LBJ: The Early Years
Encyclopedia
LBJ: The Early Years was a television movie that appeared on the NBC network in February 1987, depicting the life of former President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson
from 1934 until 1963. Actor Randy Quaid
won a Golden Globe
award for his portrayal of Johnson.
), who is sure he will work beside Johnson in the future. Johnson then runs off with his boss's Cadillac, driving all night to pick up his fiancee Lady Bird Johnson
(Patti LuPone
) at the home of her father in Texas. They both drive back to Washington, D.C., and have a bad run-in with Kleberg's standoffish wife, who thinks he is sabotaging her husband for his own political gain.
After being fired by the Congressman (through his wife's intervention), Johnson wakes up one morning to find that another Congressman has died, leaving the seat vacant. He prods a local judge who is very politically connected, Judge Alvin Wirtz (Barry Corbin
), into giving him a chance to run for Congress. Judge Wirtz tells Johnson that the former Congressman's widow might run for the seat, and that he'll need $10,000 just to make it a contest. Lady Bird Johnson's father provides the $10,000, and gets confirmation that the widow will not run. Johnson then tours the hill country of Texas, bringing along his father and his wife to campaign. He promises that he shall provide services such as power and running water to the people, and goes stumping, pushing harder and harder. It is after a gruelling schedule and many, many cigarettes and Milk of Magnesia bottles later that the pain is so great in his abdominal area that Johnson collapses. Lady Bird appears at the bedside of her husband, who had an operation to remove a ruptured appendix and is now recuperating. When he awakens, she tell him that he had won the election and calls him 'Congressman'. Johnson is then shown inside the Capitol, taking an elevator ride up with his friend Sam Rayburn, leaving his wife as the elevator doors close.
Johnson receives a phone call that his father had died, and he goes to Texas for his funeral, when he discovers that his father left his mother in thousands of dollars worth of debt. This revelation, combined with the high cost of running a campaign, forces LBJ to becoming a friend to lobbyists in order to find money. These new connections mean that not only he can begin to get financial help, but his stalled hydroelectric project gets the help it needs in order to happen. At a party held by his largest backer, Johnson meets a vivacious and attractive woman, Alice Glass (Morgan Brittany
), who becomes a lightning rod for his ambition. Despite the threat of another woman, Lady Bird is determined to keep her husband and to help him become even more successful.
It is now 1948, and Johnson now is vying for a Senate seat soon to be vacated by a retiring Senator. His promises kept to the people of the hill country, he still must defeat Governor Coke Stevenson, who battles him for a Texas Democratic caucus vote amid rumors of corruption in the form of vote fixing. A 28-28 deadlock is broken when Johnson's staffers pull onto the floor a drunk member (despite goons under the control of Stevenson trying to prevent it), who votes LBJ into the Senate with the 29th vote.
An ebullient Johnson starts his tenure as United States Senator by parking in the Senate Majority Leader reserved parking spot, much to the chagrin of the parking attendant. The same lot is shown again in the future, and Johnson's name is now fixed on the parking spot. Johnson is now working tirelessly with all of the members of the Senate, battling the troublesome Joseph McCarthy
, making amendments to the Taft-Hartley Act
, and pressing for civil rights
legislation. A new face in Washington, Senator John F. Kennedy
, is told under no uncertain terms that a committee spot on the Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate would be his if he stayed for a crucial labor vote. This meeting proved important as time moves forward to 1959, when Kennedy is one of the nominees for the Presidential campaign for the Democratic Party
. A visit by JFK's brother Robert Kennedy to Texas is arranged as father Joseph Kennedy, who along with his sons, wish to know if LBJ is running for President or not. Johnson refers to Robert Kennedy as a "Harvard man" in a derisive tone while he discovers Robert's true intentions, and goes out of his way to try to embarrass him while hunting.
The lack of action by Johnson in responding to Kennedy in a timely fashion allows John Kennedy to build up a very strong support network, essentially shoving Johnson out of any real chance at the Presidential nomination. Promised votes by Wyoming, now going over to Kennedy to send him over the top to win the nomination, puts Johnson and his family off. Johnson says that his father was right, and that he made a big mistake by not doing something sooner. An offer of the Vice Presidency by John Kennedy is at first rejected by Johnson because of the advice of Sam Rayburn
. The next day, Rayburn tells Johnson that he changed his mind, and LBJ accepts the offer, despite Robert Kennedy's attempt at squashing the idea.
After JFK is elected in 1960, Johnson soon regrets his decision, and he is made to fill the most benign of roles while the President and his brother shut him out of meetings. This position changes drastically when John Kennedy is shot in Dallas in 1963, and Lyndon Johnson becomes the new President of the United States. He accompanies now widow Jacqueline Kennedy, along with his wife, on Air Force One on a trip back to Washington. He takes the Oath of Office by Texas federal district
judge Sarah T. Hughes
onboard the aircraft, and a still of the moment along with a short audio summary of the events after ends the movie.
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
from 1934 until 1963. Actor Randy Quaid
Randy Quaid
Randall Rudy "Randy" Quaid is an American actor perhaps best known for his role as Cousin Eddie in the National Lampoon's Vacation movies, as well as his numerous supporting roles in films, including his Oscar nominated performance in The Last Detail, Independence Day, Kingpin and Brokeback Mountain...
won a Golden Globe
45th Golden Globe Awards
The 45th Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1987, were held on January 23, 1988.-Best Actor - Drama: Michael Douglas - Wall Street*John Lone - The Last Emperor*Jack Nicholson - Ironweed*Nick Nolte - Weeds...
award for his portrayal of Johnson.
Plot
Then clerk for Texas Congressman Richard Kleberg, Lyndon Johnson (Randy Quaid) runs up the steps of the Capitol to meet with future Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn (Pat HinglePat Hingle
Martin Patterson "Pat" Hingle was an American actor.-Early life:Hingle was born Martin Patterson Hingle in Miami, Florida, the son of Marvin Louise , a schoolteacher and musician, and Clarence Martin Hingle, a building contractor. Hingle enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1941, dropping out of...
), who is sure he will work beside Johnson in the future. Johnson then runs off with his boss's Cadillac, driving all night to pick up his fiancee Lady Bird Johnson
Lady Bird Johnson
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 during the presidency of her husband Lyndon B. Johnson. Throughout her life, she was an advocate for beautification of the nation's cities and highways and conservation of natural resources and made that...
(Patti LuPone
Patti LuPone
Patti Ann LuPone is an American singer and actress, known for her Tony Award-winning performances as Eva Perón in the 1979 stage musical Evita and as Madame Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, and for her Olivier Award-winning performance as Fantine in the original London cast of Les...
) at the home of her father in Texas. They both drive back to Washington, D.C., and have a bad run-in with Kleberg's standoffish wife, who thinks he is sabotaging her husband for his own political gain.
After being fired by the Congressman (through his wife's intervention), Johnson wakes up one morning to find that another Congressman has died, leaving the seat vacant. He prods a local judge who is very politically connected, Judge Alvin Wirtz (Barry Corbin
Barry Corbin
Leonard Barrie Corbin, known as Barry Corbin , is an American actor with more than one hundred film, television and video game credits.-Early life:...
), into giving him a chance to run for Congress. Judge Wirtz tells Johnson that the former Congressman's widow might run for the seat, and that he'll need $10,000 just to make it a contest. Lady Bird Johnson's father provides the $10,000, and gets confirmation that the widow will not run. Johnson then tours the hill country of Texas, bringing along his father and his wife to campaign. He promises that he shall provide services such as power and running water to the people, and goes stumping, pushing harder and harder. It is after a gruelling schedule and many, many cigarettes and Milk of Magnesia bottles later that the pain is so great in his abdominal area that Johnson collapses. Lady Bird appears at the bedside of her husband, who had an operation to remove a ruptured appendix and is now recuperating. When he awakens, she tell him that he had won the election and calls him 'Congressman'. Johnson is then shown inside the Capitol, taking an elevator ride up with his friend Sam Rayburn, leaving his wife as the elevator doors close.
Johnson receives a phone call that his father had died, and he goes to Texas for his funeral, when he discovers that his father left his mother in thousands of dollars worth of debt. This revelation, combined with the high cost of running a campaign, forces LBJ to becoming a friend to lobbyists in order to find money. These new connections mean that not only he can begin to get financial help, but his stalled hydroelectric project gets the help it needs in order to happen. At a party held by his largest backer, Johnson meets a vivacious and attractive woman, Alice Glass (Morgan Brittany
Morgan Brittany
Morgan Brittany is an American film and television actress. She is possibly best known for her role in the 1980s primetime soap opera Dallas, where she portrayed Katherine Wentworth, the scheming younger half-sister of Pamela Ewing and Cliff Barnes.-Early career:Under her birth name, Brittany...
), who becomes a lightning rod for his ambition. Despite the threat of another woman, Lady Bird is determined to keep her husband and to help him become even more successful.
It is now 1948, and Johnson now is vying for a Senate seat soon to be vacated by a retiring Senator. His promises kept to the people of the hill country, he still must defeat Governor Coke Stevenson, who battles him for a Texas Democratic caucus vote amid rumors of corruption in the form of vote fixing. A 28-28 deadlock is broken when Johnson's staffers pull onto the floor a drunk member (despite goons under the control of Stevenson trying to prevent it), who votes LBJ into the Senate with the 29th vote.
An ebullient Johnson starts his tenure as United States Senator by parking in the Senate Majority Leader reserved parking spot, much to the chagrin of the parking attendant. The same lot is shown again in the future, and Johnson's name is now fixed on the parking spot. Johnson is now working tirelessly with all of the members of the Senate, battling the troublesome Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
, making amendments to the Taft-Hartley Act
Taft-Hartley Act
The Labor–Management Relations Act is a United States federal law that monitors the activities and power of labor unions. The act, still effective, was sponsored by Senator Robert Taft and Representative Fred A. Hartley, Jr. and became law by overriding U.S. President Harry S...
, and pressing for civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
legislation. A new face in Washington, Senator John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, is told under no uncertain terms that a committee spot on the Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate would be his if he stayed for a crucial labor vote. This meeting proved important as time moves forward to 1959, when Kennedy is one of the nominees for the Presidential campaign for the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. A visit by JFK's brother Robert Kennedy to Texas is arranged as father Joseph Kennedy, who along with his sons, wish to know if LBJ is running for President or not. Johnson refers to Robert Kennedy as a "Harvard man" in a derisive tone while he discovers Robert's true intentions, and goes out of his way to try to embarrass him while hunting.
The lack of action by Johnson in responding to Kennedy in a timely fashion allows John Kennedy to build up a very strong support network, essentially shoving Johnson out of any real chance at the Presidential nomination. Promised votes by Wyoming, now going over to Kennedy to send him over the top to win the nomination, puts Johnson and his family off. Johnson says that his father was right, and that he made a big mistake by not doing something sooner. An offer of the Vice Presidency by John Kennedy is at first rejected by Johnson because of the advice of Sam Rayburn
Sam Rayburn
Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn , often called "Mr. Sam," or "Mr. Democrat," was a Democratic lawmaker from Bonham, Texas, who served as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives for seventeen years, the longest tenure in U.S. history.- Background :Rayburn was born in Roane County, Tennessee, and...
. The next day, Rayburn tells Johnson that he changed his mind, and LBJ accepts the offer, despite Robert Kennedy's attempt at squashing the idea.
After JFK is elected in 1960, Johnson soon regrets his decision, and he is made to fill the most benign of roles while the President and his brother shut him out of meetings. This position changes drastically when John Kennedy is shot in Dallas in 1963, and Lyndon Johnson becomes the new President of the United States. He accompanies now widow Jacqueline Kennedy, along with his wife, on Air Force One on a trip back to Washington. He takes the Oath of Office by Texas federal district
Federal district
Federal districts are a type of administrative division of a federation, under the direct control of a federal government. They exist in various countries and states all over the world.-United States:...
judge Sarah T. Hughes
Sarah T. Hughes
Sarah Tilghman Hughes was an American lawyer and federal judge who swore in Lyndon B. Johnson as President of the United States on Air Force One after the Kennedy assassination. She is the only woman in U.S...
onboard the aircraft, and a still of the moment along with a short audio summary of the events after ends the movie.