Backstairs at the White House (1979– )

Behind the scenes at the White House during eight administrations, as told by the people who work there.

Stars:

Olivia Cole, Leslie Uggams, Louis Gossett Jr.

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 10 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Olivia Cole	...	Maggie Rogers (4 episodes, 1979)
Leslie Uggams	...	Lillian Rogers Parks (4 episodes, 1979)
Louis Gossett Jr.	...	Houseman Levi Mercer (4 episodes, 1979)
Robert Hooks	...	Doorman and Presidential Barber Mays (4 episodes, 1979)
Bill Overton	...	Doorman Jackson (4 episodes, 1979)
David Downing	...	Butler Dixon (4 episodes, 1979)
Celeste Holm	...	Mrs. Florence Harding (4 episodes, 1979)
Lee Grant	...	Mrs. Grace Coolidge (4 episodes, 1979)
Larry Gates	...	President Herbert Hoover (4 episodes, 1979)
Jan Sterling	...	Mrs. Lou Hoover (4 episodes, 1979)
Eileen Heckart	...	Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt (4 episodes, 1979)
John Anderson	...	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (4 episodes, 1979)
Harry Morgan	...	President Harry S. Truman (4 episodes, 1979)
Estelle Parsons	...	Mrs. Bess Truman (4 episodes, 1979)
Barbara Barrie	...	Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower (4 episodes, 1979)
Andrew Duggan	...	President Dwight D. Eisenhower (4 episodes, 1979)
Leslie Nielsen	...	Ike Hoover (3 episodes, 1979)
Hari Rhodes	...	Butler Coates (3 episodes, 1979)
Claire Bloom	...	Mrs. Edith Galt Wilson (3 episodes, 1979)
Ed Flanders	...	President Calvin Coolidge (3 episodes, 1979)
George Kennedy	...	President Warren G. Harding (3 episodes, 1979)
Kathleen Doyle	...	Moira (3 episodes, 1979)
Kevin Hooks	...	Emmett Rogers Jr. (3 episodes, 1979)
Tom Scott	...	Roach (3 episodes, 1979)
Cloris Leachman	...	Mrs. Jaffray (2 episodes, 1979)
Helena Carroll	...	First Maid Annie (2 episodes, 1979)
Richard Roat	...	Chief Usher Crim (2 episodes, 1979)
James A. Watson Jr.	...	Houseman Fraser (2 episodes, 1979)
Victor Buono	...	President William Howard Taft (2 episodes, 1979)
Kim Hunter	...	Mrs. Ellen Wilson (2 episodes, 1979)
Diane Shalet	...	Housekeeper Long (2 episodes, 1979)
Louise Latham	...	Housekeeper Nesbitt (2 episodes, 1979)
Gerry Black	...	Prettyman (2 episodes, 1979)
Bebe Drake	...	Sevilla (2 episodes, 1979)
Lee Kessler	...	Presidential Secretary (2 episodes, 1979)
John Randolph	...	Sen. Fall (2 episodes, 1979)

Storyline

No fewer than eight Presidential administrations--from Taft through Eisenhower--are examined through the eyes of the White House staff--maids, assistants, servants, doormen and other "menial" workers. The main character is Lillian Rogers Parks, a maid at the White House for three decades and the author of the non-fiction book upon which this miniseries is based.

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Plot Keywords:

white house | maid | politics | mother daughter relationship | john f kennedy | 

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 January 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Weißes Haus, Hintereingang

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ed Friendly Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

540 min 540 min (4 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Olivia Cole, who played the role of Maggie Rogers, is less than a year older than Leslie Uggams, who played the role of her adult daughter, Lillian Rogers Parks. In 'Roots' (1976), Leslie Uggams played Oliva Cole's mother-in-law.

User Reviews

Backstairs at the Whitel House

I really loved this movie, although it has been since it first aired, that I've seen it. I would love to see it again. Anything to do with history on America is worth seeing. I loved the settings; the time periods were tremendously done and the actors were superb. This was definitely a must see movie. I can't stress enough on the importance of this movie; the period it was done in; it's cast and what they did with the lives of those people that actually lived during this period. It is a piece of American history of which the likes will never be seen again. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about a wonderful TV production.