Thursday, June 28, 2018

A new FDR video & Mr B "collide"

So I recently found out this video had been "discovered" and released by the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library today, after having been donated to them by the tourist who shot the short video. It's of FDR walking at the White House, a very brief clip but one of the only clear indications of how the president walked. I had read about the somewhat rollicking, rolling gait he had in order to walk with a cane, his braces on and with the help of a sturdy aide's arm.

I've long been fascinated by Roosevelt (and Lincoln), and I think his ridiculously accomplished, complicated, occasionally ass-backwards life politically and personally is incredibly interesting. Now, there is a relationship to Lionel Barrymore in all this of course, explained in another post here, but I also wanted to draw attention to this in the TIME article I'm linking (highlighting mine):


He was an active advocate for polio research and during his first Annual Birthday Ball in 1934 raised $1 million for the cause, telling the country over the radio, “As the representative of hundreds of thousands of crippled children, I accept this tribute” — even as he tried had to maintain signs of physical vitality.


I discovered last year Mr B's very clear link to the fundraising in the late 1940s for the then-nascent National Arthritis Research Foundation and his leadership in it. Yes, he denied having arthritis, and I'm going to say yes, he lied.  But that's another blog post, and a later one too. In the meantime, you might look at this brief glimpse of Franklin Roosevelt and ponder many, many things.


And below, a contemporary of his:



It's a strange ol' world.

3 comments:

  1. The family in this home movie must have been pretty well off for the time. The movie itself looks as though it was shot on 35mm film.

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    1. I was surprised at that too! There is a little more on the Hill family in other articles, but I didn't find a whole lot. It's not on the front page of the FDR presidential library/museum website at the moment.

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  2. I was surprised to see FDR only needing an aid (along with his braces and cane.)However this was in 1935. As time moved forward the way FDR appeared to walk was in the middle with his 5 sons, straining to make FDR look like he was walking. I believe you are right Sammy. Lionel lied about his arthritis. I personally was surprised that Lionel did not support FDR's presidentcy. Since they shared some similarities....But I still love Lionel no matter what candidate he supports, That's about the only place where Lionel and I collide! As usual great post Sammy

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