna Montran
Donna Montran
as Belle of 1861 (uncredited)
Eugene Pallette
Eugene Pallette
as Union Soldier (uncredited)
Alma Rubens
Alma Rubens
as Belle of 1861 (uncredited)
Charles Stevens
Charles Stevens
as Volunteer (uncredited)
Jules White
Jules White
as Confederate Soldier (uncredited)
Violet Wilkey
Violet Wilkey
as Young Flora Cameron (uncredited)
David Butler
David Butler
as Northern Soldier / Confederate Soldier (uncredited)
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D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffith
Producer
Jon Mirsalis
Jon Mirsalis
Original Music Composer
Clare West
Clare West
Costume Design
Raoul Walsh
Raoul Walsh
Editor
D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffith
Writer
Joseph Carl Breil
Joseph Carl Breil
Director of Photography
Joseph Henabery
Joseph Henabery
Editor
D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffith
Editor
James Smith
James Smith
Editor
Billy Bitzer
Billy Bitzer
Director of Photography
Rose Smith
Rose Smith
Editor
Frank E. Woods
Frank E. Woods
Screenplay
Walter Hoffman
Walter Hoffman
Special Effects
D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffith
Original Music Composer
H.E. Aitken
H.E. Aitken
Executive Producer
Robert Goldstein
Robert Goldstein
Costume Design
Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp
Assistant Director
Charles Eagle Eye
Charles Eagle Eye
Stunts
D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffith
Presenter
Howard Gaye
Howard Gaye
Assistant Director
Joseph Henabery
Joseph Henabery
Assistant Director
Karl Malkames
Karl Malkames
Negative Cutter
Joseph Nurnberger
Joseph Nurnberger
Music
Karl Brown
Karl Brown
Camera Operator
Fred Hamer
Fred Hamer
Assistant Director
Robert Harron
Robert Harron
Assistant Director
Tom Wilson
Tom Wilson
Assistant Director
Raoul Walsh
Raoul Walsh
Assistant Director
Shorty English
Shorty English
Carpenter
Joseph Carl Breil
Joseph Carl Breil
Music
Jack Conway
Jack Conway
Assistant Director
Walter Hoffman
Walter Hoffman
Special Effects Supervisor
Jim Kidd
Jim Kidd
Security
Allan Dwan
Allan Dwan
Assistant Director
Hal Sullivan
Hal Sullivan
Assistant Property Master
Monte Blue
Monte Blue
Stunts
Elmer Clifton
Elmer Clifton
Assistant Director
Thomas E. O'Brien
Thomas E. O'Brien
Assistant Director
W.S. Van Dyke
W.S. Van Dyke
Assistant Director
Cash Shockey
Cash Shockey
Painter
Frank Wortman
Frank Wortman
Set Designer
Herbert Sutch
Herbert Sutch
Assistant Director
Erich von Stroheim
Erich von Stroheim
Assistant Director
Ralph M. DeLacy
Ralph M. DeLacy
Property Master
Christy Cabanne
Christy Cabanne
Assistant Director
Fireworks Wilson
Fireworks Wilson
Special Effects
Carli Elinor
Carli Elinor
Conductor
Thomas F. Dixon Jr.
Thomas F. Dixon Jr.
Novel
Leo Nomis
Leo Nomis
Stunts
Thomas F. Dixon Jr.
Thomas F. Dixon Jr.
Adaptation
Monte Blue
Monte Blue
Assistant Director
Baron von Winther
Baron von Winther
Assistant Director
Henry B. Walthall
Henry B. Walthall
Assistant Director
D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffith
Director
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