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Backstairs at the White House

  • TV Mini Series
  • 19791979
  • 9h
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
458
YOUR RATING
Robert Vaughn in Backstairs at the White House (1979)
Backstairs At The White House
Play trailer0:54
1 Video
5 Photos
DramaHistory
Behind the scenes at the White House during eight administrations, as told by the people who work there.Behind the scenes at the White House during eight administrations, as told by the people who work there.Behind the scenes at the White House during eight administrations, as told by the people who work there.
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
458
YOUR RATING
  • Creators
    • Gwen Bagni(developed for television by)
    • Paul Dubov(developed for television by)
  • Stars
    • Leslie Uggams
    • Olivia Cole
    • Louis Gossett Jr.
  • Creators
    • Gwen Bagni(developed for television by)
    • Paul Dubov(developed for television by)
  • Stars
    • Leslie Uggams
    • Olivia Cole
    • Louis Gossett Jr.
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 29User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 3 wins & 11 nominations total

    Episodes4

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated1 Season1979

    Videos1

    Backstairs At The White House
    Trailer 0:54
    Watch Backstairs At The White House

    Photos

    "Back Stairs at the White House" Olivia Cole, Leslie Uggams 1977 NBC
    Backstairs at the White House (1979)
    Olivia Cole in Backstairs at the White House (1979)
    Leslie Uggams in Backstairs at the White House (1979)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Leslie Uggams
    Leslie Uggams
    • Lillian Rogers…
    Olivia Cole
    Olivia Cole
    • Maggie Rogers
    Louis Gossett Jr.
    Louis Gossett Jr.
    • Houseman Levi Mercer
    Robert Hooks
    Robert Hooks
    • Doorman and Presidential Barber John Mays…
    Bill Overton
    • Doorman Jackson
    David Downing
    David Downing
    • Butler Dixon
    Celeste Holm
    Celeste Holm
    • Mrs. Florence Harding
    Lee Grant
    Lee Grant
    • Mrs. Grace Coolidge
    Larry Gates
    Larry Gates
    • President Herbert Hoover
    Jan Sterling
    Jan Sterling
    • Mrs. Lou Hoover
    Eileen Heckart
    Eileen Heckart
    • Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt
    John Anderson
    John Anderson
    • President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
    Harry Morgan
    Harry Morgan
    • President Harry S. Truman
    Estelle Parsons
    Estelle Parsons
    • Mrs. Bess Truman
    Barbara Barrie
    Barbara Barrie
    • Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower
    Andrew Duggan
    Andrew Duggan
    • President Dwight D. Eisenhower
    Leslie Nielsen
    Leslie Nielsen
    • Ike Hoover…
    Hari Rhodes
    Hari Rhodes
    • Butler Coates
    • Creators
      • Gwen Bagni(developed for television by)
      • Paul Dubov(developed for television by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Olivia Cole (Maggie Rogers) is less than a year older than Leslie Uggams, who played the role of her adult daughter, Lillian Rogers Parks. In Roots (1977), Leslie Uggams played Oliva Cole's mother-in-law.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 31st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1979)

    User reviews29

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    A Nice Heaping Helping at Presidential Living in the White House (1911 - 1961)
    This was a very good series, based on the memoirs of an employee at the White House from the Taft Administration through President Eisenhower's. It's obvious too that besides the book by Lillian Rogers Parks, there are also bits from other White House books that are frequently used by historians (Leslie Nielson plays White House usher Ike Hoover, who wrote an important volume that is frequently used as a source book). Leslie Uggams plays Lillian, and the film begins with Lillian's mother Maggie (Olivia Cole) starting there in 1911 when William and Nellie Taft are in the White House (or as the unhappy Taft called it, "the great White Jail"). Maggie's daughter Lillian eventually overcomes a physical disability to become a useful member of the staff.

    But the most interesting thing in the series was the glimpse into the eight first families who inhabited the building from 1909 to 1961. Interestingly the families preceding and following the framing administrations (Theodore Roosevelt's and John Kennedy's) are better known to most people than some of those in the eight (the Tafts, Hardings, Coolidges, and Hoovers are not all that well known today - although Warren Harding's scandal filled administration is recalled to some extent).

    Each administration and the way they handled the White House is different. Taft (Victor Buono, in a rare nice-guy role) is concerned with the health of wife Nellie (Julie Harris) who had a stroke and had to learn how to speak again. He is also upset at how his old friend Teddy Roosevelt has turned against him (in one moment he shows how a reconciliation is impossible, as he is depending on Major Archibald Butt to bring Teddy and him back together - and Butt's returning from Europe on the Titanic). Wilson (Robert Vaughan) has two wives, and the first one (Ellen - Kim Hunter) was better liked than the second (Edith - Claire Bloom) . Later it is Wilson's health collapse in the fight for the League of Nations that is followed, with Edith taking over his office quietly.

    Warren and Florence Harding (George Kennedy and Celeste Holms) are stuck with a dimwitted husband (and a corrupt one) learning that his administration has more holes in it than a swiss cheese. His infidelities are revealed (before Kennedy and Clinton Harding was our most priapic President). Also shown is Mrs. Harding playing Warren's favorite song (Carrie Jacob Bond's "The End of a Perfect Day.") on the piano.

    But George Kennedy and the script writer has one moment giving some dignity to our 29th President. During the 1920 campaign a nasty smear was thrown at Harding based on rumors that his family was not originally white but African - American (see Francis Russell's THE SHADOW OF BLOOMING GROVE for an account of this). Maggie sees a furious Harding ripping up a "book" about his ancestry by one "Professor" William Estabrook Chancellor that the Justice Department confiscated. Harding sees Maggie, turns to her, and heartily apologizes for the racist piece of garbage directed at all African-Americans. After he leaves, Maggie sees the book and tells another servant to let the book burn.

    Ed Flanders shows Coolidge as a businesslike, honest man - a welcome change in terms of abilities to Harding, who is in love with his wife Grace (Lee Grant), and broken - hearted about the death of his younger son Calvin from blood poisoning in a freak accident. Flanders has a great moment telling off (in ironic manner) Cloris Leachman as the snooty head of the staff (leading to her resignation).

    The Hoovers (Larry Gates and Jan Sterling) are done too quickly, and one gets the impression they were too aloof from the staff. F.D.R. (John Anderson) and Eleanor (Eileen Heckart) are shown to be sympathetic to the minority groups due to the President's physical condition. The Trumans (Harry Morgan and Estelle Parsons) show that President's feistiness (and Bess's love of mystery novels). And then President and Mrs. Eisenhower (Andrew Duggan and Barbra Barrie) raps things up as we reach fairly modern times.

    It was a welcome view of Presidential private lives rarely done before or since on television (except for individual Presidents or events in their administrations). It has not been revived on television since 1979, but now is on video and well worth catching.
    helpful•16
    0
    • theowinthrop
    • Jan 15, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 29, 1979 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Weißes Haus, Hintereingang
    • Filming locations
      • Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA(White House interiors)
    • Production company
      • Ed Friendly Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      9 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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