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Oxnard man performs at schools as 16th president
'It is for us the living ...'
Photo by Eric Parsons
Civil War re-enactor Roger Knox, left, has been working alongside Don Ancell for 10 years, portraying a Union soldier from the 83rd Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. When the two are on the road together they eat at Carl's Jr. restaurants.
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Photo by Eric Parsons
Don Ancell's friends encouraged him to buy period clothes similar to those typically worn by Abraham Lincoln. The clothing gave him an undeniable likeness to Lincoln.
As a schoolboy, Don Ancell was never a good history student.
"I was terrible at it," he admitted.
But now at age 70, he brings American history to life for thousands of schoolchildren.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, the retired electronics technician from Oxnard is a ringer for Abraham Lincoln. From November to June each year, Ancell spends about 60 days giving educational performances on the former president.
"Everybody tells me I'm one of the best-looking Lincolns there is, but I don't profess to be. But what I really try to do is act like Lincoln as much as possible in my actions, the way I walk," he said.
In researching the role, Ancell learned Lincoln's mannerisms and body language. "I try to emulate that as much as possible," he said.
Given his poor aptitude for history in school, Ancell's success story is an unlikely one. Not only did he not have aspirations of becoming a Lincoln presenter but also he was unaware of his physical similarities until others noticed.
"I got started doing this by letting my sideburns meet in the middle of my chin just for fun, and people started calling me Abe after that. I just played around with it, had fun with it."
His friends encouraged him to buy period clothes similar to those typically worn by Lincoln.
"They kept bugging me so long I finally decided I would do it," he said.
The clothing gave Ancell an undeniable, striking likeness to President Lincoln.
Next his friends persuaded him to try his hand at impersonating Lincoln at a local school.
After his first school presentation, Ancell quickly learned there was more to his new hobby than just looking like the 16th president of the United States.
"The most challenging part of doing Abraham Lincoln is the head knowledge people of all ages will come up with some of the most off-the-wall questions. You think you know everything, and you find out something you don't know.
"Studying Lincoln is a lifetime thing. The man did so much, and there's so much to know about him."
Posted by Jacksprat on February 18, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
great way to teach history. the kids all now lack real history lessions. Every one is afraid to teach real history as it might up set some ones feeling.
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