by Bob Spitz
and disillusionment with Democratic Party, 11
Dixon homecomings of, 192–93, 236
“Dutch” nickname of, 37, 152–53
family history of, 16–28
father’s alcoholism and, 45–46, 50, 64, 82
on father’s ambition, 30
on father’s political views, 73, 74
and fear of flying, 172, 196, 271, 282, 325
first trip to Washington, D.C., of, 172, 173
Ford administration and, 386, 389, 423
Ford viewed by, 385–86, 387
friendships of, 71, 129, 157, 159
funeral of, 757–58, 761
as GE spokesman, 277, 279–80, 282–83, 285–86, 289, 291–92, 299, 306, 673
good looks of, 71, 78, 79, 81, 86, 111, 134, 141, 407, 476
gubernatorial campaign of 1966 and, 316–35
on gun control, 744–45
heroism of, 130–31, 193
HICCASP involvement of, 212, 213, 215, 222
in high school, 69, 74, 83–84, 291
home life absences of, 295–96, 439
homes of, 2, 183–84, 268–69, 292–93, 346, 351–52, 722, 729, 730–31
horseback riding of, 130, 155, 157, 208, 214, 295–96, 374–75, 740, 741–42, 755
HUAC testimony of, 233, 739
illnesses of, 44, 224–25, 226
impressed by professional theater, 99
jelly beans liked by, 480–81, 494, 726, 749
legacy of, 588–89, 722–23, 758–61
liberal views of, 210, 216, 220
shift in, 219, 238–39, 243, 302
as lifeguard, 77–81, 100–101, 117
and love of movies, 72, 85, 132
marriage to Jane Wyman, 173–74
divorce from, 237, 238, 266, 267, 272
troubles in, 223, 226–27, 229–30, 231, 234–37
marriage to Nancy Davis, 266–67
and MCA blanket waiver, 271, 272–74, 303–4
memory problems of, 688–89, 704, 736, 739, 742, 750–51
military service of, 2, 195–204
deferments, 186, 194
discharge, 204, 207
war effort films during, 199–200, 203–4
on mother’s charitable nature, 28
nearsightedness of, 61, 69–70, 93, 139, 186, 194
as New Deal Democrat, 11, 135, 169, 219, 238, 239, 287, 301, 310
and 1968 presidential election, 360, 362, 365–66
Nixon endorsement by, 301–2, 367
on Nixon’s resignation, 386–87
nostalgia for, 761
nuclear war concerns of, 429–30, 522, 523, 539, 541, 592
personality and temperament of, 38, 51, 60, 69, 81, 86, 107, 111
photographic memory of, 53, 102, 103
political aspirations of, 244, 291, 292
post-presidential years of, 730–49
and return to California, 727–29
as president, 84
Achille Lauro hijacking and, 612–15
age factor and, 431, 583–84
air-traffic controllers strike and, 520–21, 525–26
approval ratings of, 526, 535, 571–72, 575, 581, 615, 629, 647, 654, 681, 699, 704
arms-for-hostages deal and (see arms-for-hostages deal; Iran-Contra affair)
assassination attempt on, 497–514
Beirut hostage crisis, 602, 605, 606, 607, 608, 631, 639, 641, 642, 656–57, 695
Bitburg incident and, 594, 596–600
Cabinet appointments of, 481–84, 586–88
Cabinet discord and, 552–56
Contras supported by, 548, 578–79
criticism of, 538, 612
decision-making style of, 592–93
economic policies of, 486–89, 516 (see also economy; Reaganomics)
federal court appointments of, 659
final days in office of, 724–27
foreign policy of, 537, 569
at Geneva summit, 619–29
Grenada invasion and, 560–61, 564–67
inauguration of, 475–80
Lebanon crisis and, 530–31, 533–34, 546, 550, 557–59, 562–64, 567–69
Libyan raid and, 652–54
management style of, 481, 695
military expansion under, 522–24
missile defense system desired by, 539–46
at Moscow summit, 719–22
Nicaragua and, 547–50
1984 reelection campaign of, 575–77, 580–84
Noriega and, 716–18
“O and W” nickname for, 486
popularity of, 494, 515, 518, 575, 646–47, 723
reelection decision of, 571, 574–75
relations with Soviet Union and, 569–70, 616, 617
at Reykjavik summit, 658–59, 660, 661–67
scandals associated with, 722–23
school prayer and, 522
security threat to, 561–62
Shultz-Weinberger tension viewed by, 631–32
and South Africa, 611–12
Supreme Court appointments, 518–19, 521, 659–60, 704–7
“Teflon Man” label of, 368, 577–78, 581–82, 723
Tower Commission testimony and, 691–92, 694–95
“Troika” serving, 485, 491, 518, 528, 529–30, 531, 586
TWA hijacking and, 601–2
Washington summit, 710–14
and presidential campaign of 1976, 382–84, 386, 387, 392–421, 423–24
and presidential campaign of 1980, 428–71
as presidential hopeful for 1968, 344–46, 357, 360
prostate surgery of, 689
public speaking of, 97–98, 134, 182, 269, 280–81, 283–84, 285–86, 290, 291–92, 298–99, 303, 309, 320, 323, 364, 391–92, 403, 406, 407, 408–9, 414, 424, 646, 735, 737, 743, 751
radio career of, 7, 84, 122–24, 125–27, 128–29, 132–34, 136–39, 143, 144, 145
as radio listener, 85–86
ranches of, 221, 265, 295–96, 388–89, 424, 722, 731, 739–41
reaction to father’s death and, 188
relationship with his children and, 438–39
religious faith of, 71, 73–74, 75, 89
Republican Party joined by, 313
romances of, 161–62
with Jane Wyman, 166–68
with Jeanne Tesdell, 134–35
with leading ladies, 167
with Margaret Cleaver, 75–76, 81–83, 87, 92, 93, 101, 102, 106–8, 111, 118–19, 125, 131, 132, 134, 167
with Mildred Brown, 131–32
with Nancy Davis, 261–65
postdivorce, 246, 264–65
in SAG, 181, 182–83, 213–14, 216, 218–19, 222
as SAG president, 2, 7, 8, 84, 223–24, 226, 227, 231–32, 234, 240, 243, 244, 245, 262, 266, 268, 269, 270, 271, 274, 291, 296–98, 303, 673, 732
skin cancer of, 610
on socialism, 243, 290
speeches of
on arms-for-hostages deal, 671
“A Time for Choosing,” 309, 312–15, 324
inaugural, 477–78, 479, 480
on Iran-Contra affair, 698–99
on missile defense system, 543, 544, 545
“ninety billion dollar,” 403–5
“tear down this wall,” 703
Thatcher admired by, 429
tributes to, 757, 761
as union supporter, 209–10, 239, 417, 520
on Vietnam War, 361–62
on Watergate scandal, 377–78, 381–82, 383
writings of, 83–84, 92, 111–12, 137, 269, 390, 745
Reagan, Ronald Prescott (son), 34, 293
, 294, 352, 415–16, 424, 426, 438, 439, 478, 512, 621, 721, 755, 756, 761
Reagan, Thomas, 17, 20–21, 28, 33
Reagan, William, 20, 22, 33, 34, 40, 66, 100
Reagan Democrats, 332–33
Reaganomics, 488–89, 516, 527, 528, 538, 581, 723
Reed, Clarke, 416, 418, 420
Reed, Tom, 328–29, 331–32, 334, 341, 343, 344–45, 346, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 360, 362, 363, 364, 366, 367, 369, 383, 398, 453
refuseniks, 719–20, 721
Regan, Donald, 559, 592, 605, 606, 607, 610, 620, 638, 645, 669, 672, 675, 679, 682, 689–90
appointed chief of staff, 588
and arms-for-hostages deal, 639, 640, 676, 694
background of, 587, 588, 600
and Bitburg incident, 596, 600
chief of staff position desired by, 587–88
on day of assassination attempt, 502, 503, 507
domineering nature of, 600, 632–33
Iran-Contra and, 678, 679, 685, 688, 695
and Marcos election, 649
Nancy’s dislike of, 610–11, 628, 672–73, 682–83, 684, 685, 686, 687, 695–95
resignation of, 696–97
at Soviet summits, 622, 623, 624, 627–28, 665
staff conflicts and, 600–601, 632–35
as treasury secretary, 483–84, 587
Rehnquist, William, 518, 659
Reinhardt, Wolfgang, 187
religion and politics, 521–22
Republican National Convention
of 1964, 312
of 1968, 365, 367
of 1976, 416, 418, 419–21, 427
of 1980, 454, 458
of 1992, 748
Republican Party
and California gubernatorial race of 1966, 316, 318, 323, 324, 326, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333
Democrats courted by, 422–23
and midterm election of 1982, 537–38
and presidential election of 1964, 308–9, 310–15, 326
Revue Productions, 272, 273, 309
Revue Studios, 9, 276, 296
Reykjavik summit, 658–59, 660, 661–67, 710, 711
Reynolds, Brad, 676, 677, 678
Rhodes, Ila, 161–62
Rhodes, James A., 343, 360, 401
Richardson, John, 676, 677
Ridgeley, Frances, 96
Ridgway, Matthew, 599
Righter, Carroll, 266
Robbins, Anne Frances. See Reagan, Nancy Davis
Robbins, Anne “Nanee” Ayres, 250, 253, 256
Robbins, Kenneth, 250, 251, 253, 256
Roberts, Bill, 318, 319, 320, 322, 323–24, 332, 333, 340, 353
Robinson, Edward G., 153, 160, 177, 202, 218, 219
Rockefeller, Nelson, 302, 310, 311, 315, 318, 326, 345, 360, 362, 365, 366, 384, 386, 394, 400, 417, 437
Rockne, Knute, 176
Rodriguez, Junius, 96
Roe v. Wade, 349, 350, 519, 521, 706
Rollins, Edward J., 571, 572
Romney, George, 311, 345, 360, 362
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, 728, 743, 746–47, 758
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 11, 117, 124, 135–36, 168, 172, 185, 199, 201, 208, 212, 219, 229, 287, 288, 310, 313, 439, 646, 760
Roosevelt, Jimmy, 212, 213, 215
Roth, William, 488
Roubik, Robert, 499–500, 501
Rousselot, John, 319
Rowney, Edward, 755
Rubel, Cy, 308, 311, 316, 317
Ruckelshaus, William, 417
Rudman, Warren, 517, 634
Rumford Fair Housing Act, 321, 329–30
Rumsfeld, Donald, 386, 400, 401
Rusher, Bill, 345, 392, 393
Ryan, Fred, 725, 728, 731, 732, 734–35, 737, 742, 744, 751, 752, 753, 754
Saavedra, Daniel Ortega, 548
Sacramento, California, 339–40, 347
Sadat, Anwar, 603
Safire, William, 379, 406
SAG. See Screen Actors Guild
SALT I, 429
SALT II, 429–30, 601
SALT II treaty, 619
Salvatori, Henry, 308, 311, 312, 314, 315, 316, 317, 367, 388, 399, 470
Sandinistas, 493, 547–48, 549, 550, 578, 580, 585, 592, 596, 650, 651, 660, 715–16
Sanford, Terry, 409
Saudi Arabia, 515, 516, 517, 550, 558, 579
Scalia, Antonin, 518, 659–60, 705, 706
Schary, Dore, 213, 260, 261, 262
Schermer, Lloyd, 119–20
Scheverdnadze, Eduard, 624
Schlesinger, James, 400
Schmidt, Helmut, 428
school prayer, 522
Schreiber, Taft, 8, 9, 276, 277, 318, 346, 355, 367
Schulberg, B. P., 181
Schweiker, Richard, 417–18, 424, 484
Scowcroft, Brent, 455, 682, 692–93
Scranton, William, 310, 311, 360
Screen Actors Guild, 211, 216, 233, 265, 272, 273, 304, 305, 362. See also Reagan, Ronald, as SAG president; Reagan, Ronald, in SAG
formation of, 181–82
labor strikes and, 213, 214, 218–19
loyalty oaths and, 228, 234
SDI. See Strategic Defense Initiative
Sears, John, 379, 383–84, 386, 389, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 402, 403, 405, 406, 408, 409, 411, 412, 413–14, 415, 416–17, 420, 424, 427, 428, 431, 433–34, 435, 436, 437, 438, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 452, 453
Secord, Richard V., 616, 630, 681, 699–700, 716
Secret Service, 561, 562, 604
assassination attempt and, 497, 498, 499, 500, 502, 506, 509, 514
post-presidential duties of, 731, 733, 737
Shamir, Yitzhak, 716
Sharon, Ariel, 531
Sheridan, Ann, 161, 188–89, 193, 201
Sherman, Vincent, 242, 243
Shevardnadze, Eduard, 658, 662
Shippert, Gladys, 86
Short, Howard, 98
Shriver, Sargent, 409, 419
Shultz, George, 555, 556, 559, 561, 567, 600, 638, 673, 676, 678, 687, 688, 704, 746
Achille Lauro and, 613–14
and arms-for-hostages deal, 607, 639, 640, 642, 661, 668, 669, 670, 672, 673, 675, 691
background of, 482–83, 532
on Bitburg incident, 597
on Contra aid, 548, 580
on foreign policy made by Clark, 552
Iran-Contra and, 692
on Lebanon crisis, 534, 547, 558, 563, 568
on Marcos election, 649
on missile defense system, 543–44, 546
named secretary of state, 532, 533
on Noriega and Panama, 717
on Qaddafi, 653
resignation threats of, 552–53, 632, 657
on RR’s character, 760
on Soviet relations, 570, 590, 594, 617, 618, 711
at Soviet summits, 620, 622, 624, 625, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 710, 713
as Weinberger adversary, 532, 544, 607, 631–32
Sidey, Hugh, 752
Siegel, Don, 235, 306, 309
Simhoni, Uri, 613
Simon, William, 483
Sinatra, Frank, 218, 455, 478, 479, 584
16-C Rule, 420
Smith, William French, 318, 324, 333, 366, 470, 483, 503, 518, 555, 587, 729
socialism, 239, 243, 287, 302, 303
Social Security, 287, 290, 314, 332, 404, 412, 468, 518, 571, 576, 581, 592, 634, 709
Sorrell, Herbert, 209, 210, 216, 218
South Africa, 611–12, 657
Soviet Union
Afghanistan and, 441–42, 711, 715
arms-control
negotiations with, 594, 595
economy of, 545
as “evil empire,” 538, 715
goal for improved relations with, 589–90
Gorbachev and (see Gorbachev, Mikhail)
and influence in Latin America, 493, 547, 549
and militarization of Grenada, 560
missile program of, 539
reforms in, 711, 715
RR’s desire for diplomacy with, 569–70
SDI ultimatum from, 617–18
Shultz’s approach to, 532
spying charges by, 657–58
Thatcher’s concern about, 429
U.S. defense system and, 540, 545–46
U.S. military expansion and, 522–25
Speakes, Larry, 496, 498, 507, 557, 596, 604, 610, 629, 645, 690–91
Spencer, Stuart, 318, 319, 320, 322, 323, 324, 327, 328, 330, 331, 333, 334, 335, 340, 344, 345, 346, 350, 353, 354, 367, 371, 401, 402, 403, 404, 410, 424, 453, 455, 462, 463, 465, 466, 467, 468–69, 518, 572, 575, 582, 583, 588, 592, 683, 698
Spiegel, Alan, 158, 179
Stack, Robert, 291, 470, 729
Stalin, Joseph, 220, 301
Stanfield, Wallace, 418
Stark, Ray, 466
START agreement, 430, 710, 719
Star Wars missile shield, 545, 581, 590, 617, 625, 690, 710, 747. See also Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)
Steffes, George, 347, 356, 371, 372–73, 375, 426, 427
Steinbrenner, George, 725
Steinem, Gloria, 466
Steiner, Carl, 614
Steinhoff, Johannes, 599
Stevenson, Adlai, 288
Stewart, Jimmy, 7, 194, 197, 204, 213, 222–23, 278, 322, 470, 478, 627, 761
Stewart, Potter, 518, 659
Stockman, David, 467, 484, 487, 488, 489, 527, 528
stock market collapse, 708–9
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), 545, 576, 589, 590–92, 617, 618, 620, 625, 626, 663, 664, 665, 667, 711, 713. See also Star Wars missile shield
Strauss, Robert, 683
Sunday, Billy, 34–35
supply-side economics, 487–88
Supreme Court appointments, 466, 518–19, 521, 659–60, 704–7
Syria, 559, 563, 564, 568, 569, 612
Lebanon occupation by, 546, 550, 551, 552, 555, 557, 558
Tampico, Illinois, 30–32, 33, 34, 35, 40, 41, 42, 52, 54, 55, 56, 410, 758
Tate, Sheila, 426, 445, 490, 500, 501, 603, 610, 611
taxes, RR’s discontent with, 2–3, 239, 283–84, 285, 287
tax reform, 375–76, 488–89, 515, 535, 601, 643, 709
Taylor, Robert, 142, 145, 160, 227, 228, 229, 232, 233, 287
Teeley, Pete, 458, 459
television, 240, 269–70, 296–98
MCA’s involvement in, 271–74, 276, 277
