The Presidents in Movies: Eleanor and Franklin
Edward Hermann is a wonderful actor who does a number of narrations of History Channel documentaries, including their 2005 series entitled The Presidents. His most famous TV role was probably as Richard Gilmore on the CW show The Gilmore Girls. But in 1976 a younger Hermann used his considerable acting talents to play the part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt from age 20 until his death, in a series called Eleanor and Franklin. The first part, entitled Eleanor and Franklin: The Early Years aired on January 9, 1976 on ABC. Jane Alexander played the part of Eleanor and Rosemary Murphy played the role of FDR's mother Sarah. William Phipps played the part of Theodore Roosevelt.
The film is based on Joseph P. Lash's Pulitzer Prize-winning and best-selling biography with the same title. Joseph Lash was Eleanor's personal secretary and confidant. He wrote several books on the Roosevelts. The film follows the lives of President Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor told in flashback from her perspective after her husband's death, from the time they were children until his election to the presidency. The film won numerous awards, including 9 Emmys, a Golden Globe, and the Peabody Award. Daniel Petrie won the Emmy for best director. The film is reputed to be almost entirely historically accurate.
The following year, in 1977, a sequel aired, with the most of the same cast, entitled Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years. (In this version, Theodore Roosevelt was played by David Healey). The sequel aired on March 13, 1977.
Following is a clip from the Early Years that
direcorrector was kind enough to locate. It is one of the most awkward marriage proposals ever committed to film:
The film is based on Joseph P. Lash's Pulitzer Prize-winning and best-selling biography with the same title. Joseph Lash was Eleanor's personal secretary and confidant. He wrote several books on the Roosevelts. The film follows the lives of President Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor told in flashback from her perspective after her husband's death, from the time they were children until his election to the presidency. The film won numerous awards, including 9 Emmys, a Golden Globe, and the Peabody Award. Daniel Petrie won the Emmy for best director. The film is reputed to be almost entirely historically accurate.
The following year, in 1977, a sequel aired, with the most of the same cast, entitled Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years. (In this version, Theodore Roosevelt was played by David Healey). The sequel aired on March 13, 1977.
Following is a clip from the Early Years that
direcorrector was kind enough to locate. It is one of the most awkward marriage proposals ever committed to film: