Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

Feb 6th, 2009 | LOS ANGELES -- James Whitmore, the many-faceted character actor who delivered strong performances in movies, television and especially the theater with his popular one-man shows about Harry Truman, Will Rogers and Theodore Roosevelt, died Friday, his son said. He was 87...

The monologues of Harry Truman, Will Rogers and Teddy Roosevelt brought Whitmore his greatest success. In 2000, he appeared in "Will Rogers, U.S.A." at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., his eighth engagement in the show at Ford's over a 30-year period.

President Ford attended a performance of "Give 'em Hell, Harry" at Ford's Theater after Richard Nixon resigned. Whitmore worried about Ford's reaction to Truman's crusty words about Nixon.

The actor recalled: "I was three feet from Gerry Ford when I said to the press as Truman: 'Nixon is a no-good lying (expletive); if he ever caught himself telling the truth, he'd tell a lie just to keep his hand in.' After the show, (Ford) came up on stage and put his arm around me and said, 'That was a pretty good blocking back.'" Ford had been line coach when Whitmore played football at Yale.

http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/entertainment/2009/02/06/D966CURG0_obit_james_whitmore/index.html

I saw both his Harry Truman and Will Rogers plays. Terrific. If you ever get a chance to see them, they are well worth your time.