The President Threatens the Reporter Who Panned His Daughter
Margaret Truman was the daughter of President Harry Truman. She was a singer and later became an author, writing biographies of each of her parents. On this day, August 23rd, in 1947, 63 years ago today, Margaret Truman gave her first public performance as a singer. The event was at the Hollywood Bowl and had an audience of 15,000.
She pursued a singing career in the late 1940s. After graduating from George Washington University and receiving some operatic vocal training, she debuted with the radio broadcast of a vocal recital in March 1947. After one particular performance in December 1950, Washington Post music critic Paul Hume wrote a negative review about her, writing that she was “extremely attractive on the stage... but cannot sing very well. She is flat a good deal of the time.” The review enraged her father, then President, who wrote to Hume, "I have never met you, but if I do you'll need a new nose and plenty of beefsteak and perhaps a supporter below."
Years later, when Margaret Truman was asked about the incident she recalled, “I thought it was funny. Sold tickets.”
She pursued a singing career in the late 1940s. After graduating from George Washington University and receiving some operatic vocal training, she debuted with the radio broadcast of a vocal recital in March 1947. After one particular performance in December 1950, Washington Post music critic Paul Hume wrote a negative review about her, writing that she was “extremely attractive on the stage... but cannot sing very well. She is flat a good deal of the time.” The review enraged her father, then President, who wrote to Hume, "I have never met you, but if I do you'll need a new nose and plenty of beefsteak and perhaps a supporter below."
Years later, when Margaret Truman was asked about the incident she recalled, “I thought it was funny. Sold tickets.”