Radio Curious revisits a conversation with Boston Globe journalist Mark Feeney, author of âNixon at the Movies: A Book About Belief.â His book examines the more than 500 movies Richard Nixon watched, while in the White House, and the effects it had on his presidency.
Barry Vogel, Attorney and Counselor is the Host and Producer of Radio Curious. Christina Aanestad and Yuko Kodama are the Assistant Producers.
Richard Nixon and the movies he watched while he was president is the topic of this archived edition of Radio Curious. On his third night in office, January 22, 1969 Nixon saw âThe Shoes of the Fishermanâ in the White House movie theater. From then until August 1973, when he resigned the presidency, Nixon watched over 500 movies in the White House, at Camp David, and other places he frequented. This is an average of 2½ movies per week during his presidency.
The book, âNixon at the Movies: A Book About Belief,â by Boston Globe journalist Mark Feeney examines the role movies played in forming Nixonâs character and career, and the role Nixon played in the development of American film. Ronald Reagan may have been the first movie star president, but Feeney argues that Nixon was the first true cinematic president. In this program, recorded in January 2005, Mark Feeney begins by commenting on the effect the 500 plus movies that Nixon watched had on him and his presidency.
The book Mark Feeney recommends is, âThe Whole Equation,â by David Thompson.
This interview was originally broadcast on February 22, 2005.
Radio Curious is a half-hour, weekly, long-form interview program, now in it's 26th year. We interview people on a curiously wide variety of topics about life and ideas. Our website is www.radiocurious.org. If your station airs Radio Curious please let us know curious@radiocurious.org, we will add you to our list of syndicate stations. We also welcome questions, feedback and program ideas. Radio Curious 280 N. Oak St. Ukiah, Ca 95482. (707) 462-6541.