William J. Ferguson

William J. Ferguson, born June 8, 1845, in Baltimore, Maryland, was an American actor who worked across stage and silent film throughout a career spanning several decades. He died on May 3, 1930, in Pikesville, Maryland.

Ferguson spent roughly two decades working in theatre across various American cities before making his Broadway debut in 1885. His stage career in New York continued through 1919, during which time he appeared in a range of productions. His Broadway credits included the musical The Prima Donna, in which he starred, as well as The Little Whopper, Over the 'Phone, and Treasure Island, among others.

Alongside his stage work, Ferguson pursued a career in silent film beginning in 1914. He appeared in films through 1922, when an accidental fall and the injuries it caused brought his performing career to an end. Among his film appearances was the 1915 production The Battle Cry of Peace, in which he portrayed President Abraham Lincoln.

That casting carried particular historical weight. On April 14, 1865, the nineteen-year-old Ferguson had been performing on stage at Ford's Theatre in Washington during a production of Tom Taylor's Our American Cousin when he witnessed the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He remained, until his death in 1930, the last surviving cast member of that performance.