Anyone know who the first American actor-turned-politician was? I only go as far back as George Murphy, but I’m sure there were others before him.
Thanks.
Helen Gahagan was an actress (stage plus one movie) who also was elected to Congress three times in the late 40s. She then ran for the Senate but was defeated by Richard Nixon.
Thanks. As I recall that was one dirty campaign. I didn’t know she was an actress before running for Congress.
There must have been earlier actors-turned-politicians, but finding them is difficult!
Robert Wagner, Senator from New York in the 1930’s, was a former stage actor.
(I recall reading this in “Washington at War” by David Brinkeley; not absolutely sure, and no idea if he was the first actor turned politician.)
Wagner isn’t mentioned as being an actor in his entry in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, and I can’t figure out a time in which he’d be able to act.
The full name of the woman Richard Nixon defeated in the election for United States Senate was Helen Gahagan Douglas.
Neither Robert Wagner Sr. nor Jr. seem to have had any acting experience from what I can find (both were politicians - which means they both had time for acting… ;-))
PT Barnum left showbiz for politics, became Mayor of Bridgeport from 1875-6, his political career was short and unsuccessful.