Strangely, Broadway was never part of the original tour – it was never staged in New York until 2008. Gallu’s play opened at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 17, 1975, and then embarked on a six-city tour. As New York Times critic Richard Eder remarked: “If at the start he is an actor straining away to imitate Truman, by the end he is the man.” However, Whitmore captured the unique cadences of Truman’s distinctive speech pattern and the trademark physical gestures that shaped the public’s perception – most notably his wide, beaming smile. Whitmore bore no physical resemblance to Truman, though expert make-up and costuming helped to bring about a passing similarity. Landing this role was something of a major comeback for Whitmore. MGM initially positioned Whitmore for meaty supporting roles in prestige productions such as “The Asphalt Jungle” and “Kiss Me Kate,” and he snagged a starring role in the 1954 sci-fi cult favorite “Them!” However, his career became bogged down with minor supporting roles in major films such as “Oklahoma!” and “Planet of the Apes,” plus a seemingly endless amount of forgettable television roles. Whitmore was a one-time MGM contract player who received an Oscar nomination for “Battleground” (1949), his second film role.
It was created at a time when American theater was ripe with one-person plays on the lives of towering historic figures: most notably, Henry Fonda played Clarence Darrow, Hal Holbrook was Mark Twain and Julie Harris was Emily Dickinson.įor the theatrical production of “Give ‘em Hell, Harry!”, character actor James Whitmore was tapped as the show’s star. “Give ‘em Hell, Harry!” was conceived by playwright Samuel Gallu as a one-man production that highlighted episodes in Truman’s personal and political adventures. Since that kind of a politician appears to be extinct, the best we can do is to appreciate the spirit of Truman in the delightful 1975 film “Give ‘em Hell, Harry!” In today’s political climate, it is easy to rue the absence of a straight-talking, morally honest leader like Truman. Grandpa may not have been in line with many of Truman’s policies, but he greatly admired the 33rd president’s blunt honesty, salty sense of humor and ability to stand up for what he believed in.
My grandfather was a rather severe right-wing Republican – compared to him, Rush Limbaugh was a Pete Seeger-style leftie! While Grandpa abhorred the Democratic Party, there was one leader in their ranks whom he revered: Harry S.
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