Abraham Lincoln actor from Michigan
US Army veteran
Gerald attended Caledonia High School. "Abe", as he was eventually nicknamed, worked at Keeler Brass in Grand Rapids for many years and Bradford White in Middleville. It was when plans were being made for the Western Michigan Saw Players Festival in 1987 that Gerald wanted to do a speech based on the Gettysburg address. Carolyn Bigler told him he looked so much like Abe Lincoln that he should dress like Lincoln. She rented his first frock coat and made the next one. Carolyn also made a stove pipe hat which he wore until someone on one of his trips gave him a real hat from the A Lincoln era.
Gerald's first beard was a fake using cotton balls but he eventually grew his own beard. Carolyn trimmed his first beard; however, he learned to trim his to look like Lincoln's. He was such a big hit at the saw players' festival that he began researching Lincoln. He became so engulfed with Lincoln's life that Gerald began performing as Lincoln. Eventually Gerald quit work at Keeler Brass and began entertaining and performing as Abe Lincoln, our 16th president, as a profession.
It was then that Gerald Bestrom began playing the sixteenth president in 1987 He received many gifts as he traveled for his Lincoln presentations. One was an original stove pipe hat like the one Lincoln wore and a tie much like Lincolns. Gerald was even invited to stay as a guest in homes as he traveled. Strangers were in awe of him.
Gerald frequently asked Carolyn for help editing his speeches. Eventually he became very comfortable with what he wrote. He was a natural with spontaneous speeches and remarks. At one school a little boy asked Gerald if the mole on his cheek was his. Gerald's response was "Yes, I still have the receipt to prove it." Some women were so aghast at how much Gerald resembled Lincoln that they fainted.
At the age of 51 Gerald quit his job with Keeler Brass and began portraying Abe Lincoln as a full time profession. He began traveling in an RV he had painted to look like a log cabin and had a beehive painted on it. Gerald visited 26 of our United States which included many schools, festivals, business conventions, and senior citizens centers to rekindle the era of Abe Lincoln. He educated many children. One of his first representations as Abraham Lincoln was at an Amway Convention in Michigan. That's when he learned what to charge for his presentations. He had been doing a lot of presentations for free. But to do this as a full time job Carolyn Bigler taught him how to figure what a fee should be.
Gerald won the National Abe Look Alike awards three years in a row in Illinois. He was no longer allowed to compete after that; however, he still attended the competitions.
Among other credits, Gerald was an Abe Lincoln presenter in Branson, Missouri for the Music Festival. In 2010 Gerald appeared as Abe Lincoln in Robert t Redford's movie "The Conspirator."
Less than two years after the movie, on April 2, 2012 Gerald Bestrom died.
US Army veteran
Gerald attended Caledonia High School. "Abe", as he was eventually nicknamed, worked at Keeler Brass in Grand Rapids for many years and Bradford White in Middleville. It was when plans were being made for the Western Michigan Saw Players Festival in 1987 that Gerald wanted to do a speech based on the Gettysburg address. Carolyn Bigler told him he looked so much like Abe Lincoln that he should dress like Lincoln. She rented his first frock coat and made the next one. Carolyn also made a stove pipe hat which he wore until someone on one of his trips gave him a real hat from the A Lincoln era.
Gerald's first beard was a fake using cotton balls but he eventually grew his own beard. Carolyn trimmed his first beard; however, he learned to trim his to look like Lincoln's. He was such a big hit at the saw players' festival that he began researching Lincoln. He became so engulfed with Lincoln's life that Gerald began performing as Lincoln. Eventually Gerald quit work at Keeler Brass and began entertaining and performing as Abe Lincoln, our 16th president, as a profession.
It was then that Gerald Bestrom began playing the sixteenth president in 1987 He received many gifts as he traveled for his Lincoln presentations. One was an original stove pipe hat like the one Lincoln wore and a tie much like Lincolns. Gerald was even invited to stay as a guest in homes as he traveled. Strangers were in awe of him.
Gerald frequently asked Carolyn for help editing his speeches. Eventually he became very comfortable with what he wrote. He was a natural with spontaneous speeches and remarks. At one school a little boy asked Gerald if the mole on his cheek was his. Gerald's response was "Yes, I still have the receipt to prove it." Some women were so aghast at how much Gerald resembled Lincoln that they fainted.
At the age of 51 Gerald quit his job with Keeler Brass and began portraying Abe Lincoln as a full time profession. He began traveling in an RV he had painted to look like a log cabin and had a beehive painted on it. Gerald visited 26 of our United States which included many schools, festivals, business conventions, and senior citizens centers to rekindle the era of Abe Lincoln. He educated many children. One of his first representations as Abraham Lincoln was at an Amway Convention in Michigan. That's when he learned what to charge for his presentations. He had been doing a lot of presentations for free. But to do this as a full time job Carolyn Bigler taught him how to figure what a fee should be.
Gerald won the National Abe Look Alike awards three years in a row in Illinois. He was no longer allowed to compete after that; however, he still attended the competitions.
Among other credits, Gerald was an Abe Lincoln presenter in Branson, Missouri for the Music Festival. In 2010 Gerald appeared as Abe Lincoln in Robert t Redford's movie "The Conspirator."
Less than two years after the movie, on April 2, 2012 Gerald Bestrom died.
Abraham Lincoln actor from Michigan
US Army veteran
Gerald attended Caledonia High School. "Abe", as he was eventually nicknamed, worked at Keeler Brass in Grand Rapids for many years and Bradford White in Middleville. It was when plans were being made for the Western Michigan Saw Players Festival in 1987 that Gerald wanted to do a speech based on the Gettysburg address. Carolyn Bigler told him he looked so much like Abe Lincoln that he should dress like Lincoln. She rented his first frock coat and made the next one. Carolyn also made a stove pipe hat which he wore until someone on one of his trips gave him a real hat from the A Lincoln era.
Gerald's first beard was a fake using cotton balls but he eventually grew his own beard. Carolyn trimmed his first beard; however, he learned to trim his to look like Lincoln's. He was such a big hit at the saw players' festival that he began researching Lincoln. He became so engulfed with Lincoln's life that Gerald began performing as Lincoln. Eventually Gerald quit work at Keeler Brass and began entertaining and performing as Abe Lincoln, our 16th president, as a profession.
It was then that Gerald Bestrom began playing the sixteenth president in 1987 He received many gifts as he traveled for his Lincoln presentations. One was an original stove pipe hat like the one Lincoln wore and a tie much like Lincolns. Gerald was even invited to stay as a guest in homes as he traveled. Strangers were in awe of him.
Gerald frequently asked Carolyn for help editing his speeches. Eventually he became very comfortable with what he wrote. He was a natural with spontaneous speeches and remarks. At one school a little boy asked Gerald if the mole on his cheek was his. Gerald's response was "Yes, I still have the receipt to prove it." Some women were so aghast at how much Gerald resembled Lincoln that they fainted.
At the age of 51 Gerald quit his job with Keeler Brass and began portraying Abe Lincoln as a full time profession. He began traveling in an RV he had painted to look like a log cabin and had a beehive painted on it. Gerald visited 26 of our United States which included many schools, festivals, business conventions, and senior citizens centers to rekindle the era of Abe Lincoln. He educated many children. One of his first representations as Abraham Lincoln was at an Amway Convention in Michigan. That's when he learned what to charge for his presentations. He had been doing a lot of presentations for free. But to do this as a full time job Carolyn Bigler taught him how to figure what a fee should be.
Gerald won the National Abe Look Alike awards three years in a row in Illinois. He was no longer allowed to compete after that; however, he still attended the competitions.
Among other credits, Gerald was an Abe Lincoln presenter in Branson, Missouri for the Music Festival. In 2010 Gerald appeared as Abe Lincoln in Robert t Redford's movie "The Conspirator."
Less than two years after the movie, on April 2, 2012 Gerald Bestrom died.
US Army veteran
Gerald attended Caledonia High School. "Abe", as he was eventually nicknamed, worked at Keeler Brass in Grand Rapids for many years and Bradford White in Middleville. It was when plans were being made for the Western Michigan Saw Players Festival in 1987 that Gerald wanted to do a speech based on the Gettysburg address. Carolyn Bigler told him he looked so much like Abe Lincoln that he should dress like Lincoln. She rented his first frock coat and made the next one. Carolyn also made a stove pipe hat which he wore until someone on one of his trips gave him a real hat from the A Lincoln era.
Gerald's first beard was a fake using cotton balls but he eventually grew his own beard. Carolyn trimmed his first beard; however, he learned to trim his to look like Lincoln's. He was such a big hit at the saw players' festival that he began researching Lincoln. He became so engulfed with Lincoln's life that Gerald began performing as Lincoln. Eventually Gerald quit work at Keeler Brass and began entertaining and performing as Abe Lincoln, our 16th president, as a profession.
It was then that Gerald Bestrom began playing the sixteenth president in 1987 He received many gifts as he traveled for his Lincoln presentations. One was an original stove pipe hat like the one Lincoln wore and a tie much like Lincolns. Gerald was even invited to stay as a guest in homes as he traveled. Strangers were in awe of him.
Gerald frequently asked Carolyn for help editing his speeches. Eventually he became very comfortable with what he wrote. He was a natural with spontaneous speeches and remarks. At one school a little boy asked Gerald if the mole on his cheek was his. Gerald's response was "Yes, I still have the receipt to prove it." Some women were so aghast at how much Gerald resembled Lincoln that they fainted.
At the age of 51 Gerald quit his job with Keeler Brass and began portraying Abe Lincoln as a full time profession. He began traveling in an RV he had painted to look like a log cabin and had a beehive painted on it. Gerald visited 26 of our United States which included many schools, festivals, business conventions, and senior citizens centers to rekindle the era of Abe Lincoln. He educated many children. One of his first representations as Abraham Lincoln was at an Amway Convention in Michigan. That's when he learned what to charge for his presentations. He had been doing a lot of presentations for free. But to do this as a full time job Carolyn Bigler taught him how to figure what a fee should be.
Gerald won the National Abe Look Alike awards three years in a row in Illinois. He was no longer allowed to compete after that; however, he still attended the competitions.
Among other credits, Gerald was an Abe Lincoln presenter in Branson, Missouri for the Music Festival. In 2010 Gerald appeared as Abe Lincoln in Robert t Redford's movie "The Conspirator."
Less than two years after the movie, on April 2, 2012 Gerald Bestrom died.
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