Backstairs at the White House

Veteran Television Music Composer Morton Stevens, ("Hawaii Five-O", "Police Woman") wrote an outstanding music score for this fine TV mini-series. It featured a beautiful main title theme that really set the tone for each episode. I join the other comments here in hoping that there will be a video release soon of this wonderful show.

Outstanding. Superlative. Out of this world. No other words seem adequate regarding this magnificent series.

I am a retired social studies teacher. This series would have been so perfect for my grade 8 history students. It was so rich in history and personal emotions.

As far as the Emmy awards go,Backstairs should have tied with Roots for the best mini-series of the season.

The acting was outstanding. Robert Vaughn brought the perfect touch to Woodrow Wilson. Whoever thought that the character of Florence Harding, who died in 1924, under mysterious conditions was so interesting? Celeste Holm was simply memorable as Mrs. Harding. Eileen Heckart was memorable as Eleanor Roosevelt. Lee Grant brought the perfect touch to Grace Coolidge. Julie Harris set the tone as Nellie Taft.

Actresses Olivia Cole and Leslie Uggams, in a totally non-singing role, were just fabulous as the mother and daughter who worked for so many years at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

This is another Best Years Of Our Lives.

We all realize the sacrifices that were made during the extremely informative period of history. We are also shown that the White House was a scene of constant tragedy mixed with a total triumph of the human spirit.

We need more series of this quality.

Believe it or not, I just called Borders on a whim, and they actually had a copy. I ran down, bought it, and watched the whole thing that same night. This miniseries was even better than I had remembered. (Of course, I was 9 or so the first time, and watched it with my mommy.) Younger viewers, such as my roommate, have a difficult time looking past the sets, which don't look anything like "The West Wing", but I quickly began to ignore him, and just sat there and soaked it all in.

I feel like there could have been a better attempt to clean up the film from the original airing, but it still was absolutely enjoyable.

All in all, worth the seven and a half hours I spent in front of the TV last Tuesday night!!

I, too, wish this was available on videotape! In 1979, I was teaching a Special Education class in rural Ohio when this series was aired. My students all arrived the following day of the first installment excited, asking many questions about what the first part had shown. They asked to "study history" just like the other regular classroom students. I borrowed eighth grade American History textbooks from one of the other regular classroom teachers, and we began an adventure that lasted for the remainder of the school year. My students rode the school bus carrying a regular textbook for the first time ever! Self-esteem soared, and we all had fun!

I think I lost this the first time.

I am so delighted that this terrific mini series is finally available.

My mother gave the the book that it is based on many years ago. The mini is quite faithful to that book. (By the way),unless i am mistaken, Lillian Rogers Parks lived to be almost 100 years old, and was a consultant on the film.

This series has one of the best ensemble cast ever assembled. Leslie Uggams and Olivia Cole as Lillian and Maggie are superb, although Uggams may be too tall...Remember Lillian was crippled by polio at a very young age, and was less than 5 feet tall, but why quibble. Robert Hooks and Louis Gossett are great as Maggie and Lillian's friends, Mays and Mercer.

The Presidents and their first ladies represent the best from Television, film and Broadway. One of the best sequences in the film involves Calvin Coolidge(well played by Ed Flanders)taking on the head housekeeper, Mrs Jaffray( A wonderful Cloris Leachman.. shades of Frau Blucher!), when she attempts to tell everyone to stop tracking up "her" floor(They are trying to shore up the roof). President Coolidge says, "Mrs Jaffray, wouldn't you be happier in Buckingham Palace??

Julie Harris as Nellie Taft is splendid in this film,especially when Maggie and President Taft(A rotund Victor Buono) help her learn to speak after a stroke. Also effective are Celeste Holm and George Kennedy as the Hardings.(Can we say scandal). Estelle Parsons, Harry Morgan and Nancy Morgan are also in top form. Robert Vaughn and Claire Bloom are very effective as the Wilsons.

Because they come along late in the story, Andrew Duggand and Barbara Barrie seem to get short shrift as the Eisenhowers.

(In a recent episode of the Food Channel's White House, reference is made to serving hotdogs to the British Royal family. According to Lillian, this really did happen at is a humorous bit when she tells the visiting royalty's staff.... you just try one with all the fixin's.

An excellent history lesson very well played out by a brilliant cast!