It was directed by Lamont Johnson and was based on the 1984 novel of the same name by Gore Vidal.

It covers the period from Lincoln's election as President of the United States to the time of his assassination.

(It can also be noted that Waterston would later dub the voice of Lincoln in Ken Burns's documentary The Civil War the following year.)

Lamont Johnson won an Emmy for directing Lincoln.

The miniseries was filmed almost entirely in Richmond, Virginia and cost $8 million to produce.