Playing The Part
Ronald Reagan had already become a household name by the time he entered politics, having established himself as an accomplished actor, but the presidency was an entirely new role. Known especially for his part in ending hostilities with the Soviet Union and transforming the Republican Party into what it is today, he charmed voters across America into supporting him—no matter how many controversies he had.
1. His Mother Was Religious
While some would label him an extremist, Ronald Reagan’s more radical personality helped to reform the Republican Party throughout his career, but these views didn’t come out of nowhere. Much of his worldview took influence from his Christian background, as his mother, Nelle Clyde Wilson, was a devout member of the Disciples of Christ and a prominent leader in their branch of the First Christian Church.
Naturally, he grew up to have some strong opinions of his own.
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2. He Joined A Strike
Always one to involve himself in as much as possible, Reagan spent much of his time in extracurricular activities like drama and cheerleading after enrolling at Eureka College in 1928. It was here that he got his first brush with politics by joining the student government, and despite how staunchly he would later oppose such public demonstrations, he actually participated in a student-led strike against the college president.
Eventually, he got his first public-facing job—so to speak.
Alonso de Mendoza, Wikimedia Commons
3. He Used His Voice
Ronald Reagan spent four years at Eureka before graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in sociology and economics, but neither of those likely helped much with his first job out of college. He had already been an avid sports fan and played football in college, so after moving from Illinois to Iowa, he took a position as a broadcaster for a few Big Ten Conference games.
Little did he know that this was just a springboard to bigger and better things.
4. He Branched Out
Growing his resume, Reagan was lucky enough to secure a job as a broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs—but this would be a short-lived position. While on the road with the team as they headed to their spring training, Reagan saw a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Warner Bros Pictures, which was holding screen tests for new actors. Seizing the chance, he managed to impress the Warner Bros executives, who signed him to a seven-year film deal.
As such, he never had to worry about finding work, even if it wasn’t what he had pictured.
5. He Took To The Screen
Taking his shot at a brand-new career in film, Ronald Reagan relocated once again to Hollywood, where he immediately got to work on his first project, Love is on the Air. While he would go on to appear in about 30 films in the span of a few years, these weren’t exactly blockbusters, and instead were what most would call “B-movies”.
At the same time, he felt called to do something much more real.
Screenshot from Love is on the Air, Warner Bros. (1937), Enhanced
6. He Joined The Service
All while Reagan was trying to make it big in Hollywood, tensions around the world were rising as the outbreak of WWII grew closer, and Reagan wanted to serve his country if needed. Still working on his B-movies, he enlisted in the US Army reserves in 1937, receiving his post as a private in the 322nd Cavalry Regiment.
Fortunately for him, he wouldn’t have to give up on his film career entirely.
7. He Had His Big Break
Although the typical movies he was doing in the late 1930s certainly provided him a stable income, Ronald Reagan wanted the industry to take him more seriously—and he would soon get his shot. Shortly after the outbreak of WWII, he starred in the 1940 biopic Knute Rockne, All American, proving to everyone that he had what it took to do more grounded films.
Behind the scenes, he wasn’t doing so bad in his love life either.
Screenshot from Knute Rockne: All American, Warner Bros. Pictures (1940), Enhanced
8. He Fell In Love
Back before he had his true breakout role, Reagan had starred in the 1938 film Brother Rat, and while it may not have done much for his career, he found something even better—love. Starring alongside him was actress Jane Wyman, and the two immediately felt a spark, beginning a relationship that led to marriage two years later.
Of course, he would soon have to put any dreams of fame and fortune on hold.
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9. He Got The Call
America didn’t enter WWII right away, so Warner Bros continued to put Ronald Reagan to work for as long as they could—but their time was running out. When the US finally joined the fight, he received his commission as a cavalry officer and expected to ship out with the rest of the army as soon as possible.
The studio was about to lose one of its best actors—but not without a fight.
Silver Screen Collection, Getty Images
10. They Held It Off
Reagan was just hitting his stride as a serious actor in Hollywood, but after receiving his commission, he and Warner Bros didn’t have any options to keep him there—except for one. He was in the middle of filming the 1942 drama Kings Row, so the studio’s lawyers arranged a draft deferment for the rest of production. However, this started to look like he was intentionally avoiding the draft, so he left in 1942 anyway.
Although he left Warner Bros for the army, that didn’t mean he had finished making movies.
Screenshot from Kings Row, Warner Bros. Pictures (1942), Enhanced
11. He Continued Filming
While Ronald Reagan may have wanted to join the fight as a cavalry officer, his service would end up looking a bit different—and more familiar. During his medical assessment, the Army found that his eyesight was too poor to allow him to serve in active combat, so he joined a film unit in LA instead. This way, he was able to further his acting career by creating around 400 training films for the army.
This allowed him to visit home much more frequently—where it wasn’t just him and Jane anymore.
Screenshot from Kings Row, Warner Bros. Pictures (1942), Enhanced
12. He Made A Family
Between his time on set for Warner Bros and his later service in the army, Reagan still found time for his family—especially since they added a few new members. Welcoming their first child, Maureen, in 1941, he and Jane decided to adopt a boy named Michael four years later as well. Jane also gave birth to another daughter named Christine in 1947, but she tragically passed in infancy.
At the same time, he was still heavily involved in Hollywood—and would soon win his first election.
Pictorial Parade, Getty Images
13. He Took The Helm
Ronald Reagan already had some experience as a leader from serving in his college student government, but he would get another chance in 1947, when the President of the Screen Actors’ Guild stepped down. It wasn’t nearly as cutthroat as the elections he faced later in life, but he still won the special election held and took over SAG’s leadership.
Of course, this didn’t mean he had no one to answer to.
John Kobal Foundation, Getty Images
14. He Gave Them Names
Reagan had no shortage of increased responsibility as the new President of SAG, and although much of his work was to look out for the well-being of actors—he wasn’t always on their side. During this period, the FBI was putting a lot of pressure on leaders like Reagan to give up anyone they thought might be a communist, and he was all too happy to give them a whole list of actors he suspected.
While he was thriving as a leader, his personal life wasn’t doing so well.
John Kobal Foundation, Getty Images
15. She Was Done With Him
After nearly a decade married to Ronald Reagan as a devoted wife and mother, Jane Wyman realized she didn’t like the person he was becoming or the life he was leading. Specifically, she hated that he was growing more political, and after a brief period of trying to separate several times, she finally filed for divorce in 1948.
This certainly shocked him, but he didn’t have too much trouble moving on.
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16. He Met Someone Else
As a result of the crackdown on communism, Reagan was also responsible for the concept of the Hollywood blacklist—which nearly ruined the life of someone close to him. Months after his divorce, Reagan met with actress Nancy Davis, who believed her name had been wrongfully added to the blacklist. After closer inspection, Reagan realized there had been a mix-up with a different actress named Nancy Davis, and he cleared her name.
Still, this was far from the last time they would see each other.
President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989, Wikimedia Commons
17. His Family Grew
After Reagan helped Nancy figure out her case of mistaken identity, the two realized how much chemistry they had and started meeting up more regularly—though not in a professional capacity. After dating for a couple of years, they tied the knot in 1952 and went on to have two children of their own before the decade was out.
Before long, his first time as a president would be up—or so he thought.
18. They Brought Him Back
Serving as the SAG president for about five years, Ronald Reagan finally resigned in 1952 as he focused on supporting his family—but the Guild hadn’t seen the last of him. Near the end of the 1950s, SAG was having trouble convincing producers to grant actors residual payments, so they elected Reagan as president for a second term. After mediating the issue and reaching an agreement, he resigned once again, and this time for good.
It didn’t matter much to him—he had already set his sights on a loftier goal.
19. He Became Political
Through his career with SAG, Reagan grew even more involved in American politics as it became more intertwined with Hollywood—though he didn’t lean the way most might expect. He practically idolized Franklin D Roosevelt, so at least initially, he would have described himself as a supporter of the Democratic Party.
However, this clearly wasn’t the man he would be forever.
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20. He Switched Sides
Ronald Reagan may have thought Roosevelt was his hero, but as he witnessed the presidential campaigns of Richard Nixon and Dwight D Eisenhower, his allegiances began to change. The public first saw this shift after he signed a deal with General Electric, and they were surprised to hear him giving speeches to their employees in favor of free markets.
As it happened, they didn’t like this side of him too much.
United States Federal Government, Wikimedia Commons
21. They Cut Ties With Him
Using his platform to speak his mind, Reagan became increasingly more right-leaning as he tried to get his listeners to see things his way—which wasn’t what GE had signed up for. After he gave one last speech in which he was heavily opposed to Medicare, the company had had enough and tore up their contract with him. This was enough to push him off the fence, and he officially registered as a Republican in 1962.
He was already a household name, but now he was going for a new reputation.
22. He Got His Name Out There
As the next presidential election drew nearer, Ronald Reagan found his new favorite choice in the Republican candidate, Barry Goldwater, and wanted to do everything he could for his campaign. Using his voice once again, Reagan gave his now-famous “A Time for Choosing” speech in support of Goldwater. While he was nowhere near his own presidential campaign yet, this moment put Reagan on the radar of conservatives looking for new blood.
Soon enough, he took his biggest leap yet—and made his stance known.
Silver Screen Collection, Getty Images
23. He Was Against It
Even if he had a desire for the US presidency at this point, Reagan knew he would have to start a bit smaller and threw his hat in the ring to be Governor of California in 1966—but he didn’t have all the support he hoped for. Just two years earlier, he had openly opposed the passage of the Civil Rights Act, so while he hoped to count on the votes of African-American Republicans, this was a major point of criticism against him.
Clearly, his enemies had a lot of ammo to use.
MediaNews Group/East Bay Times via Getty Images, Getty Images
24. They Didn’t Like Him
While Ronald Reagan may have received a bit of disapproval from the general public, it was nothing compared to what his opponents had cooking up. At best, most wrote him off as someone way out of his depth when it came to actually leading California, but at worst, those like previous Governor Pat Brown referred to Reagan as an extremist. However, none of this bad press seemed to matter, as Reagan won the election and took his place as Governor.
He would soon face one of his biggest crises yet—and he wasn’t backing down.
25. He Shut Them Down
By his third year as governor, Reagan showed the public exactly what kind of leader he was when the University of California became the location of several protests, and he decided to put his foot down. As the demonstrations were quickly growing more aggressive, he ultimately declared a state of emergency and ordered the National Guard to come in and stamp them out.
This wouldn’t be the last time this happened—and he only grew more ruthless.
26. He Didn’t Care
The following year, Ronald Reagan had to overcome the same issue when another series of violent protests erupted around the University of California—but peace was the farthest thing from his mind. By sending in the National Guard again, he made it clear that his main goal was to demonstrate his power to eliminate threats, as he stated: “If it takes a bloodbath, let's get it over with”.
Once again, though, he knew this was only a stepping stone to even greater heights.
27. He Was Done With It
Reagan had already become a beloved actor in America, but as governor, he used his position to win over even more Republican voters and make a name for himself. However, this was never his end-goal, and after he successfully ran for a second term in 1970, he decided that was enough and stepped down four years later.
He now had his eyes on the top of the ladder—and he had a few things to say about it.
28. He Called Him Out
Already planning his campaign for the presidency during his governorship, Reagan’s first step was to target the current Democratic president, Jimmy Carter, hoping to take down the competition. Reagan publicly chastised his leadership, citing rising unemployment and inflation and criticizing specific decisions, such as the signing of the Panama Canal Treaty.
On the flip side, Carter wasn’t holding back either.
Ansel Adams, Wikimedia Commons
29. They Began Their Rivalry
Announcing his campaign in 1979, Ronald Reagan joined the presidential race after already making an enemy out of Jimmy Carter—who wasn’t going to take this lying down. In line with some of the other criticisms of Reagan’s views, Carter referred to his opponent as a “warmonger,” whose lack of understanding would virtually destroy Social Security.
Still, it was obvious which way the country was leaning.
Ted Streshinsky Photographic Archive, Getty Images
30. He Was Sworn In
Jimmy Carter did everything he could to disparage Reagan’s reputation, but no matter how true the words of his smear campaign were, it wasn’t enough to make a difference. Reagan knew how to play to an audience, and as conservatism was quickly growing in popularity, he soon became the only real option for many. His charm had worked, and in January 1981, he was inaugurated as the 40th President of the US.
However, it was here that his rise to power was nearly cut short.
31. He Almost Lost His Life
Ronald Reagan had won over the people of America and become the most powerful man in the country, but that didn’t mean he was invincible—something which he soon received a stark reminder of. Just a couple of months after his inauguration, he faced his own mortality when a man named John Hinckley Jr walked up and shot the new president as he was standing outside the Washington Hilton.
This wasn’t the end of his story yet—and now he had a new lease on life.
United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wikimedia Commons
32. He Had A New Perspective
Although he would make it through this attempt on his life, it wasn’t a simple matter of patching him up, as he had sustained a punctured lung, a broken rib, and was bleeding internally. However, after a long and difficult surgery, he emerged on the other side—now with a new purpose in life. Having faced his own demise so closely and survived, Reagan believed that God had saved him and that he now had some sort of divine mission.
At the same time, the country was facing its own medical crisis—though no one would know it from Reagan’s reaction.
President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989, Wikimedia Commons
33. He Brushed It Off
Just as Ronald Reagan stepped into office, the AIDS epidemic had begun to sweep the nation, and although doctors were struggling to grasp its extent, it already wasn’t looking good. Despite this, Reagan seemed to have a somewhat laissez-faire attitude, believing it would simply go away on its own, and even comparing it to the measles.
However, there were other issues he happily devoted all his attention to.
President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989, Wikimedia Commons
34. He Thought It Was Perfect
All while Reagan was tackling the domestic problems facing the US, the country’s tensions with the Soviet Union were still high, and the danger of a nuclear attack felt far too close for comfort. To give the American public some reassurance, though, Reagan established the Strategic Defense Initiative, a defense system he boasted would shield all of America by using ballistic missiles fired from space.
This was an amazing promise, but not everyone shared his certainty.
Ted Streshinsky Photographic Archive, Getty Images
35. They Didn’t Believe Him
Although Reagan was completely on board with the Strategic Defense Initiative and guaranteed it was practically infallible, many felt he had no idea what he was talking about. Specifically, the scientific community was quite skeptical that such a plan would work out as he wanted, with some writing off the initiative entirely and giving it the nickname “Star Wars”.
Meanwhile, his term was coming to an end—but he wasn’t done yet.
Michael Evans, Wikimedia Commons
36. He Won Them Over
Even with some of his more egregious flaws during his first term, Ronald Reagan managed to capture hearts all over America and stay at the head of the ever-growing conservative movement—but this was just the beginning. As the 1985 election drew nearer, he announced his campaign to a nation full of supporters, who allowed him to win a landslide victory and begin his second term as President.
Of course, he still had to overcome some of the bad publicity aimed at him.
37. They Called Him Old
Reagan still had his fair share of opponents, and they latched onto any faults they could find. For instance, after he had a hard time getting his stats right during the first presidential debate, his enemies began remarking how his age might be affecting his abilities. However, he came right back at them in the second debate when he said, “I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience”.
There were also some more serious issues he could no longer ignore—at least completely.
38. He Finally Addressed It
By 1987, the AIDS epidemic had affected over 36,000 Americans, and over 20,000 had lost their lives to the disease—so Reagan could no longer sit back and hope for the best. Speaking on it publicly for the first time, he called for both a higher degree of testing and a more precise approach, targeting specific groups like federal prisoners.
Still, this didn’t mean he actually took it seriously—especially in retrospect.
39. He Didn’t Do Much
On the surface, it looked like Ronald Reagan was finally facing the AIDS epidemic head-on, but as many have pointed out, nothing could have been further from the truth. While he tasked Surgeon General C Everett Koop with creating a report on the disease, Reagan barely glanced at it and spoke very little about the epidemic beyond his initial speech. Not to mention that he made things much worse by refusing to fund AIDS research properly.
Although he prioritized another major issue facing America, he still couldn’t make up his mind.
40. He Went Back And Forth
As America continued to navigate its hostilities with the Soviet Union, it was hard to pin down exactly how Reagan wanted the situation to play out. On one hand, he became known for intentionally pushing the two nations closer to an all-out conflict, but on the other, he seemed very much in favor of working things out diplomatically.
He would soon reach one of his most iconic achievements—even if he had little to do with it.
41. He Took The Credit
Reagan had already spent years antagonizing the Soviet Union, but to show that he too wanted peace, he gave his famous speech at the Berlin Wall in 1987, in which he called for Soviet leader Gorbachev to “tear down this wall”. This had little effect on the Soviets and largely went overlooked until two years later, when, after the Berlin Wall finally fell, America attributed the decision to Reagan’s speech.
Still, when it came down to actually negotiating with the Soviets—he wasn’t all talk.
David Hume Kennerly, Getty Images
42. They Reached An Agreement
Ultimately, as Reagan saw the positive changes that Mikhail Gorbachev was making to the Soviet Union, he couldn’t help but respect the efforts toward peace. Finally, the two leaders met at the Washington Summit in 1987, where they negotiated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. This was arguably Reagan’s crowning achievement, as it ensured that each nation would abolish much of their nuclear arsenals.
He was also busy with more domestic issues in America—and still handling them with an iron fist.
Universal History Archive, Getty Images
43. He Cracked Down On Them
Despite his more complacent attitude regarding the AIDS epidemic, Reagan did have several issues he seemed more invested in. For instance, he tackled the rising use of illicit substances in the late 1980s by signing an act that implemented new penalties for such offences. However, many have since condemned this act for disproportionately targeting African Americans, creating an even greater divide in the country.
Nonetheless, he wouldn’t be in charge of things for much longer.
44. He Finished His Term
The criticisms about Reagan’s age didn’t come out of nowhere, since when he first took office in 1981, he had broken the record for the oldest person elected President at 69. Although he usually deflected any remarks about his age, this record followed him right to the end, when he stepped down at 77 and also became the oldest to resign the presidency.
This seemed to be not a moment too soon, as more than just his age was affecting him.
President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989, Wikimedia Commons
45. He Was Sick
Five years after leaving the Oval Office, Reagan made headlines across the US again—but not for any political reason. He had received a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, and while most sympathized with the former president, this also brought up several questions. The public wondered how early the illness had begun impacting his decision-making, but while many have speculated about this, there remains no clear answer.
Regardless, his health was declining fast—so he had to make some sacrifices.
President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989, Wikimedia Commons
46. He Made A Big Change
Ronald Reagan had reached a severe stage of Alzheimer's by the time he learned of his diagnosis, and as the 1990s progressed, the disease rapidly deteriorated his mental faculties. It soon got to the point where he could hardly remember who anyone was beyond his wife, so his family faced a tough decision. Eventually, they arranged for him and Nancy to live away from the public in semi-isolation.
However, it was clear that he didn’t have much time left.
47. He Quickly Declined
Although Reagan survived long enough to see the new millennium, his condition had grown exponentially worse over the years, robbing him of his speech and keeping him bedridden. His wife continued to take care of him as even his memory of her started to fade, but he ultimately lost his life on June 5, 2004, to complications from the illness as well as a nasty case of pneumonia.
In the end, though, no one could say he didn’t leave a legacy behind.
Joe Sohm/Visions of America, Getty Images
48. He Left His Mark
Throughout his career, it’s unquestionable that Reagan made many drastic changes to how America operated, whether it was his influence on the economy or the steps he took to repair relations with the Soviet Union. Because of this, many scholars recognize him as arguably the most impactful American president since Franklin D Roosevelt.
Still, many haven’t forgotten his more egregious faults.
President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989, Wikimedia Commons
49. Many Think He Made Things Worse
While Reagan became one of America’s most popular presidents during his lifetime, the number of critics against him has only grown in the decades since. Experts like economist Paul Krugman have cited that although Reagan’s financial plan seemed revolutionary at the time, it only worsened the income inequality in the US.
Even so, he gave America exactly what it wanted at the time—even if he didn’t live up to his own image.
President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989, Wikimedia Commons
50. His Past Was More Hollywood Than People Thought
Reagan’s stint as an actor occurred at a time where Old Hollywood was known for glitzy parties, decadent lifestyles, and steamy affairs—and even though he had a buttoned-up image, he still had his vices. Before marrying Nancy, he had a brief relationship with Piper Laurie, who was 18 to his 39. She was playing his daughter in a film.
Laurie spilled all the details of their romance in her 2011 memoir, including the fact that he was the first man she slept with—and even said he was “an insensitive show-off” in the bedroom.
President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989, Wikimedia Commons
51. He Was A Charmer
Before Ronald Reagan became president, he was an actor, so not only was he already a celebrity, but he also knew how to play the right part and get people to like him. Always witty and tactful, he endeared voters to him by promoting patriotism and family values. However, some have pointed out the hypocrisy of him preaching the idea of a “traditional family,” considering he was also the first president to have gone through a divorce.
President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989, Wikimedia Commons
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