Mount Rushmore: The Wisdom of our Fathers

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George Washington
First President of the United States of America
Term: April 30, 1789 - March 4, 1797
Portrayed By: Dean Malissa

A life-long resident of Philadelphia, Dean has been a performer since childhood. After graduating with a degree in Communications, he entered the world of business - working his way from a junior salesman to the senior vice presidency of an international manufacturing firm. During those 25 years he traveled to all 50 states in America, every province in Canada, Mexico, much of Europe (including former Soviet Bloc countries), much of the Middle East and extensively in Asia. He happily and voluntarily left corporate America in 1999 and in "Act II" of his adult life - pursued acting as a profession. He has performed and continues to be cast in film, TV, commercial, radio, stage and voiceover productions.

One of the richest ongoing experiences in his life has been the often daunting, continually challenging, always interesting and humbling work of portraying George Washington. In December 2000 he met William "Bill" Sommerfield. Bill is a respected George Washington scholar and, prior to his retirement, was the foremost historical interpreter of Washington. Bill has interpreted Washington throughout the world and was the first actor in American history to be approved to portray Washington at Mount Vernon - George Washington's Estate and Gardens.

Bill and his wife Pamela operate The American Historical Theatre - a wonderful non-profit organization "dedicated to the edifying and entertaining art of Historical Interpretation." They were seeking an actor to portray a younger Washington... at the point in Washington's life when he was the Commander In Chief of the Continental Army. A colleague that Dean and Bill both know brought them together and an interesting and mutually-beneficial collaboration began. With Bill's guidance... Dean's countless hours of reading, research and practice... Dean has become the most widely-booked, frequently sought-after portrayer of George Washington.

Dean is the official portrayer of Washington at Mount Vernon and is deeply honored to be the second actor in our nation's history permitted to do so by the wonderful Mount Vernon Ladies Association and their dedicated staff members. He has also portrayed General Washington in several TV productions for The Discovery Channel and Showtime Network; appeared on CNN; and in films for the National Flag Foundation, The American Institute for History Education, the U.S. Navy and others. He has appeared at The White House visitor center, the Smithsonian, the National Archives, the National Portrait Gallery, Independence National Historical Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park, the National Constitution Center, the Betsy Ross House, Liberty Hall, and many historical venues throughout the original 13 states. He is a frequent presenter for The New Jersey Council for the Humanities and the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. He has also appeared in many of the remaining 37 states. As Washington, Dean has crisscrossed the nation from Arizona to Alabama from Michigan to Massachusetts. In 2007 he appeared as General Washington in Beijing, China.

When not "crossing the Delaware" Dean has pursued a wide range of avocations in his life including 22 years as a volunteer firefighter (working his way up to Deputy Fire Chief), a couple years as a crime lab photographer, advanced SCUBA diver certification, a 2nd degree black belt, stone sculpting, and treks by horse into the Teton and Gros Ventre wildernesses. He married his high-school sweetheart and he is blessed with two grown children who are off and running in their own exciting lives.

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Thomas Jefferson
Third President of the United States of America
Term: March 4, 1801 - March 4, 1809
Portrayed By: Bill Barker

Bill Barker has portrayed Thomas Jefferson in a variety of venues since beginning his interpretation in Philadelphia in 1984. He was born and grew up in that city receiving a degree in History from Villanova University. He soon became a professional actor and theatre director and was cast as Jefferson in many productions, including the musical, "1776". He is the same height, weight and general appearance as Mr. Jefferson.

Bill became associated with The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 1993 and continues to appear as Thomas Jefferson there throughout the year as well as assisting in the development of further Jefferson programs for the Foundation. He has performed as Jefferson at The White House, the Palace of Versailles, The Inns of Court in London and throughout the United States, Great Britain and France. He has presented at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest, Mount Vernon, Chautauqua, The Remnant Trust, The Jefferson Legacy Foundation, the Federal Executive Institute, The Huenstein Center for Presidential Studies, the National Park Service, as well as for many companies, corporations, government agencies, schools, colleges, societies and festivals.

He has been featured as Jefferson in several magazines including, TIME, PEOPLE, ATLANTIC, PHILADELPHIA, SOUTHERN LIVING, READER'S DIGEST, and THE COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG JOURNAL. He has appeared as Jefferson in programs aired on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CNN, C-SPANN and COMEDY CENTRAL. Bill has received formal commendations from the cities of New Orleans, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Annapolis and has won awards for his Jefferson portrayals from The Hellenic Ideals Foundation, The Jefferson Legacy Foundation and The Vermont Humanities Council.

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Theodore Roosevelt
Twenty-Sixth President of the United States of America
Term: September 14, 1901 - March 4, 1909
Portrayed By: Gib Young

Gib is a born and bred Hoosier. He was born and raised in Lafayette, attended Jefferson High School, Purdue U., and graduated from Bethel College in Mishawaka. He is former signalman in the US Navy serving eight years on various destroyers. He is currently a State Farm Insurance agent with an office for the last 30+ years in Huntington, Indiana. He is married to Sandy and they have three children and two grandsons.

Gib is a charter member of the Champion Hill Toppers Vintage Base Ball Club (1862 rules and uniforms) and serves that club mainly as an umpire. He sings as a 'basso profundo' and has appeared in numerous local stage plays and musicals. He is active in his church choir and in The Company Singers (A Civil War era singing ensemble.) He has appeared in several local theater productions over the years. He is a life member of the Huntington County Historical Society and Post 7, American Legion.

Gib has been a Civil War buff all his life and is a current member of the Ft. Wayne Civil War Roundtable. He is past camp commander of Champion Hill, Camp 17, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and past Indiana Department Commander of that patriotic organization.

Gib has been a life long admirer of Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. Roosevelt's personality, intellect, and zest for life were an irresistible call to him. But it wasn't until about ten years ago that a local teacher convinced Mr. Young to come to a fifth grade class as the 26th President. The 'challenge' and fun of that small event led to an acceleration of study "TR's" history and a development of period clothing and spectacles.

A fortuitous meeting four years ago with Mr. Fritz Klein, the foremost Abraham Lincoln impressionist today convinced Gib to become a professional impressionist. Mr. Klein felt that Gib's Theodore Roosevelt impression was the best he had ever seen. Besides the physical resemblance of Theodore Roosevelt - circa 1915 - Mr. Young has been able to develop the vocal and movements of his subject to a high degree.

For the last few years he has developed impression of Theodore Roosevelt and has appeared from New York to Mt. Rushmore as "TR" and Devil's Tower National Monument as TR. He as appeared as TR for Daimler-Chrysler, The Indianapolis Hob-Nob, The National Wildlife Service, and the Strasburg Rail Road, and the National Park Service at Mt. Rushmore and Devil's Tower to name a few performances.

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Abraham Lincoln
Sixteenth President of the United States of America
Term: March 4, 1861 - April 15, 1865
Portrayed By: Fritz Klein

Richard "Fritz" Klein of Springfield, Illinois has been a professional actor and speaker for many years.

Born in 1948 in Southern California, Klein studied to be a Lutheran minister. After some graduate study in St. Louis, he met his future wife, changed course, went into landscaping. There he worked as supervisor of landscaping and grounds for a missionary organization in the pacific until 1980, and his wife Linda taught school. At the time he began to participate in local dramatic activities. During the Bicentennial year, he was first asked to portray Lincoln for a small local celebration. With only an amateur acting background, he says he himself was surprised at the result. Two years later, in 1978, he decided to begin studying Lincoln with a view to full-scale dramatic productions back on the mainland. In 1980, after two years of extensive research into the works of Lincoln, he set out on this unique adventure. He traveled from coast to coast for two years until 1982, when he moved to Springfield, Illinois where there was opportunity to cut down on travels by performing for visitors to Lincoln's hometown.

To prepare for a performance, it takes about an hour with costume and make-up. However, if you happen to have Lincoln in mind, his natural resemblance to Abraham Lincoln can be quite convincing. Several years ago when visiting Washington D.C. he created something of a stir when he walked into Ford's Theater, the place where Lincoln was shot. Though Klein was dressed in ordinary street attire, with his 6'3" height and Quaker beard one woman screamed outright when she looked up to see him casually strolling down the stairs.

Klein usually peppers his performances with humor, stories, and passion. "The programs are varied," he says. "I have a repertoire of about a dozen plays, which are often adapted for special settings. In addition, a have a great variety of one-man shows which we have developed over the years. An exciting part of these shows has been a combination of entertainment and education, both at the corporate level and in schools. Leadership training, management, and problem solving skills take on a new depth of meaning in a historical context, and have a deeper impact when tempered with drama and entertainment. It is amazing how well Lincoln's words and ideas bear upon the present." A member of the National Speakers Association and a student of Lincoln himself now he has had opportunity to travel the world.

Klein uses a Kentucky accent based upon research about Lincoln's speech patterns. But even kids stay with him, because his presentation is very engaging and interactive. Children hear of the importance of education and character values like honesty and courage, stories and experiences of his childhood and youth, and with a kind of humor that kids can relate to.