the play writ and the actor of mary lincoln portraying mary lincoln in the widow lincoln. thank you for your time. >> thank you. >> with live coverage of the u.s. house on c-span and the senate on c-span two, here on c-span-3 we complement the coverage by showing you the most relevant congressional hearings and public events. on weekends c-span 3 is the home to american history tv with programs that tell our nation's story, including six unique series. visiting battlefields and key events, american artifacts, touring museums and historic sites. history bookshelf, the best known american history writers, the presidency, looking at the policies and legacies of our nation's commanders in chief. lectures and history, with top college professors delving into america's past. our new series real america, featuring our government and educational films from the 1930s through the 70s. c-span 3 created by the cable tv industry and funded by your local cable or satellite provider. watch us in hd like us on facebook and follow us on twitter. tonight on q&a, filmmaker thomas allen harri

she is mary lincoln. it is not my mary lincoln now. it is hers. i will let you talk about taking the book on, how you do that. mary: well, how do you do that? how do you create the traumatic experience on stage? one. susan: specifically this one. to imagine living through that how do you capture that without experiencing something that horrific in your own life? mary: well, i am an actor. i will say that any good actor can portray anything that can happen to a human being. susan: so i am asking for the secret to an actor's craft. mary: everyone goes about it a different way. when i was younger, it was about trying to re-create. i have been through more tragedies since then, more death and grief. i am not as surprised by tragic events. susan: is it different when you put the costume on? is it painful? mary: yes. yes and no. there is a hard time when you leave the rehearsal room. you have created everything with the rehearsal. you have a relationship to that skirt. you have put a lot of emotional investment into it. it can be very jarring actually.

as mary said, mary lincoln did it on her own terms. that did not please a lot of people, that she did it on her own terms. i think there is a message in there as well, that sometimes you have to do it. >> she basically said, i will do this my own way. i don't care if a new president has to come into the white house. you absorbed this character, learning how to prepare and stage. what do you want people to take away from your performance? >> one thing about playing this role, i have just imagined being a woman in this set of circumstances. i think in some ways, i hope people will see an ordinary person, just a person going through these circumstances, that all women go through grief, women who lose their husbands, the main source, it was their world. many men or women have to pick up and set their identity without someone -- for mary lincoln, she was based in abraham lincoln. >> no pension after he died. >> victorian times, what was available for her to do? if she could have found something to do, i think she would have had an easier ti

and as mary said mary lincoln did it on her own terms. that didn't please a lot of people, that she did it on her own terms. i think there's a message in there as well that sometimes you have to do it. >> and a very -- she basically said, country, i'm going to do it my own way, i don't care that the president needs to come into the white house. we'll close with the same question for you. you absorbed this character in learning how to portray her on stage. what do you want people to take away from your performance? >> i was going to say this earlier. one thing about playing this role i have just imagined being a woman in this set of circumstances. and i think that in some ways, i hope people will see -- i don't want to say an ordinary person not that she was ordinary but just a person going through these circumstances. that all women -- you know, all women go through grief women who lose their husbands whose main source of -- was their world, how many women have to pick up or men have to pick up and build their identity without someone who

the play wright and the actor of mary lincoln portraying mary lincoln in the widow lincoln. thank you for your time. >> thank you, susan. >>> you're watching american history tv. 48 hours of programming on american history every weekend on cspan 3. follow us on twitter at cspan history. for information on our schedule of upcoming programs and to keep up with the latest history news. this april marks the 150th anniversary of lincoln's assassination. up next, theatre historian thomas bogar revisits that night through official testimony of some of the actors and employees of the ford brothers. this event was hosted by the national archives and lasts about an hour. >> it's funny when you start out to work on a book about something so well known in american history, such a signal event, you have to really aim for who you think your readers are going to be. i started to find early that there's such a spectrum. on one end you have people who are real scholars of the lincoln assassination, who are familiar with the most arcane details. and then you have on the other end what was exe

portraying mary lincoln in "the widow lincoln." thank you for your time. >> in the 19th century, the federal government was very limited. they do not have many deployable resources. so the army does a whole variety of things. they are discoverers. they are explorers. army contracts were an important part of the western economy. the army plays a role in conservation. in the recent ken burns's earrings on the development of national parks, it points out the perks were established in the 19th century, but there was no one to protect them or preserve them, keep trespassers away, keep hunters off of them. and so the army, really because of the efforts of the commanding general at the time, the army steps in and literally saves the national parks until another organization can be created. for better or worse, the army in the west did much more than just fight indians. the american people have historically had an antipathy a year of the regular army, from our english traditions and revolutionary war traditions. we fear a standing army. it

that is a genuine question for mary lincoln in this moment, and i think it is a universal question that we all feel in those moments of intense loss and grief. what is to become of me? where will i go? will i love? so, i feel like those are universal things. >> thanks to both of you, the playwright and the actress of mary lincoln. thank you for your time. >> they discuss the film so most portrayal of events and the role lyndon johnson played. sunday, just after 9:00 eastern. >> all weekend, american history tv is featuring corpus christi texas. corpus christi started out as a small trading post and has transformed into a small city with the fifth largest seaport in america. the tour staff recently visited many sites showcasing the history of the city. learn more all weekend on american history tv. >> i christen thee lexington. [applause] [crowd cheering] rocco: lexington is what is known as an essex class air carrier. the way the navy sets its class of ships, the name of the first ship in the group sets the class. so the essex was the first aircraft carrier built of this type in world w

lincoln was and they stayed in a hotel where mary lincoln refused to stay in a room that mrs. kekly couldn't stay in, so they slept in the attics because the hotel wouldn't serve mrs. kekly and the restaurant wouldn't serve mrs. kekly. they wouldn't eat in the restaurant. they would have food in their room. to find dealers who would sell mary's clothes and it became a nine-day wonder as all of new york came to look at mary's clothes but would not bid on mary's clothes and the press is scathing. it's the reason mrs. kekly wrote her memoir to try and save mary's reputation. >> and then mary severed their relationship. >> she was so disconcerted by elizabeth consecutive -- kekly, who was trying to tell good things about her, this woman she called her best and dearest friend, they never spoke again.s woman she called her best and dearest friend, they never spoke again. >> mrs. lincoln was kind of manic depressive. >> i think today she probably could have benefited from a little prozac. >> she went through quite a bit. >> she went through quite a bit. had two children die -- had th

. >> virgin -- >> mary -- >> you said the name already. >> mary lincoln. oh, all right. >> there's a bridge. >> named after her? >> yes. >> it goes to new jersey. new jersey from manhattan. >> george washington? >> it's his wife, remember? we're doing wives. >> i know. but you're supposed to give the clue of her name. >> wow. >> okay. [ cheers and applause ] >> that was worth -- >> i wanted her name. >> i can honestly say 60 seconds have not felt quite so long. two correct. 100 points. second place. now, erin and john, you were in second place. come on down. >> oh, boy. >> famous people who are friends with or connected to presidents. all right? famous people, friends with or connected to presidents. 60 seconds on the clock. go. >> had an affair with -- had an affair with jfk. >> marilyn monroe. >> yes. pass. married angelina jolie. >> brad pitt. >> correct. >> pass. married beyonce. >> jay-z. >> pass -- i mean, up next. has a talk show. >> oprah. >> bullhead. man bald head. white. the doctor. a doctor. >> dr. oz. >> more famous than dr. oz. >> there's no

. >> virgin -- >> mary -- >> you said the name already. >> mary lincoln. oh, all right. >> there's a bridge. >> named after her? >> yes. >> it goes to new jersey. new jersey from manhattan. >> george washington? >> it's his wife, remember? we're doing wives. >> i know. clue of her name.ed to give the >> wow. >> okay. [ cheers and applause ] >> martha washington. >> that was worth -- >> i wanted her name. >> i can honestly say 60 seconds have not felt quite so long. two correct. 100 points. second place. now, erin and john, you were in second place. come on down. [cheers and applause] >> oh, boy. >> famous people who are friends with or connected to presidents. all right? famous people, friends with or connected to presidents. 60 seconds on the clock. go. >> had an affair with -- had an affair with jfk. >> marilyn monroe. >> yes. pass. married angelina jolie. >> brad pitt. >> correct. >> pass. married beyonce. >> jay-z. >> pass -- i mean, up next. has a talk show. >> oprah. >> bullhead. man bald head. white. the doctor. a doctor. >> dr. oz. >> more famous t

the dressmaker for mary lincoln was a member in the early years of the civil war. in late 1862, she was president of the contraband relief association. she obtained donations of money and clothing from the lincoln family for the association. reports of the fundraising am speaking tours in philadelphia and new york and boston made front-page news. union bethel held a meeting to recruit men for the first colored regiment. the church followed up the meetings with meetings about caring for those who enter military service and their families. one unusual meeting in september of 1864 discussed raising funds for procuring a substitutes for black dress thes -- dafties. 1 -- drafties. one provision of the 13th amendment was not a part of the final legislation. it passed the house of representatives in 1865. i conclude with post-civil war events. most methodist denominations meet as a delegated group every four years in a convention called the general congress. the 1868 general congress was held in washington at israel bethel near the capital. when the conference convened in

as they carried lincoln out laura keene walks down the stairs with the sobbing hysterical mary lincoln her dress covered in blood. this picture has never been published before. i found it in harvard theater collection. this is actually the dress she wore of act 2, sooent 2. it's a dress which she could never wear again. she gave it to her daughters upon her death and it descend sbuddescended into pieces, some of the pieces showing up from time to time, some of it legitimate, some of it not so, sadly. what happened to laura keene, from that moment on her career is in a downward trajectory. she becomes ill, she never recovers. when she tries to pfr inerform in south, she's regarded as a damn yankee. when she tries to play in the north, she's associated with the assassination. even in the days afterward, she tried to leave washington on sunday afterwards. she gets to harrisburg virginia and she's arrested, held there for two days just trying to get on to cincinnati to perform at her next engagement. a lot of people mistakenly refer to the actress that night as laura keene's acting company

the dressmaker for mary lincoln was a member in the early years of the civil war. in late 1862, she was president of the contraband relief association. she obtained donations of money and clothing from the lincoln family for the association. reports of the fundraising am speaking tours in philadelphia and new york and boston made front-page news. union bethel held a meeting to recruit men for the first colored regiment. the church followed up the meetings with meetings about caring for those who enter military service and their families. one unusual meeting in september of 1864 discussed raising funds for procuring a substitutes for black drafties. one provision of the 13th amendment was not a part of the final legislation. i say it passed the house of representatives in 1865. i conclude with post-civil war events. most methodist denominations meet as a delegated group every four years in a convention called the general congress. the 1868 general congress was held in washington at israel bethel near the capital. when the conference convened in may, the representati

the dressmaker for mary lincoln was a member in the early years of the civil war. in late 1862, she was president of the contraband relief association. she obtained donations of money and clothing from the lincoln family for the association. reports of the fundraising am speaking tours in philadelphia and new york and boston made front-page news. union bethel held a meeting to recruit men for the first colored regiment. the church followed up the meetings with meetings about caring for those who enter military service and their families. one unusual meeting in september of 1864 discussed raising funds for procuring a substitutes for black drafties. one provision of the 13th amendment was not a part of the final legislation. it passed the house of representatives in 1865. i conclude with post-civil war events. most methodist denominations meet as a delegated group every four years in a convention called the general congress. the 1868 general congress was held in washington at israel bethel near the capital. when the conference convened in may, the representative was

as they carry lincoln out laura keene walks down the stairs with the sobbing, hysterical mary lincoln, her dress covered in blood. this picture has never been published before. i found it at harvard theater collection. this is actually the dress that she wore for act ii scene ii of "our american cousin." it's a gray moire silk dress which she obviously could never wear again. she gave to it her daughters upon her death and actually it descended into pieces, and various pieces of it show up from time to time. some legitimate, some not so, essentially. what's sad about laura keene is from that moment on her career is a downward trajectory. into poverty, into an early death from tuberculosis at age 47. she never recovers. her career never recovers. she's regarded -- when she tries to perform in the south she's regarded as a damn yankee. when she tries to play in the north she's associated with the assassination. and even in the days after, she tries to leave washington on sunday afterwards. she gets to harrisburg, virginia. and she's arrested. she's held there for two days. just trying t

when you look at the box on the left, the major and his wife and is that mary todd lincoln? >> yes. >> that's the derringer? >> i go to filmmaking technique here. yes >> that's the derringer? i go to filmmaking techniques here area the close-up, the cross cutting. this was revolutionary in a way. it used to be you put a camera down and had actors sort of performing in front of them. >> the stage and here comes the assassination. >> shifting points of view. >> john wilkes boothe jumping onto the stage. off he goes. >> cutting between perspectives, close-ups. the camera happens to be there and the narrative. >> it looks like ford theater does. >> yeah, photographs. i've seen plenty of still photographs of the set that was created. back in 1915, the audience was spellbound viewing this. and the music, you can hear the music. it was really important to griffith. this was an original score that he had a composer create. >> you said in your book, in boston there was a 40-piece orchestra. >> about 28-piece and in some places 40-piece. >> a 40-piece orchestra in the theater? >> to c

when you look at the box on the left, the major and his wife and is that mary todd lincoln? >> yes. >> yes >> that's the derringer? i go to filmmaking techniques here area the close-up, the cross cutting. this was revolutionary in a way. it used to be you put a camera down and had actors sort of performing in front of them. >> the stage and here comes the assassination. >> shifting points of view. >> john wilkes boothe jumping onto the stage. off he goes. >> cutting between perspectives, close-ups. the camera happens to be there and the narrative. >> it looks like ford theater does. >> yeah, photographs. back in 1915, the audience was spellbound viewing this. and the music, you can hear the music. it was really important to griffith. this was an original score that he had a composer create. >> you said in your book, in boston there was a 40-piece orchestra. >> about 28-piece and in some places 40-piece. >> a 40-piece orchestra in the theater? >> to create the magic of it. the ushers would be dressed in period pieces. the audience were given programs for the movie which would

as you look at the box there on the left was major rathbone and his wife is that mary todd lincoln over there? >> yes. >> and that is the daringer? >> yes. >> and i go to film making technique here. the close-up and the cross cutting. it used to be -- again, this was revolutionary in a way. it used to be you put a camera down and you had actors performing in front of it. >> that is the stage. >> yep. >> and here comes the assassination. >> and the shifting points of view. >> john killks booth jumping-- john wilkes booth jumping on to the stage. there he go. >> and there is ben cameron there. there is your narrative threat. >> it looks just like ford theater does today. >> yeah. i know. i've seen still photographs, present of of them, the set they've created. back in 1915 to audiences, this was spell-binding creating this kind of film making. and you can hear the music, that was important to griffith. this was an original score. he had a leading composer create it. >> you said in your book, in boston there was a 40-piece orchestra. >> 28-piece in boston but in some there was a 40-piece o

april 14, 1865, ever was mortally wounded at ford's as he sat in the presidential box with his wife mary, watching the popular comedy, "our american cousin or go he died the next morning. we sat down to talk about the widow lincoln. that's monday night at 9:30 p.m. eastern on american history tv. >> all this month, the presidency, we will be focusing on the life and legacy of george washington to mark the anniversary of his birth on february 22. next, author hugh howard talks about portraits of george washington. it explores the works of gilbert stuart and john trumbull

widow lincoln." commissioned to mark the anniversary this april of president lincoln's assassination, 150 years ago. this is about 30 minutes. >> we're at ford's theater with playwright james still and actor mary bacon about the play "the widow lincoln kwrt. before we get started about the particulars of the play i wanted to ask both of you what it is like, and i want to start with you mary bacon because i think this is a new experience for you, james still's been here before, but what it's like to produce a lincoln centered play in ford's theater with that flag-draped box right in the room with you. what's that experience like? >> it is definitely, what is the word, very

lincoln." find out complete television schedule at c-span.org, let us know what you think about the programs you are watching. call us or e-mail us at c-span.org, or send us a tweet at c-span hashtag comments. follow us on facebook. like us on twitter. keep track of the republican-led congress and follow its new members through its first session. new congress, best access, on seas and he's been to, c-span radio, and c-span.org. up next on american history tv, former members of president clinton's administration discusses economic strategy and achievements, examining health care reforms, budget surplus and welfare tax cre

lincoln to mark the 150th anniversary of president lincoln's assassination. let us know what you think about the programs you're watching. call us at 202-606-3400. or send us a tweet at c-span #comments. >> coming up, british prime minister david cameron takes questions from the house of commons. then former hewlett-packard ceo carly fiorina at the politics and eggs breakfast in new hampshire. then rand paul at the annual gala. >> british prime minister david cameron answered several questions wednesday from the house of commons concerning accusations that swiss bank hsbc helped some avoid paying taxes. the president discussed ukraine this is 35 minutes. >> order. questions to the prime minister. >> this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, and in addition to my duties in this house, i shall have further such meetings later today. >> does my right honorable friend recall the general election of 1983? it resulted in a conservative landslide win in which i and 100 other conservatives were elected for the first time. at that time, unemp

it's abraham lincoln. by the way, very offensive to mary todd. next question -- slow dance with big bit while i sing "don't want to miss a thing." ♪ i don't want to close my eyes ♪ ♪ i don't want to fall asleep ♪ ♪ because i mitt you babe ♪ ♪ and i don't want to miss a things ♪ >> give some a hug with a knowing along and tell me it's all going to be okay. >> thank you. flotus wins the game. eat brighter. >> eat your vegetables. >> well you can eat lots of other stuff, too. >> well, great, thank you. >>> how effective is this? >> i think it's tremendously effective. we have seen in the recent past the president going on youtube to promote health care. i have to go and meet your audience where they are. it's a great way to promote healthy eating and a great way to ensure big bird keechts his job, given what mitt romney warranted to do to him during the elections. >> some say it's not what president president and first lady ought to be doing. >> people who hated mirnl obama before this will still hate. it's corrosive and rots of brai

we sat down to talk about the widow lincoln. that's monday night at 9:30 p.m. eastern on american history tv. >> all this month, the presidency, we will be focusing on the life and legacy of george washington to mark the anniversary of his birth on february 22. next, author hugh howard talks about portraits of george washington. it explores the works of gilbert stuart and john trumbull focusing on how the artist captured the spirit of the first president and how modern audiences can learn from washington. mr. howard is the author of "the painter's chair." george washington's mount vernon hosted this hour-long event. >> good afternoon. my talk will be a little shorter than his introduction, i think but thank you. [laughter] my thanks to susan, the invitation for the miscellaneous arrangements. michael and stephen. and coming to mount vernon is always a joy. i feel like i have lots of friends here starting with mary and through carol and on and others. this is a uniformly welcoming place for scholars. and i have spent time in using the archives here. and coming h

the widow lincoln to mark the 150th anniversary of president lincoln's assassination. find our complete schedule at www.c-span.org, and let us know what you think about the programs you're watching. call us. e-mail us. or send us a tweet. like us on facebook. follow us on twitter. >> each week, american history tv's reel america brings you archival films that help tell the story of the 20th century. ♪ the first group of americans wounded in guerrilla raids on the vietnam front arrived back in the united states. it was these raids that brought about american retaliation in north vietnam the level the several staging areas north of the 17th parallel. all those wounded you can be moved are being flown back to the united states for treatment. meanwhile, the first of 1800 american dependents are returned to the united states. president johnson ordered their evacuation after the war mounted in intensity. even as the civilian groups were leaving, the viet cong staged a bombing raid on a hotel housing americans. simultaneously, the united states said retaliatory strikes woul

his wife mary became interested in peoplemediums after their young son died. george washington owned a profitable whiskey distillery. in 99 it rose 7 numbers. the male model gerald ford graced the cover of cosmo. >> p didn't know that. that's interesting. >> who is your favorite president and tell us why. you can log on to "fox & friends first" our facebook page right after the show. #keep talking. >> about 20 minutes to the top of the hour. coming up in the name of love the family accused of holding their 6-year-old at gun point to teach him a lesson. they explain why they did it. >> bring it on comes to life. the cheer scandal taking center stage. >> it is the image being shared around the world. cindy crawford's photo. opens a debate about real women. : >> a fox news alert. a mother gunned down outside of her home in a horrifying case of road rage. an intense manhunt for her killer. kelly wright is here with new information for us. >> ainsley, good morning to you. what started out with a mother teaching her 15-year-old daughter how to drive ended tragically

our conversation with james steele and mary bacon about the ford theater production of the widow lincoln. find our complete television schedule at c-span.org. let us know what you think about the programs you are watching. e-mail us at comments at c-span.org. send us a tweet at c-span #comments. join the conversation. like us on facebook. >> former governor rick perry spoke to a meeting of the seacoast republican women in new hampshire on wednesday. he discussed a range of issues including energy immigration and the economy. governor perry ran for president in the 2012 primary. he is considering another campaign in 2016. this is just under one hour. [inaudible chatter] >> civilian contractor. that is a great facility. i go down there pretty often. the burn center, i have a lot of kids there. >> they used to bring them in their. -- there. >> wilford hall was outside of kelly. >> we were there when it was second army. it was such a great place. >> there have been changes. >> we were back a few years ago. it was so different. >> when i got out of pilot training, they had a unit there. [indi

production of "the widow lincoln" to mark the 150th anniversary of president lincoln's assassination. find our complete television schedule at cspan.org. let us know what you think about the programs you're watching. call us at 202-626-3400. e-mail us at comments at cspan.org or send us a tweet. join the c-span conversation like us on facebook, follow us on twitter. >>> now to a house oversight committee hearing looking into the secret service's protection of the white house compound. witnesses include members of an independent panel appointed by the homeland security department to examine recent white house security breaches, including an incident involving a fence jumper who made it inside the white house. the panel of former obama administration and bush administration officials testify on their recommendations for improving security. this runs two hours and 35 minutes. >>> good morning. the committee on oversight and government reform will come to order and without tox chair has authorized to declare a recess at any time. i'm pleased to be holding this hearing today with ranking

and at 9:30 later in the our conversation with play wright james still and actor mary bacon about the ford's theater production of the widow lincoln to mark the 150th anniversary of president lincoln's assassination. "washington journal" continues. host: our conversation now will go to the debate over same sex marriage. and we're joined today from new york. susan is the constitutional national director. and here with me is brian brown the president of the national organization for marriage. thank you both for being with us this morning. guest: thank you. host: we're going to start with the -- with the news out of alabama where most judges have begun to issue licenses for same sex marriage but not across the entire state. and i want to start with you and ask how common is this? guest: it's not common for states to have the kind of circus rollout unfortunately that we saw in alabama where there was opposition coming from a judge of the state supreme court trying to block other judges from following what a federal judge has said, which is it's unconstitutional from to continue to withhol

we sat down with james still and mary bacon to talk about widow lincoln. that's monday night at 9:30 p.m. eastern on american history tv. >> boston college history professor heather cox williams talked about how cowboys became a symbol for reunited america is the temples of jesse james and buffalo bill. she explained how cowboy individualism was a balance in the government. she says their lasting symbolism for american culture has far outweighed their act will number and the limited time in which being a true trail cowboy was a viable job. this is part of a symposium hosted by the vermont humanities council to correct this afternoon i am supposed be talking about why cowboys matter in the postwar years. they mattered more than perhaps any thing else. as an example of that, i want to show you some images of reconstruction and ask you how many of them you know. i would suggest that probably few of you could pick them out of this group. shortly after the civil war, there's a reason you may not remember him. red cloud, how many of you would know who red cloud