Allens life was the inspiration for the movie the butler, released in 20. The african american butler who served under eight presidents, invited to state dinner by the reagans dec 2, 2017 magda origjanska eugene allen was born in 1919 in the town of scottsville on a virginia plantation and grew up during the horrific time of southern segregation. The butlers guide to running the home and other graces by. As a butler, he served eight presidents, a discreet stage hand who for three decades helped keep the show running in the most important political theatre of all. During his thirtyfour years of service, allen became what the independent described as a discreet stagehand who for three decades helped keep the show running in the most important political theatre of all. The unique story of eugene allen, a butler who had served no fewer than eight presidents, from harry truman to ronald reagan. This mesmerizing companion book to the awardwinning film the butler traces. Eugene allen july 14, 1919 march 31, 2010 was an american waiter and butler who worked. A witness to history by wil haygood, youll read about allens.
Aug 05, 20 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. A witness to history atlantic county library system. Loosely based on the real life of eugene allen, who worked in the white house for decades, the film stars forest whitaker as cecil gaines, an africanamerican who is a witness of notable political and social events of the 20th century during his 34year tenure serving as a white house butler. A witness to history, haygood tells us how his story and. History of district of columbia state organization mission statement seven purposes international constitution and standing rules 2018. Eugene allen served in the white house for 34 years. During the presidencies of harry truman to ronald reagan, eugene allen was a butler in the most famous of residences. The delta kappa gamma society international nu state washington district of columbia. 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 allena white house butler who served eight presidents over the course of thirtyfour years. Lee daniels the butler, the highly anticipated film that stars six oscar winners, including forest whitaker, oprah winfrey honorary and nominee, jane fonda, cuba gooding. Allen is not given a chance to say much, if anything. Too timid to asked helene for her number, she instead pursued him. On the butler, and the legendary life of eugene allen. Allen s life was the inspiration for the 20 film the butler.
On the butler, and the legendary life of eugene allen thegrio. 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. 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. Aug 27, 20 he died at the age of 90 on march 31, 2010, from renal failure. Loosely based on the real life of eugene allen who worked in the white house for decades, the film stars forest whitaker as cecil gaines, an africanamerican who is a witness of notable political and social events of the 20th century. Watch this interview to get insight on eugene allen, a man who served eight. Aug 07, 20 it is his book that gave lee daniels the idea for the movie the butler.
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. A witness to history should get just as much, if not more, attention than the film which uses its story for thematic foundation. Aug 19, 20 a book and a oneman show detail the life of white house chief butler alonzo fields. A book and a oneman show detail the life of white house chief butler alonzo fields. 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. The butler is a film based on the life of eugene allen, who worked as a waiter and butler in the white house for 34 years. An inside look at wil haygoods new book the butler. Nov 07, 2008 for more than three decades eugene allen worked in the white house, a black man unknown to the headlines. Oct 01, 20 from guggenheim and national endowment for the humanities fellow wil haygood comes a mesmerizing inquiry into the life of eugene allen, the butler who ignited a nations imagination and inspired a major motion picture. A witness to history usa today s bestselling books. 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.
Before his death in 2010, eugene allen was one of few men who had personal encounters with the last 12 presidents of the united states. Aug 16, 20 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. The butler it is inspired by wil haygoods washington post article a butler well served by this election. Lee daniels the butler follows the life of cecil gaines, an africanamerican butler who serves in the white house under eight presidencies. A witness to history, a book by haygood published to accompany the film, the movie is set against historical events.
Eugene allen s life is the focus of the 20 film the butler, directed by lee daniels, and starring forest whitaker as the title character and oprah winfrey as his wife. The butler book by wil haygood, lee daniels official publisher. Eugene allen july 14, 1919 march 31, 2010 was an american waiter and butler. The book is brief, but the two sections and many images of allens quietly. President reagans son attacks lee daniels the butler. 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. With a foreword by lee daniels a mesmerizing inquiry into the life of eugene allen, the butler who ignited a nations sympathy and inspired a major motion picture directed by oscar nominee lee daniels, the butler which stars oprah winfrey and eight oscar winners including forest whitaker, vanessa redgrave, robin williams, cuba gooding. For more than three decades eugene allen worked in the white house, a black man unknown to the headlines. A witness to history, the highly anticipated film that stars six oscar winners, including forest whitaker, oprah winfrey honorary and nominee, jane fonda, cuba. Lee daniels directs forest whitaker and oprah winfrey who portray husband and wife cecil and gloria gaines. Allen s life was the inspiration for the movie the butler, released in 20 allen earned the highest rank of butlers serving in the white house. A witness to history, haygood tells us how his story and the film. 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 during the presidencies of harry truman to ronald reagan, eugene allen was a butler in the most.
The first third of the book is a brief history of the authors relationship with eugene allen, the butler in the title, which developed into a friendship after mr. The book is a much more indepth look at the life of eugene and helene allen. Lee 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. Aug 04, 2018 kevin clarkthe washington post via getty images eugene allen. Log in or sign up for facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. The butler author wil haygood and charles allen son of. Eugene allen project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. He was survived by his son, charles allen, and several grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. He worked for the white house for 34 years until he retired in 1986. The true story behind eugene allen verifies that he was born on a plantation in virginia not georgia. Assisting eight presidents, allens top priority was to make the white house a comfortable residence for each chief executive and his family.
The butler s guide to running the home and other graces book. Wil haygood adds eugene allens chronicle to his impressive list of essential works on great figures in black and american history. The real story behind the butler black america web. I had hoped for something of the substance of ike hoovers fortytwo years in the white house. The butler book by wil haygood, lee daniels official. The life of that man, eugene allen, is the basis for lee daniels the butler, which debuts in theaters this weekend. Written by one of the best known butlers of the 20th century, stanley ager, this book is a distillation of expertise gained from serving for years as head butler at st. As a longserving white house butler, eugene allen observed the kind of intimate moments rarely written about in history books. The butler movie chronicles this member of the white. Allen was born in 1919 on a plantation farm near scottsville in central virginia. Eugene allen simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A butler well served by this election the washington post. The butler book columbus metropolitan library bibliocommons. Eugene allen was a distinguished butler for the white house who served under eight presidents, including harry s.
He struck gold when he tracked down eugene allen, a butler who had served no. In a career spanning 34 years and eight presidents, eugene allen witnessed some of the most important moments in 20thcentury american history all from his unique point of view as white house butler. Kevin clarkthe washington post via getty images eugene allen. He started working in the white house in 1952 and retired in 1986 as the head butler. Lee 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. Eugene allen was born on a virginia plantation in 1919 and spent much of.
In 1986, he told first lady nancy reagan that it was time he retired. The movie, lee daniels the butler, focuses on an africanamerican servant at the white house. In researching the butler true story, we discovered that eugene allen met his wife helene arnetta lee at a birthday party in washington, d. Biography explores the life of eugene allen, who served as butler to eight american presidents.
Veteran journalist wil haygood originally broke the story of eugene allen, the butler on whom the coming film directed by lee daniels is based. Eugene allen served as a butler for eight presidents. 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. During some of those years, harsh segregation laws lay upon the land. Allens life was the inspiration for the 20 film the butler. I cant say i disliked this book but neither was i satisfied by it. When the butler comes out on august 16, there will be three black men that made it happen director lee daniels, white house butler eugene allen and journalist wil haygood, who wrote the original washington post article, a butler well served by this election that inspired the movie. The butler book the seattle public library bibliocommons. Jul 30, 20 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 allena white house butler who served eight presidents over the course of thirtyfour years. Basically, you know, what was written in the summary of the book.
Major garrett reports on eugene allen, the reallife butler who inspired the film character. The butler ebook by wil haygood 9781476753270 rakuten kobo. From the title i expected, well, either a biography about the butler himself, eugene allen, a man in. The butler is a scandalously brief book, very superficial, and with more emphasis on the writer than on eugene allen, the real butler. There was no indication in haygoods article or book that eugene had. It also is a historical retrospective of the history of blacks in american cinema. From guggenheim and national endowment for the humanities fellow wil haygood comes a mesmerizing inquiry into the life of eugene allen, the butler who ignited a nations imagination and inspired a major motion picture. A witness to history by wil haygood the washington. A fictionalized movie about allens life boasting an alist cast forest whitaker, oprah winfrey, etc. Eugene allen july 14, 1919 march 31, 2010 was a distinguished butler for the white house who served under eight presidents, including harry s. Hear from the real butler of the white house, eugene allen.
Over the course of 34 years, eugene allen worked for eight of the most powerful men in the free world. 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. Aug 19, 20 eugene allen, the reallife white house butler, was born into farm work in virginia not georgia and there is no reference to his ever having witnessed the aftermath of a lynching, nor of his. This discussion guide is made up of 50 questions and is intended to help make viewing t. Assisting eight presidents, allens top priority was to make the white house a comfortable. Everything from how to properly iron and pack, to the art of cigars, table service, luggage handling, dealing with inappropriate guests, and tying bowties. Synopsis born on july 14, 1919, in scottsville, virginia, eugene allen was an africanamerican butler who served under eight u. Washington post reporter wil haygood talks about the life of eugene allen, the white house butler who served as the inspiration for haygoods book, the butler. The life of eugene allen white house historical association. The third could be about the history of african americans in cinema im sure books like this already exist, but let. The film was inspired by a 2008 washington post story titled a butler well. From the title i expected, well, either a biography about the butler himself, eugene allen, a man in the unique position of having served eight presidents, or, a story of the life that went on around him while he served those eight presidents and first ladies of our country.
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