This silent film, written and directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Douglas Fairbanks, tells the story of the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Released in 1915, "Martyrs of the Alamo" is the earliest surviving film depicting the Battle of the Alamo. The film was produced by D.W. Griffith and also stars Sam De Grasse, Allan Sears, Walter Long, Alfred Paget, Fred Burns, John T. Dillon, Juanita Hansen, Ora Carew, and Tom Wilson. Please note that the film contains racial slurs and negative stereotyping of the Mexican population of San Antonio, reflecting racism toward Mexicans that was common at the time of this film’s production. These depictions were false then and are still false today. The Texas Archive of the Moving Image does not condone these views, but presents this film as it was originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as to claim these prejudices never existed.

San Antonio Bexar County

1910s 1910’s cinema film films feature film feature films silent film silent films intertitle intertitles title titles movie movies production action sequence sequences horse horses horseback Martyrs of the Alamo “Martyrs of the Alamo” The Birth of Texas “The Birth of Texas” war wars drama dramas historical war drama historical war dramas Christy Cabanne Cabanne, Christy William Christy Cabanne Cabanne, William Christy director directors writer writers

screenwriter screenwriters written by directed by written and directed by D.W. Griffith Griffith, D.W. David Wark Griffith Griffith, David Wark Republic of Texas Texas Republic Texas War of Independence Battle of the Alamo Texas Revolution Mexico Mexican Mexicans Mexican-American War colonist colonists army armies Texian Texians Texian army Mexican army Alamo Alamo mission mission missions Spanish mission Spanish missions San Antonio fortress fortresses Bexar County San Antonio de Bexar San Antonio de Béxar star stars

starring movie star movie stars silent film star silent film stars Hollywood studio studios Hollywood star Hollywood stars studio era Douglas Fairbanks Fairbanks, Douglas Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman Ullman, Douglas Elton Thomas Joe Texan soldier soldiers Walter Long Long, Walter Walter Huntley Long Long, Walter Huntley Santa Anna López de Santa Anna Lopez de Santa Anna Samuel Alfred De Grasse Sam De Grasse De Grasse, Samuel Alfred De Grasse, Sam Silent Smith Deaf Smith Erastus Smith Smith, Erastus Allan Sears Sears, Allan David Crockett Crockett, David Davy Crockett Crockett, Davy King of the Wild Frontier

Alfred Paget Paget, Alfred James Bowie Bowie, James Jim Bowie Bowie, Jim Fred Burns Burns, Fred Captain Dickinson John T. Dillon Dillon, John T. William Barret Travis William B. Travis Colonel William B. Travis Colonel Travis Travis, William Barret Travis, William B. Juanita Hansen Hansen, Juanita Juanita C. Hansen Hansen, Juanita C. Ora Carew Carew, Ora Ora Whytock Whytock, Ora Tom Wilson Wilson, Tom Samuel Houston Houston, Samuel Sam Houston Houston, Sam General Sam Houston General Houston 1836 1830s 1830’s race races racial slur

slurs racist stereotype stereotypes stereotyping soundtrack