During the presidencies of harry truman to ronald reagan, eugene allen was a butler in the most. Eugene allen, white house maitre d and the man who inspired. Wil haygoods book, the butler, a witness to history, is available today. The butler full title lee daniels the butler is a 20 american historical drama film directed and coproduced by lee daniels and with a screenplay by danny strong. The butlers guide to running the home and other graces book. Meet reallife white house staff who helped capture world for film. The butler, based on the story of longtime white house butler eugene allen, hits theaters friday. Eugene allen july 14, 1919 march 31, 2010 was a distinguished butler for the white house who served under eight presidents, including harry s.
A witness to history atlantic county library system. Aug 12, 20 as a longserving white house butler, eugene allen observed the kind of intimate moments rarely written about in history books. It is inspired by wil haygood s washington post article a butler well served by this election. But some other faces at the white house never seemed to change. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading white house butlers. As a longserving white house butler, eugene allen observed the kind of intimate moments rarely written about in history books. It includes profiles of some of the most influential members, including alonzo fields and eugene allen. We are highly experienced in all facets of heavy highway and civil construction and we take pride in our hands on approach. For one, allen shared a birthday with president ford, who would be reminded by his wife that its genes birthday, too. This mesmerizing companion book to the awardwinning film the butler traces the civil.
Allen was born on july 14, 1919, in the town of scottsville, virginia. Black then meet eugene allen the real butler who served. This short book traces the history of white house staff from the very beginning. A white house butler s amazing journey last year, one of my students gave me a copy of a washington post article about a former white house butler who passed away march 31, 2010, who had worked at the white house for 34 years. Allen worked in the white house for 34 years from 1952. An oscar nominee for directing precious, daniels describes the butler as a sprawling historical drama that centers on eugene allen, a black man who worked as butler in the white house under eight presidents. Allen s story, which began as a frontpage article in the post, would become the subject of a muchanticipated film, the butler, which haygood also discusses in context of the fraught and elided history of africanamericans in hollywood. Allen was born in 1919 on a plantation farm near scottsville in central virginia. The life of eugene allen white house historical association. It chronicles the life of eugene allen, the butler who served 8 presidents while working at the white house. Eugene allen, butler to presidents, is dead at 90 the. Dec, 2018 the movie lee daniels the butller has topped movie charts. Allen, who served eight presidents during a period when america s racial history was being rewritten, is marveling at the election of barack obama.
Eugene allen july 14, 1919 march 31, 2010 was an american waiter and butler who worked for the us government at the white house for 34 years until he retired as the head butler in 1986. Wil haygood adds eugene allens chronicle to his impressive list of essential works on great figures in black and american history. First lady hillary clinton honored allen, alongside many other longterm white house workers, at a 1995 event at the white house. Eugene allen, son charles allen and ortaciana allen make their way to the capitol building for the inauguration of barack obama tuesday afternoon.
House of butler dueling derringers the firearms forum. Dec 16, 2015 eugene allen was a butler for the white house who served under eight presidents. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. A history of white house chief ushers and butlers kindle edition by brinkley, howard, historycaps. He recalled, i had a good relationship with all the butlers. The butlers guide to running the home and other graces by. Even though it is a fictional portrayal of the life of eugene allen cecil gaines, it is an excellent movie that chronicles an important piece of american history. I cannot even find the butler version in any of my references, the ones made for colt, yes, butler, no. Here he is at the white house while kennedy contemplates the cuban missile. Lee daniels directs forest whitaker and oprah winfrey who portray husband and wife cecil and gloria gaines. Traditions and memories, and learn how the dedication, skills, and sacrifices of residence staff members have helped the white house. Allen served presidents between 1952 and his retirement in 1986, by. A witness to history should get just as much, if not more, attention than the film which uses its story for thematic foundation. Oct 18, 20 loosely inspired by the reallife of eugene allen, the film stars forest whitaker as cecil gaines, an africanamerican who eyewitnesses notable events of the 20th century during his 34year tenure serving as a white house butler.
President reagans son attacks lee daniels the butler. In his adulthood, allen found work as a waiter in virginia, and he later moved to washington, d. Allens life was the inspiration for the 20 film the butler. Allen s white house service ran parallel to the civil rights movement a nation tormented by a. On the butler, and the legendary life of eugene allen thegrio. The butler s guide to running the home and other graces book. Aug 14, 20 kevin clark the washington post getty images. Is the movie, the butler, based on the life of eugene allen. Mar 31, 2010 at we believe that every life has a story that deserves to be told and preserved is the online source for current local and national obituary news and a supportive community where friends and family can come together during times of loss and grieving to honor the memories of their loved ones with lasting personal tributes. Based on the life story of longserving white house butler eugene allen, lee daniels the butler was one of 20s mostsuccessful movies, winning raves from critics and drawing big boxoffice. Former white house butler reflects on his service lynwood westray recalls poignant moments from his 32 years in the white house serving eight presidents, from john f.
School event teaches children of devotion, washington post. Wil haygood to chronicle east highs title teams of 1969. Eugene allen july 14, 1919 march 31, 2010 was an american waiter and butler who worked for the us government at the white house for 34 years until he. Aug 17, 20 eugene allens story of great service lives on even after he is gone. Throughout his tenure at the white house, allen quietly witnessed presidents make a series of monumental decisions impacting his civil rights as. Apr 03, 2010 washington ap eugene allen, a white house butler who served presidents from harry truman through ronald reagan, died wednesday in takoma park, md. Wil haygood blends the political with the personal in this portrait of white house butler eugene allen. Eugene allen, former white house butler coastal carolina. Eugene allen, 88, reflects on his 34 years in the white house. Whitepages people search is the most trusted directory. Aug 12, 20 eugene allen, white house maitre d and the man who inspired the butler.
A witness to history wil haygood, lee daniels isbn. A butler well served by this election the washington post. The butler sees a new white house eugene allen, 89, a retired white house butler, tries on his old tuxedo for a photo. But wil haygoods 2008 washington post article about white house butler eugene allen wasnt just any article. L ee daniels the butler, which opens friday, is loosely based on the life of eugene allen, a butler at the white house for 34 years and through eight administrations. May 08, 20 five years after washington post readers were gripped by the story of eugene allen the white house butler who served eight presidents, beginning in an era of segregation, and lived long enough. A match set under the butler name i would guess 275 to 325, compared to 495 blue book if they were engraved with the colt name, unfired with all the papers.
A book and a oneman show detail the life of white house chief butler alonzo fields. When allen retired in 1986, he had served the white house as a pantry man, butler, and maitre d. He struck gold when he tracked down eugene allen, a butler who had served no. Eugene allen was a remarkable man, and i am happy and grateful that wil haygood had the passion and perseverance to find him and to bring his story to life in his article and through this book, which expands the story. In his previous books, wil haygood has told the stories of influential africanamericans, including entertainer sammy davis jr. The butler sees a new white house melvin lee davis. Watch the man who inspired the butler on white house workers. Here, allen tries on the uniform he wore as a white house butler. But as interesting as haygoods profile is, a butler well served by this election doesnt provide that many details about allens time in the white house outside a handful of facts and humorous anecdotes. As a white house butler, eugene allen was privy to private moments that extended far beyond handshakes as depicted in the 20 film the butler, loosely based on his life. Eugene allen, butler to presidents, is dead at 90 the new.
May 30, 20 get to know eugene allen, the inspiration behind the butler gives you a look into the life of former white house butler eugene allen, who served under eight u. You took the true story of eugene allen, the white house butler who served eight presidents from 1952 to 1986, and turned it into a cliched. Reagan invited allen and his wife helene to a state dinner in honor of helmut kohl at the white house. Now retired, he started when blacks were in the kitchen. It is an excellent source book for understanding how the house was organized and the. Loosely based on the real life of eugene allen, who worked in the white house. See more ideas about butler, lee daniels and african american history. Join facebook to connect with eugene butler and others you may know.
Juli 1919 in scottsville, virginia oder buckingham, virginia. Eugene allen second from right worked from 1952 to 1986 as a pantryman, butler, and maitre d. Naval reserve force active, marine corps reserve active, and foreign officers serving with the navy see other formats. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. View phone numbers, addresses, public records, background check reports and possible arrest records for ann butler. I dont know why, but the style and narration just kept me reading right through. Book chronicling life of gene allen, white house butler. In that role, he had a frontrow seat to some of the worlds most important conversations for decades, but before the 2008 washington post interview that thrust him into the national spotlight, allen had remained tightlipped on the subject of life inside 1600 pennsylvania ave. Lee daniels the butler stars forest whitaker as cecil gaines, a fictional character supposedly based on eugene allens real life.
Washington eugene allen, who endured a harsh and segregated upbringing in his native virginia and went on to work for eight presidents as a white house butler, died wednesday of renal failure at was. Haygoods article only mentions that eugene left the white house in 1986 and received a sweet note from the president and a tight hug from first. Its not surprising that some broad creative license was taken with allen s life. Allen, who served as a butler for 34 years in the white house, has sold the movie rights to his story to columbia pictures. You took the true story of eugene allen, the white house butler who served eight presidents from 1952 to 1986, and turned it into a cliched message movie. Marz 2010 in takoma park, maryland war ein usamerikanischer butler.
The book is brief, but the two sections and many images of allen s quietly extraordinary life speak. A witness to history by terri schlichenmeyer aug 19, 20. I had hoped for something of the substance of ike hoovers fortytwo years in the white house. Washington ap eugene allen, a white house butler who served presidents from harry truman through ronald reagan, died wednesday. Ann butler phone, address, background info whitepages. The movie is based on reallife white house butler eugene allen, who worked in the white house under eight presidents, coming of age during segregation and living to see a black man be elected to the white. Hear from the real butler of the white house, eugene allen. Eugene allen, who endured a harsh and segregated upbringing in his native virginia and went on to work for eight presidents as a white house butler, died march 31 of renal failure at washington adventist hospital in takoma park. Major garrett reports on eugene allen, the reallife butler who inspired the film character. Mar 26, 2012 based on a washington post report by wil haygood, pic follows eugene allen, the white house butler whose career started with harry truman in 1952 and ended in 1986 with ronald reagan. As oprah continues to promote the release of lee daniels the butler, many are wondering about the real white house butler. The films main character is based on eugene allen 19192010, a white house butler and maitre d who witnessed the. The butler is a bit more than 2 hours long, spans several decades, and includes multiple storylines. Today, wil haygoods book, the butler, a witness to history, will be released in area bookstores.
The butler is a scandalously brief book, very superficial, and with more emphasis on the writer than on eugene allen, the real butler. Allen finally attained the most prestigious rank of butlers serving in the white house, maitre dhotel, in 1981, during the presidency of ronald reagan. This mesmerizing companion book to the awardwinning film the butler traces the civil rights movement and explores crucial moments of twentieth century american history through the eyes of eugene allen a white house butler who served eight presidents over the course of thirtyfour years. On the butler, and the legendary life of eugene allen. The butler comes to the page and the screen the story of eugene allen, a butler who served in the white house during the terms of eight presidents, has been adapted as a movie and a book. This new candor comes on the heels of the butler, the hit movie inspired by the life of longserving white house residence staffer eugene allen, who first told his story of working for eight. As a butler at the white house, eugene allen saw eight presidential administrations come and go. The book is brief, but the two sections and many images of allens quietly. Eugene allen, 90, butler for eight us presidents the. They are the ushers and butlers of the white house. Allen held a party for white house children because he understood what they couldnt. What i was expecting was a book about eugene allen you know, the famous man who was the white house butler and served eight american presidents.
Trailer for the butler, based on life of the white houses. They work in the shadow of america s greatest leaders. A butler well served by this election for more than three decades eugene allen worked in the white house, a black man unknown to the headlines. Eugene allen, former white house butler getty images. This mesmerizing companion book to the awardwinning film the butler traces the civil rights movement and explores crucial moments of twentieth century american history through the eyes of eugene allen a white house butler who served eight presidents over the course of. He saw the presidents as regular people at home, says his son.
Aug 16, 20 the movie, lee daniels the butler, focuses on an africanamerican servant at the white house. There are no words to describe how disappointed i was by the butler by wil haygood. Clarence lusane, the black history of the white house san francisco. Get to know eugene allen, the inspiration behind the butler. Allen was the first white house butler ever to be invited as a guest to a state dinner.
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