January 20 - Backstairs at the White House

Today’s dramatic mini-series has a scene that happens today – January 20. I hope you will enjoy watching this film tonight.

BACKSTAIRS AT THE WHITE HOUSE         

In 1909 Maggie Rogers and her husband split because he’s a drunk. She goes to work at the White House to support her two kids, Lillian and Emmet. Lillian has polio and walks with a crutch. Maggie has some difficulty adjusting to working at the White House, as the Tafts are very particular. Lillian is put into a convent school and learns to be an expert seamstress. Emmet goes to work as a gardener. Mrs. Taft has a stroke. The Wilsons move in and Lillian comes to work at the White House as a seamstress. Mrs. Wilson comes to pay a call on Maggie at home. Mrs. Wilson dies and Emmet joins the army in World War I.  The staff doesn’t like the second Mrs. Wilson very much. Emmet is gassed in France and Maggie’s husband dies. President Wilson has a stroke and Mrs. Wilson takes over running the country. The Hardings move in and are not too well liked. He’s a party animal, while Mrs. Harding believes in omens and has visions. The Teapot Dome scandal starts and Harding dies, but Mrs. Harding stays on in the White House for a long time. President Coolidge is a super tightwad and nitpicking micromanager. One of the Coolidge’s sons dies and Mrs. Jaffrey, the dictatorial chief housekeeper quits. Hoover is elected president and the stock market crash follows. Lillian had been working in a dress shop, but it closes and she goes to work full time in the White House. Mrs. Hoover is very strange. Maggie and Lillian don’t always see eye to eye at work. They have to take a pay cut and lose their savings in a bank run. The bonus army causes problems, but Lillian smuggles food out of the White House to them. When FDR arrives he orders Lillian to always ride the elevator. Lillian gets married and then Maggie retires. Lillian and her husband separate. Maggie is called out of retirement to help with the visit of Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, but falls and injures herself. The Trumans arrive and after a while are liked a lot by the staff. The White House is falling apart and undergoes reconstruction.  The Trumans move to Blair House with reduced staff, including Lillian. On January 20, 1953 Eisenhower refuses to enter the White House and escort Truman to the inauguration. [Part 4, 54:10 to 56:30] The Eisenhowers adopt a very ‘regal’ style and are not liked by the staff. Maggie dies and Lillian then retires when Kennedy takes office.

A watchable movie. I’m not sure how accurate it is, but it keeps you interested. Gives a behind the scenes view of history.

Eisenhower by Geoffrey Perret (Random House, New York, 1999) at page 430 gives the date of the inauguration

Producers - Ed Friendly and Michael O’Herlihy

Director -   Michael O’Herlihy

Screenplay - Gwen Bagni and Paul Dubov

Running Time - 7 hours 24 minutes

Released - January 29, 1979

Awards - This mini-series won the Outstanding Achievement in Makeup (for Part IV); Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling (for Part IV); Outstanding Art Direction for a Limited Series or a Special (for Part I); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special(Cole), and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or A Special (Gossett). It was also nominated for Outstanding Limited Series; Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Flanders and Vaughn); Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (both  Heckart and Holm), and Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series or a Special at the 31^st Primetime Emmy Awards.

Starring -         

Leslie Uggams as Lillian Rogers Parks 

Olivia Cole as Maggie Rogers

Louis Gossett, Jr. as Levi Mercer

Cloris Leachman as Mrs. Jaffray

Leslie Nielsen as Ike Hoover

Robert Hooks as Mays

Victor Buono as William Howard Taft

Julie Harris as Helen (Nellie) Taft

Robert Vaughn as Woodrow Wilson

Kim Hunter as Ellen Axson Wilson

Claire Bloom as Edith Bolling Galt Wilson

George Kennedy as Warren G. Harding

Celeste Holm as Florence Harding 

Ed Flanders as Calvin   Coolidge

Lee Grant as Grace Coolidge 

Larry Gates as Herbert Hoover

Jan Sterling as Lou Hoover

John Anderson as Franklin D. Roosevelt

Eileen Heckart as Eleanor Roosevelt 

Harry Morgan as Harry S. Truman 

Estelle Parsons as Bess Truman 

Andrew Duggan as Dwight D. Eisenhower

Barbara Barrie as Mamie Eisenhower