Abraham Lincoln

Miss Piggy dressed as Abraham Lincoln for the 1982 I Love Liberty special

Lincoln in a Sesame Street cartoon

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was the sixteenth President of the United States, particularly noted for his leadership during the Civil War, delivery of the Gettysburg Address, and the Emancipation Proclamation. Nicknamed "Honest Abe," the lanky bearded politician was a controversial figure in his own time, but has since been recognized as one of the greatest presidents, ranked with George Washington. A key factor in this was not only Lincoln's statesmanship and opposition to slavery, but his assassination on April 14, 1865, days after the Southern forces surrendered. Lincoln thus became the first American president to be assassinated (but not the last, as witness John F. Kennedy) and the fourth to die in office. His image adorns the five dollar bill and the penny.

The figure of Lincoln has been represented in Muppet form on several occasions, or portrayed by other characters.

References

• Abraham Lincoln appeared in the Jazz #2 animated segment on Sesame Street, opposite Washington in an elevator, before being replaced by dual Washingtons.

• Lincoln has appeared as part of an anthropomorphic Mount Rushmore on multiple occasions. He was performed by John Lovelady in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence and Martin P. Robinson in a National Wildlife Federation PSA, and appeared again on Muppets Tonight.

• In I Love Liberty, Miss Piggy makes repeated attempts to gain a role in the Muppets 1776-style historical play. Rebuffed in her aguise as Washington, she re-appears in stovepipe hat and beard as Abraham Lincoln, quoting the Gettysburg Address: "Ahem! Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this --" Kermit interrupts: "Piggy! You're four score and seven years too early for this play!" He pushes her out the door again.

• Muppets Tonight episode 206 featured Robot Abraham Lincoln (played by Jerry Nelson), a robotic version of Honest Abe as built by Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. At one point, the machine stammers "Our forefathers.. our forefathers..," repeating a phrase from the Gettysburg Address.

• In a "Sesame Street News Flash", Kermit the Frog interviews Pinocchio, who tells lies to make his nose grow. One of Pinocchio's whoppers is that he is Abraham Lincoln. (EKA: Episode 0878)

• Fozzie Bear appeared as Abraham Lincoln in the coloring book Great Muppets in American History.