Thau’s rumored sexual relationship with, 70–71
theater career of, 63–65
Walker’s relationship with, 95, 97
White’s engagement to, 60–61
Reagan, Neil, 81, 82, 248, 282
Alzheimer’s disease of, 112, 532
Maureen’s Senate campaign opposed by, 360
on RR’s romance with NR, 98
Reagan, Nelle Wilson:
Alzheimer’s disease of, 112, 532
death of, 112
as enthusiastic performer of dramatic monologues and poetry, 83
generous nature of, 82
marriage held together by, 93
in move to West Hollywood, 87
NR’s romance with RR approved by, 99–100
NR urged to be patient by, 100
religious faith of, 82
on RR’s marriage to Wyman, 88–89, 100
on RR’s movie contract, 86–87
as stabilizing force in RR’s childhood, 82, 112
Reagan, Pamela Gail Putnam, 178–79
Reagan, Patricia “Patti,” seeDavis, Patti
Reagan, Ronald:
on accepting responsibility, 81–82
as afraid of flying, 136
in Army Air Corps film unit, 89–90
Cleaver as high school and college sweetheart of, 84–85
and Cleaver’s marriage to Gordon, 85–86
and collapse of first marriage, 6
colon cancer of, 396–400, 471, 543
in compulsive dating after Wyman divorce, 78–79, 95
conflict as discomforting to, 120, 135, 139, 148, 157–58, 211, 296, 382
death and funeral of, 561–64
“Dutch” as nickname of, 82
emotional remoteness of, 5–6, 79, 83, 117, 133, 176, 182, 235, 527, 533
at Eureka College, 85
growing political interests of, 90–91
HUAC testimony of, 91
idealism of, 435–36
improvisational skill of, 216
intellect of, as underestimated, 305, 440, 533, 572
Las Vegas act of, 110–11, 113
legacy of, 527, 565–72
in letter about faith to Loyal, 336–37
as lifelong horse lover, 98–99
lucrative speaking engagements of, 170
Malibu Canyon ranch of, 98–99, 145
marriage of NR and, seeReagan, Nancy, marriage of RR and
marriage of Wyman and, seeWyman, Jane, Reagan’s marriage to
newspaper column and radio program of, 170
as oblivious to NR’s faults, 154, 159
as radio sportscaster, 85–86
Rancho del Cielo of, seeRancho del Cielo (Reagan ranch)
religious faith of, 84, 336–37, 346
in resignation from SAG presidency, 107–8
in rewriting stories with unhappy endings, 175
in romance with NR, seeReagan, Nancy, romance of RR and
as SAG president, 76, 91
in shift from New Dealer to conservative, 41, 98, 125, 569
skin cancer of, 400–401, 543
speaking tours of, 115, 201, 204
strong women as filling deep-seated need in, 79
superstitions of, 343
troubled childhood of, 6
trusting nature of, 3–5, 7, 82
vision and ambition of, 3
as voracious reader, 81, 292
Reagan, Ronald, Alzheimer’s disease of, 6, 81, 112, 373–74, 521
Abshire on, 534
Brinkley on, 536
Capps and, 548
deepening effects of, 547–51
emotional and physical toll on NR of, 548–50, 556
and failure to recognize friends and associates, 537–38
Hutton and, 531, 532, 533, 546, 556
increasing public evidence of, 541–42
Maureen and, 545
media’s response to, 546
medical costs of, 553
Michael’s lies about, 555
Morris on, 533
NR and, 532, 536–37, 542–43, 544–45
NR as gatekeeper in, 547
and NR’s 1996 Republican Convention speech, 546–47
and NR’s decreased public appearances, 555
NR’s financial anxieties and, 553
official diagnosis of, 542–43
Parvin and, 538
and Patti’s reconciliation with NR, 547–48
as possibly brought on by riding accident, 536–37
public admiration for NR’s devotion to RR in, 545
public announcement of, 529, 532, 543–44
and question of performance as president, 532–36
ranch life as too difficult for, 550–51
Reynolds on, 535–36
Ron on, 535, 542–43, 544
and RR’s daily routine, 546
and RR’s withdrawal from public appearances, 546
Ryan and, 531, 543–44, 546
Spencer and, 542
Reagan, Ronald, assassination attempt on, 267–82
Brady wounded in, 272–73
failure to transfer power to Bush in, 274
inaccurate first reporting on, 268–69
increased security measures following, 344–45
infection crisis in, 281–82
NR first told of, 269
NR at RR’s bedside in, 271–72
NR’s increased anxiety in wake of, 282, 284–85, 346, 347, 350, 353–54
NR’s increased reliance on astrology following, 5, 342, 344, 346
NR’s insistence on going to hospital, 269–70
NR’s insistence on reduced schedule following, 282
RR’s notes in, 276, 277, 281
RR’s recuperation from, 277, 279
RR’s release from hospital after, 282
RR taken to hospital in, 270–71
seriousness of RR’s condition downplayed in, 280–81
spiritual impact on RR of, 283–84
TV broadcasts shuffled in wake of, 279–80
wounding of RR in, 270
Reagan, Ronald, as California governor, 143–70
abortion rights law signed by, 150–51, 167
amateurism and missteps in early days of, 148–49
Battaglia fired as chief of staff of, 156–58
as disinterested in Sacramento social life, 145–46
first inaugural gala of, 143–44
inauguration of, 143
Meese as chief of staff for, 159–60
and Mitchell execution, 149–50
in move from Governor’s Mansion, 162–63, 165
in 1968 presidential bid, 171–76
NR seen as disruptive presence in, 152–54
NR’s fears about RR’s safety in, 152–53
NR’s insecurity and naivete about role in, 147–48
and NR’s insistence on building new Governor’s Mansion, 165
and NR’s snubbing of political wives, 146
NR’s support of Weinberger in, 149
and NR’s visits with Vietnam veterans and POWs, 168–69
personnel problems of, 148–49
reelection of, 164
RR’s conflict avoidance in, 148, 157–58
second inaugural gala of, 164
student protests and, 151–52
tax policies of, 149
Reagan, Ronald, California gubernatorial campaign of, 127, 129–30
Edie and, 137
in election landslide over Brown, 142
Hollywood Democrats’ support for, 142
Kitchen Cabinet of, 129–30, 148
Maureen and Michael excluded from, 139–40
NR as careful observer in, 134
NR as intermediary between RR and Kitchen Cabinet in, 129–30
NR’s increasingly vocal complaints about, 140–41
NR’s public appearances in, 138
Spencer and Roberts as consultants in, 134, 136
Wyman and, 136–37
Reagan, Ronald, childhood of:
in dramatic recitals with mother, 83
father’s alcoholism and, 79–80, 81–82
frequent moves of, 80–81
as lifeguard, 83
mother as stabilizing force in, 82, 112
Reagan, Ronald, film and television career of, 109–10, 114, 126
canceling of General Electric Theater and, 125
Death Valley Days hosted by, 126
in General Electric Theater,113–14
studio contracts lost by, 108
Warner Brothers contract of, 86
Reagan, Ronald, 1976 presidential primary campaign of:
family meeting on, 182–83
Florida loss in, 188
and Ford’s loss to Carter, 199
Kitchen Cabinet and, 185
New Hampshire loss in, 187
North Carolina loss in, 188–89
North Carolina TV speech in, 190–91
NR as recruiter for, 186
NR’s pessimism about, 183, 189, 191
NR’s reflections on, 196–97
NR’s rivalry with Betty Ford in, 194–96
Sears in, 189, 190
Reagan, Ronald, 1980 presidential campaign of:
Anderson’s debate with RR in, 231–32
Bush as running mate in, 225
Carter debate in, 232–33
Carter’s concession in, 237
Casey as manager of, 219–20, 221
Deaver in, 211–12, 221
Ford as possible running mate in, 224–25
Iowa caucuses in, 212–14
moderate tone of, 208–9
Nashua debate as turning point in, 217–18
New Hampshire primary in, 214–20, 221
Nofziger’s rejoining of, 221
NR’s disapproval of Bush as running mate in, 225–26
NR’s encouragement of, 203
NR’s focus on RR’s emotional appeal in, 228–29
NR’s public image missteps in, 229–30
NR’s racially insensitive comments in, 214–15
NR’s speaking engagements in, 212–13, 214–15
official declaration of, 210
RR’s racially insensitive gaffes in, 215, 226–27
run-up to, 203–10
Sears fired as manager of, 219–20
Sears as manager of, 206–8, 210–12, 214, 215–17
Spencer in, 222–23, 227–28
Reagan, Ronald, post-presidential life of
