REAGAN, RONALD. 1911-2004.
REAGAN PITCHES ANTI-COMMUNIST EPISODE FOR G.E. THEATER.
Autograph Manuscript Signed ("Ronald Reagan") in pencil, 7 pp, 4to, Pacific Palisades, CA, [c.1960], on personal letterhead (misspelled "Ronald Regan"), pages toned, lightly smudged, light stain to upper left corner of p 1.
From 1953 to 1962, Ronald Reagan was the host of the television show, General Electric Theater, an anthology series that aired Sunday nights, and featured episodes based on novels, short stories, and magazine articles of the day. Reagan often credited his time with GE as having developed his communication skills, since in addition to appearing on screen, he also visited various G.E. plants and gave speeches on the economy during his tenure.
In this manuscript, Reagan pitches a show idea to the producers based on J. Edgar Hoover's report on the "youth riots" in San Francisco that were, according to Hoover, planned and executed by the Communist party. Reagan proposes that the episode take place in "A City, U.S.A.," and describes the infiltration of college organizations by communist agents. In part: "A screen play of the attached pamphlet then depicts scenes within the Congressional Committee itself where in we learn their objectives, etc. We dissolve to scenes in the Communist party top echelon meeting where the plans are drawn for destroying the committee's effectiveness. We see the key student leaders from three colleges in & around 'A City USA: brought to N.Y. & Chi. for instruction—then their return to the campuses where student 'cells' enlist non communist but uninformed students into the planned campaign of riot ... An effort should be made to get J. Edgar Hoover to appear at the close. Failing in this we could get a statement from him to be read by the narrator stating that 'we have always taken comfort when dis-orders arise elsewhere in the world saying—"It can't happen here"—well it did happen here. All that has been shown did take place in "A City U.S.A." and at this moment plans are being laid to make it happen in your city.'"
See illustration.
