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