Key Cast: Olivia Cole, Leslie Uggams, Louis Gossett Jr., Robert Hooks, Leslie Nielsen, Cloris leachman, Hari Rhodes, Paul Winfield, Julie Harris
Rating: Not Rated
Genre(s): Drama, History, Mini-Series
"Backstairs at the White House"
Opening Credits identifying the Cast
Show Summary
"Backstairs at the White House" is based on a true story! It provides a unique African-American
perspective of what it was like working in the White House for over 50 years.
"Backstairs at the White House" was a television mini-series that aired for five installments in 1979. The series is based in part on the autobiographical novel, “My Thirty Years Backstairs at the White House,” by Lillian Rogers Parks.
Lillian Rogers Parks and her mother, Maggie Rogers, were maids at the White House during eight different presidential terms, for a combined total of over 50 years. As African-American women working in the White House, they offer a unique, insider’s perspective of American history.
Nominated for multiple Emmy Awards, "Backstairs at the White House" is a highly-acclaimed series that shouldn’t be missed!
Trivia
• "Backstairs at the White House" is based on a true story. Lillian Rogers Parks wrote her memoirs (with Frances Spatz Leighton) in a book entitled, “My Thirty Years Backstage at the White House,” which talks about her personal experiences as a White House domestic servant.
• Lillian Rogers Parks was a maid and seamstress at White House. She started working there by helping her mother, Maggie Rogers, who eventually became the head White House maid. Together, Ms. Parks and her mother worked 52 years as domestic helpers to eight different presidential administrations.
• When Lillian Rogers Parks’ book, “My Thirty Years Backstage at the White House,” was released, it made then presidential first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy nervous. So, Mrs. Kennedy made her staff sign a pledge to never write a book about their White House experience.
• “My Thirty Years Backstage at the White House” by African-American author, Lillian Rogers Parks, was on the bestseller list for 26 weeks.
• The Presidential administrations discussed in Backstairs at the White House are: Taft, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower.
• "Backstairs at the White House" is nine hours and first aired from January 29 to February 19, 1979.
Awards
• "Backstairs at the White House" won a 1979 Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup.
• "Backstairs at the White House" was nominated for 10 additional 1979 Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor (Louis Gossett Jr.), Outstanding Lead Actress (Olivia Cole), Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor (Ed Flanders), Outstanding Supporting Actor (Robert Vaughn), Outstanding Supporting Actress (Eileen Heckart), Outstanding Supporting Actress (Celeste Holm), Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling, Outstanding Art Direction
• "Backstairs at the White House" was also nominated for 1980 Golden Globe Award: Best TV-Series - Drama
"My Thirty Years Backstairs at the White House" by Lillian Rogers Parks
"My Thirty Years Backstairs at the White House" by Lillian Rogers Parks
This is the bestselling book that Lillian Rogers Parks wrote about her (and her mother's experience) working at the White House for eight different presidential administrations.
Lillian Rogers Parks provides an autobiographical and historical account of the behind-the-scenes workings at The White House for a sixty year time period.
She shares many personal anectdotes about the Presidents, First Ladies and staff who worked for them during this time.
Lillian Rogers Parks also provides an interesting perspective about the innerworkings of The White House during critical times in American history.
The book was a bestseller when it was released in the 1960s.
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"Backstairs at the White House"
DVD
This series is based on the true story about Lillian Rogers Parks and her mother's life working "Backstairs at the White House" for 8 Presidential Administrations.
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Buy "My Thirty Years
Backstairs at the
White House"
by
Lillian Rogers Parks
This is the book that the "Backstairs at the White House"
mini-series is based on.
