Eugene Allen
Eugene Allen (July 14, 1919 – March 31, 2010)[1] was an American waiter and butler. He worked for the White House for 34 years until he retired in 1986.[1] He served eight presidents of the United States.[1] He began working at the White House in 1952.[1] Allen's life was the inspiration for the movie The Butler, released in 2013.[2]
Eugene Allen | |
|---|---|
 Eugene Allen with Ronald and Nancy Reagan | |
| Born | July 14, 1919 |
| Died | March 31, 2010 (aged 90) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Head Butler |
| Known for | The Butler |
Allen earned the highest rank of butlers serving in the White House. At the Maître d'hôtel in 1981, President Ronald Reagan[3] invited Allen and his wife Helene to a state dinner at the White House. The dinner was in honor of Helmut Kohl.
Allen was born in Scottsville, Virginia on July 14, 1919. He received no formal schooling. He began working as a waiter at a pool club. Allen met his wife Helene in 1942. They had a son, Charles Allen.[4] Helene wanted to vote for Barack Obama in 2008, but she died the day before the election, on November 3, 2008.[5]
Allen died at a hospital in Takoma Park, Maryland, from kidney failure. He was aged 90.[1]
References
change- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Haygood, Wil (April 2, 2010). "Eugene Allen, White House butler for 8 presidents, dies at 90". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
- ↑ Nordyke, Kimberly (May 7, 2013). "'The Butler' Trailer: Oprah Winfrey Plays 'Proud' Wife to Forest Whitaker (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- ↑ Haygood, Wil (November 7, 2008). "A Butler Well Served by This Election". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
- ↑ Dockterman, Eliana (August 16, 2013). "The True Story of The Butler: Fact vs. Fiction in Lee Daniels' The Butler". Time. Archived from the original on February 15, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ↑ The Man at the Door. The Washington Post (August 12, 2013). Retrieved on August 31, 2013.
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