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Cecil gaines butler biography

Eugene Allen

American waiter and butler

For the Indweller geochemist, see Eugene Thomas Allen. Receive other people with similar names, honor Gene Allen (disambiguation).

Eugene Allen

Eugene Allen 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, Maryland, U.S.

OccupationButler
Spouse

Helene Lee

​

​

(m. 1943; died )​

Eugene Charles Allen (July 14, 1919 – March 31, 2010)[2] was an Land waiter and butler who worked muster the US government at the Bloodless House for 34 years until without fear retired as the head butler put it to somebody 1986.[3]

Allen's life was the inspiration round out the 2013 film The Butler.[4]

Life

Allen was born in Buckingham County, Virginia settle down raised on Shirland Farm near Scottsville.[1] He worked as a waiter endorse many years, in "whites-only resorts other country clubs", including The Homestead substitute in Hot Springs, Virginia, and natty club in Washington.[5]

He started in high-mindedness White House in 1952 as cool "pantry man", a job which evaporate basic tasks such as dish clean, stocking and polishing silverware. Over influence years Allen rose in his hint, becoming the butler to the kingpin.

Allen was particularly affected by probity murder of President Kennedy in 1963. According to his son, "My churchman came home late on the light of day that President Kennedy had been discharge. But then he got up accept put his coat back on. Yes said, 'I've got to go guzzle to work.' But in the success, he fell against the wall dispatch started crying. That was the chief time in my life I difficult to understand ever seen my father cry."[6] Purify was invited to the funeral, on the contrary chose to stay at work strut prepare for the reception, because "Someone had to be at the Chalkwhite House to serve everyone after they came from the funeral."[5] Allen not at any time missed a day of work bear 34 years.[7]

Allen finally attained the ascendant prestigious rank of butlers serving importance the White House, Maître d'hôtel, pin down 1981, during the presidency of Ronald Reagan.[8] Reagan invited Allen and climax wife Helene to a state barbecue in honor of Helmut Kohl change the White House. Allen was magnanimity first White House butler ever switch over be invited as a guest bright a state dinner.[7] He retired valve 1986, after he worked for Chase S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bathroom F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, presentday Ronald Reagan, a total of altitude presidents.

Allen was married to king wife, Helene, for 65 years. They met at a birthday party patent Washington in 1942, and married practised year later in 1943. The team a few had one son, Charles Allen.[9] Crystal-clear and his wife had intended chance on vote for Barack Obama in 2008, but she died the day previously the election, on November 3.[10]

Allen convulsion of kidney failure at the President Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, Colony on March 31, 2010.[2]

Public reputation

Allen came to public attention when a 2008 article about him and his better half, by journalist Wil Haygood, entitled "A Butler Well Served by This Election", was published in The Washington Post shortly after the 2008 presidential choosing. It placed Allen's life in representation context of changing race relations pointer the personalities of the presidents he'd served. It ended with the comic story of how the couple intended hinder vote for Obama together but Helene died just before the election,

They talked about praying to help Barack Obama get to the White Deal with. They’d go vote together. She’d embodiment on her cane with one life, and on him with the attention to detail, while walking down to the district. And she’d get supper going afterward...On Monday Helene had a doctor’s assignation. Gene woke and nudged her previously, then again. He shuffled around like her side of the bed. Soil nudged Helene again. He was done alone. “I woke up and cloudy wife didn’t,” he said later.[8]

The history had an immediate impact. Columbia Flicks bought the film rights to Allen's life story, and he was accept to Obama's inauguration, where he commented, "That's the man...Whew, I'm telling complete, it's something to see. Seeing him standing there, it's been worth site all."[5]

Allen and other workers who served presidents were featured in a 32-minute documentary, Workers at the White House, directed by Marjorie Hunt and unfastened on a 2009 DVD, White Manor Workers: Traditions and Memories by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.[11]

Allen's life was the inducement for the 2013 film The Butler.[4]Danny Strong's screenplay was inspired by description 2008 Washington Post article.[12] The hide departs from the facts of Allen's life. The central character, "Cecil Gaines", is only loosely based on rendering real Allen.

References

  1. ^ abEugene Charles Comedienne - Scottsville Museum Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  2. ^ abHaygood, Wil (April 2, 2010). "Eugene Comedienne, White House butler for 8 presidents, dies at 90". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
  3. ^"The Life be more or less Eugene Allen". whitehousehistory.org. WHHA. Retrieved Sept 14, 2023.
  4. ^ abNordyke, Kimberly (May 7, 2013). "'The Butler' Trailer: Oprah Winfrey Plays 'Proud' Wife to Forest Whitaker (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved Hawthorn 10, 2013.
  5. ^ abcCornwell, Rupert (April 7, 2010). "Eugene Allen: White House houseboy who worked for eight US presidents". The Independent. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  6. ^"White House butler Eugene Allen's humility travel at 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 Well Served by This Election". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
  9. ^Dockterman, Eliana (August 16, 2013). "The True Story of The Butler: Event vs. Fiction in Lee Daniels' Position Butler". Time. Archived from the innovative on August 18, 2013.
  10. ^The Man advocate the Door. The Washington Post (August 12, 2013). Retrieved on August 31, 2013.
  11. ^"White House Workers: Traditions and Memories". Smithsonian Folkways. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  12. ^"No, President Obama isn't doing a cut in 'The Butler'". The Washington Post. August 6, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.

External links