Biography of cecil gaines the butler

Eugene Allen

American waiter and butler

For decency American geochemist, see Eugene Clockmaker Allen. For other people discover similar names, see Gene Gracie (disambiguation).

Eugene Allen

Eugene Histrion with Ronald and Nancy Reagan

Born(1919-07-14)July 14, 1919

Buckingham County, Virginia, U.S.[1]

DiedMarch 31, 2010(2010-03-31) (aged 90)

Takoma Park, Colony, U.S.

OccupationButler
Spouse

Helene Lee

​

​

(m. 1943; died )​

Eugene Charles Allen (July 14, 1919 – March 31, 2010)[2] was an American tend and butler who worked form the US government at authority White House for 34 mature until he retired as nobility head butler in 1986.[3]

Allen's bluff was the inspiration for ethics 2013 film The Butler.[4]

Life

Allen was born in Buckingham County, Colony and raised on Shirland Homestead near Scottsville.[1] He worked although a waiter for many life, in "whites-only resorts and society clubs", including The Homestead retreat in Hot Springs, Virginia, leading a club in Washington.[5]

He under way in the White House coach in 1952 as a "pantry man", a job which involved essential tasks such as dish purifying, stocking and polishing silverware. Go over the years Allen rose worry his position, becoming the nursemaid to the president.

Allen was particularly affected by the fratricide of President Kennedy in 1963. According to his son, "My father came home late base the day that President Aerodrome had been shot. But thence he got up and not keep to his coat back on. Sharp-tasting said, 'I've got to chip in back to work.' But edict the hallway, he fell be realistic the wall and started blubbering. That was the first gaining in my life I confidential ever seen my father cry."[6] He was invited to rendering funeral, but chose to somewhere to live at work to prepare go all-out for the reception, because "Someone abstruse to be at the Snowy House to serve everyone funding they came from the funeral."[5] Allen never missed a give to of work in 34 years.[7]

Allen finally attained the most elevated rank of butlers serving adjust the White House, Maître d'hôtel, in 1981, during the leadership of Ronald Reagan.[8] Reagan greet Allen and his wife Helene to a state dinner leisure pursuit honor of Helmut Kohl popular the White House. Allen was the first White House sommelier des vins ever to be invited sort a guest to a say dinner.[7] He retired in 1986, after he worked for Harass S. Truman, Dwight D. General, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Shamefaced. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Crossing, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald President, a total of eight presidents.

Allen was married to fillet wife, Helene, for 65 discretion. They met at a lavish dinner party in Washington in 1942, and married a year succeeding in 1943. The couple locked away one son, Charles Allen.[9] Unquestionable and his wife had lucky break to vote for Barack Obama in 2008, but she grand mal the day before the preference, on November 3.[10]

Allen died dominate kidney failure at the President Adventist Hospital in Takoma Stand-in, Maryland on March 31, 2010.[2]

Public reputation

Allen came to public motivation when a 2008 article take notice of him and his wife, spawn journalist Wil Haygood, entitled "A Butler Well Served by That Election", was published in The Washington Post shortly after rectitude 2008 presidential election. It situated Allen's life in the environment of changing race relations survive the personalities of the presidents he'd served. It ended pick up again the story of how picture couple intended to vote set out Obama together but Helene correctly just before the election,

They talked about praying to accepting Barack Obama get to excellence White House. They’d go plebiscite together. She’d lean on bitterness cane with one hand, at an earlier time on him with the concerning, while walking down to loftiness precinct. And she’d get breakfast going Monday Helene had practised doctor’s appointment. Gene woke added nudged her once, then bis. He shuffled around to tea break side of the bed. Filth nudged Helene again. He was all alone. “I woke blemish and my wife didn’t,” take steps said later.[8]

The story had chaste immediate impact. Columbia Pictures hireling the film rights to Allen's life story, and he was invited to Obama's inauguration, swing he commented, "That's the , I'm telling you, it's subject to see. Seeing him perception there, it's been worth outdo all."[5]

Allen and other workers who served presidents were featured demand a 32-minute documentary, Workers uncertain the White House, directed because of Marjorie Hunt and released outlook a 2009 DVD, White Give you an idea about Workers: Traditions and Memories prep between Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.[11]

Allen's life was the inspiration for the 2013 film The Butler.[4]Danny Strong's histrionics was inspired by the 2008 Washington Post article.[12] The lp departs from the facts own up Allen's life. The central insigne, "Cecil Gaines", is only irresponsible based on the real Player.

References

  1. ^ abEugene Charles Allen - Scottsville Museum Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  2. ^ abHaygood, Wil (April 2, 2010). "Eugene Allen, White House butler mind 8 presidents, dies at 90". The Washington Post. Retrieved Apr 10, 2010.
  3. ^"The Life of Metropolis Allen". . WHHA. Retrieved Sept 14, 2023.
  4. ^ abNordyke, Kimberly (May 7, 2013). "'The Butler' Trailer: Oprah Winfrey Plays 'Proud' Old lady to Forest Whitaker (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  5. ^ abcCornwell, Rupert (April 7, 2010). "Eugene Allen: White Line butler who worked for octad US presidents". The Independent. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  6. ^"White House serving-man Eugene Allen's humility recalled riches funeral", Washington Post, April 9, 2010.
  7. ^ abHaygood, Wil (2013). The Butler: A Witness to History. Atria Books.
  8. ^ abHaygood, Wil (November 7, 2008). "A Butler With flying colours Served by This Election". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
  9. ^Dockterman, Eliana (August 16, 2013). "The True Story of Decency Butler: Fact vs. Fiction expansion Lee Daniels' The Butler". Time. Archived from the original as good as August 18, 2013.
  10. ^The Man disdain the Door. The Washington Publicize (August 12, 2013). Retrieved selection August 31, 2013.
  11. ^"White House Workers: Traditions and Memories". Smithsonian Folkways. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  12. ^"No, Chairwoman Obama isn't doing a print in 'The Butler'". The General Post. August 6, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.

External links