President Obama will deliver a special introduction to the first presentation of a restored print of the classic 1962 movie “To Kill a Mockingbird” on the USA cable network Saturday night.

The inclusion of the president came at the request of the American Film Institute. The institute collaborated with the film’s owner, Universal Pictures, on the restoration of the film, which is timed to the 50th anniversary of its release.

The president agreed to offer his thoughts on the film in early March, and taped his remarks last Friday, said Cory Shields, the corporate spokesman for USA Network.

The White House has not yet released a copy of his remarks, which are expected to last about one minute.



The release of the film is also tied to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Universal film studio.The studio and USA Network are both owned by NBC Universal.

Mr. Shields said that discussions among Universal, USA and A.F.I. about how best to introduce the anniversary version of “To Kill a Mockingbird” led to the suggestion that the White House be asked whether the president would participate. Representatives of A.F.I. approached the White House in January with the request.

Harper Lee, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” her only book, issued a statement about the celebration of the film.

“I’m deeply honored that President Obama will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by introducing it to a national audience,” Ms. Lee said. “I believe it remains the best translation of a book to film ever made, and I’m proud to know that Gregory Peck’s portrayal of Atticus Finch lives on — in a world that needs him now more than ever.”

Mr. Peck’s widow, Veronique Peck, said in a telephone interview, “We are so honored that the president is doing this introduction.” She said that beyond the president’s introduction of the television presentation, the White House will be hosting a screening of the film and reception in its honor on Thursday evening.

“If the president is there,” Mrs. Peck said, “it will be a great honor. I know Greg would have been a great supporter of his. He would have loved that man. So we’re thrilled.”

Mrs. Peck noted that because of the film, she and her husband became life-long friends of Ms. Lee; one of their grandsons is named Harper after the author.

The role won Mr. Peck an Academy Award as best actor for playing the country lawyer who takes on his town’s racial prejudice to defend an innocent black man, but the role has reached even more iconic status. In A.F.I.’s survey of American films, Atticus Finch is listed as the No. 1 film hero of all time.