Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library
President’s Day Weekend Events Showcase FDR’s Hobbies:
FDR’s OWN PLOTLINE MAKES THE BIG SCREEN:
THE PRESIDENT’S MYSTERY (1936)
and DOCUMENTS ON DISPLAY: PRESIDENTIAL AUTOGRAPHS
Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.
HYDE PARK, NY — The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum will host an afternoon of President’s Day Weekend events showcasing several of FDR’s many hobbies on Saturday, February 13, 2010. The programs begin at 1:00 p.m. in the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home with a movie, The President’s Mystery (1936), based on a plotline developed by President Roosevelt himself. Following the film visitors can view a selection of presidential autographs from the Roosevelt Library archives – many of which are from FDR’s personal collection – on display only once a year. These events are free and open to the general public.
MOVIE: THE PRESIDENT’S MYSTERY (1936)
1:00 p.m.
The FDR Presidential Library will show the 1936 movie The President’s Mystery at 1:00 p.m. on February 13. The plotline for The President’s Mystery was suggested by FDR, an avid fan of mystery stories. Six famous authors worked on his idea to produce this story, which was adapted for the screen in 1936. The films tells a story of a successful and influential lawyer who is engaged by his friends to shoot down a bill in the U.S. Senate which results in scores of small businesses having to close down. When he witnesses the results of his actions in a small frontier town, he decides to sell his stocks, divorce his unfaithful wife, change his identity and use his money to help his newfound love. Things go wrong, however, when he is accused of his wife’s murder and his disguise is blown. Seating is first-come, first-served.
DOCUMENTS ON DISPLAY: PRESIDENTIAL AUTOGRAPHS
2:30 p.m.
Following the film, visitors can view original documents from the Roosevelt Library archives bearing the signatures of many of our nation’s Presidents including: John Adams, Thomas
Jefferson, James Madison, Martin Van Buren, Andrew Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy. Twenty-eight signatures will be on display — most of which were
collected by FDR himself. These rare documents are on display only once a year. There will be a video presentation and family-friendly activities relating to presidential history.
Please contact Cliff Laube at (845) 486-7745 or email clifford.laube@nara.gov with questions about these events.