Death by Lightning book author Candice Millard and series creator Mike Makowsky address what really caused President James Garfield's death. Death by Lightning ends with Garfield (Michael Shannon) getting assassinated by Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), who had previously admired the President. The show depicts how doctors Bliss (Željko Ivanek) and Purvis (Shaun Parkes) attempted but failed to save his life.

Speaking with Netflix about Garfield's death, Millard and Makowsky explained what truly caused the President's death, and how Death by Lightning depicts this with accuracy. The pair first explained how, despite the assassination, it wasn't until McKinley’s assassination that the Secret Service was established. Prior to 1903, a President would have needed hired securit

See Full Page