Happy birthday, Ben Harrison

August 20, 2008
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Today marks the 175th birthday of our homegrown pres, Benjamin Harrison. The BH home at 1230 N. Delaware is celebrating with free tours today from 10-3:30.

I'm celebrating by trying to think of a list of Best Performance by an Actor as an Actual U.S. President. (Time will tell if Josh Brolin in the upcoming "W" will make the list.)

Here's what I've got for starters. Feel free to add your favorites.

--Brian Keith as Teddy Roosevelt in "The Wind and the Lion."
--James Whitmore as Harry Truman in "Give 'em Hell, Harry."
--Raymond Massey as Abraham Lincoln in "Abe Lincoln in Illinois."
--William Daniels as John Adams in "1776."
--Edward Herrmann as FDR in "Annie." (Yes, the rest of the movie was pretty bad, but Herrmann did fine.)
--Pat McCormick as Grover Cleveland in "Buffalo Bill and the Indians."

--Keene Curtis as Eisenhower in "IQ."
--Henry Fonda as Abe Lincoln in "Young Mr. Lincoln."

Care to add to the list?
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  • JAugust 20, 2008 9:53 AM
    I would like to add a TV President...Martin Sheen in West Wing, one of my favorite shows of all time because of the writing. Martin may have not looked presidential (what is he...five foot 2 or something?), but I thoroughly enjoyed watching President Bartlett's moments of humor, sharp wit and tenderness (at least until the show jumped the shark when Rob Lowe's character left and CJ became chief of staff).
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  • JAugust 20, 2008 9:56 AM
    Okay...I know he's not an Actual President...but what the heck.
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  • lharryAugust 20, 2008 10:05 AM
    Well, Martin Sheen did play Kennedy in a TV mini-series. (He also played Bobby Kennedy in a different project.)

    If we're getting into fictional presidents, well, then we'd have to include Kevin Kline's Dave, Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove, Harrison Ford in Air Force One...
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  • FirewomanAugust 20, 2008 11:06 AM
    Paul Giamatti (sp?) in HBO's John Adams. I would also give props to the actor that played Thomas Jefferson, though I don't know his name. Excellent mini series...
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  • BrianAugust 20, 2008 11:15 AM
    I nominate Ronald Reagan in Bedtime for Bonzo.

    Oh, I though this was Best Performance by an Actual U.S. President.

    Can we nominate a performance for a very thinly veiled portrayal of a fictional character who's a proxy for an actual President? If so, I'd say John Travolta's Jack Stanton in Primary Colors deserves a look. He does a pretty spot-on Bill Clinton.
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  • Hope BaughAugust 20, 2008 11:29 AM
    Hah! I am loving this conversation.

    I do like the West Wing TV series. I own all of it on DVD and watch it over and over again.

    However, when I start trying to have conversations with my co-workers while powering through the halls at my day job, then I know it's time to put the West Wing DVDs away for a while.

    'Not sure who to name in answer to Lou's original question... But I have been meaning to visit the President Benjamin Harrison Home now for years. It's nice they are offering free admission today. I won't get there today, but soon....

    Hope Baugh
    www.IndyTheatreHabit.com
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  • GaryAugust 20, 2008 10:19 PM
    BTW, the only actor who ever portrayed Benjamin Harrison on the silver screen was Roy Gordon, in a 1952 John Philip Sousa biopic Stars and Stripes Forever.

    And Ms. Baugh: Drop by any Saturday at the Harrison House, and ask for me. The tour is on me.
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  • Hope BaughSeptember 6, 2008 7:45 AM
    Hey, thanks, Gary! (I am procrastinating doing my own writing on this Saturday morning by going back through Lou's posts to see if there are any new comments anywhere. I only just now saw yours.)

    Hope Baugh
    www.IndyTheatreHabit.com
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  1. liek the rest of America

  2. These quaint,obsessed musings by the stalkers are certainly entertaining, but I'm trying to figure out what, if anything, all the yelping below has to do with Zak Brown.

  3. It's evident that Moffett was pushing the right buttons and corporate America is now trying to squash him. He just wanted to withdraw the free pilot services provided to the company by the pilots to try and put some pressure on a company that has not been interested in negotiating a contract in over 5 years. The company does not provide a contract because not having one has saved them a bundle of money. Shame on any Republic pilots not standing behind their union leader just because things are getting tough, can you not see such strategic moves by the company as putting the last union president in a corporate position and into THEIR pocket. Do you really believe the last union president is so appalled at the attempts by Moffett, do you not remember his oppositions to the company? We stood behind him. It has been proven over and over again for thousands of years without fail, a man cannot serve two masters. Anyone that believes people vote contrary to their paycheck and livelihood deserve to be taken advantage of, the recent statements by the former union president are laughable as he denounces the current union president from his new corporate position. Have you ever seen a drafted sports player score points for his previous team, it cannot be done, he is not on the pilots side anymore, he gets his money a different way now than you and I do, and he should not be allowed to remain on the seniority list. A drafted player brings strength, credibility, tactical knowledge, and a strategic advantage to his NEW team, he would not be drafted or paid were it otherwise. We are all forced to choose only one side to play for and support, not doing so has many references in life such as insider trading and shaving points, all illegal for good reason. This basic fact is why corporate moguls, scientist, and engineers all sign non-discloser agreements and non-compete clauses, as protection in case they are lured into switching sides as our former union president has done. No NFL coach ever drafted a player so that both teams could benefit and better understand each other, they are recruited to win the game against that former team, period. Likewise the company does not recruit the former union president by accident or mutual understanding, its strategy. Don't confuse playing the game with good sportsman-like conduct in support of common business and prosperity goals, with the requirement to only play for one side. Good men we all love and favor fall subject to this manipulation, often without their knowledge, and it is not a betrayal of their friendship to oppose them when they switch sides. If we did not love and trust them, they would not have been chosen and lured to the other side in the first place. The deception by the drafted player is not made at a conscious level, it's just human nature and it's all about money and power which corrupts our ability to be objective and loyal to two masters. This is why our court system created the defense attorney, and why our military created counter intelligence. Its strategy and its propaganda, and it works, and that's why the "powers to be" manipulate the chess pieces by sometimes changing their colors. Some players know they are being manipulated when their color is changed, but it brings them more money and power so they do not care. The rest have good intentions but do not even realize they are being manipulated. This tactic is also known by another name, Divide and Conquer. In battle sending an imperfect message with an imperfect team is obviously not ideal, but it's still being sent by YOUR team, your union leader, a leader that has common goals and common rewards with you, they are the best, because we have elected them to do a job for us. If you are not backing Moffett but believing the spin by those that have recently switched sides, you are taking food out of your own mouth. Showing unity and backing an imperfect situation still results in taking just as much ground, it's about unity and bargaining power. It's not necessary to wait around for that perfect attack because it will never come, the company will spin and attempt to destroy anyone that gets in their way. Ultimately it's not about any specific attack anyway, ASAP or whatever it makes no difference, it is and always has been only about power. If this company cared about safety it would not build pairings with 8 hour overnights, come on, are you that naive? Besides, do you really think Hoffa cares, no, he got a call from corporate America and was squeezed into denouncing Moffett. If he didn't they would spin the safety card against him and the Teamsters National with implication for truckers, future contracts, insurance rates etc...saying something like the Teamsters use safety as a bargaining chip, blah blah blah... Do you really think any pilot is going to do something unsafe for the contract, absolutely not, the only ones threatening safety here is the company with reduced rest, fatigue, and poverty. Do you not find it odd that Hoffa and the Teamsters are opposing a Teamster president publicly? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and work with one of their own? Why did they not sit down and help him strategize, correct any mistakes, and charge ahead? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and leverage a contract for all those pilots that have been paying Teamster dues, isn't that why we have all been paying Teamster dues in the first place? I sure haven't been paying dues so that the Teamsters National could come along and write this kind of an article undercutting our union leader and our unity. Whose side is the Teamsters National really on, it's obviously not the Republic pilots side.

  4. No matter what Moffatt does the company is going to spin it like he is the terrorist and brainwash people like you into believing it, wake up, back your players that are trying to change things for you and your livelihood. Where has Hoffa been for the last 6 years, except collecting our dues. Seriously, do you really think an FO going for upgrade, signed off by a checkairman ready for the upgrade, who then fails, is not even capable of returning as a First Officer.

  5. whoa!

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