Search results
Daniels’ film replaces the real Eugene Allen with the fictional Cecil Gaines, using the unique perspective of a White House butler as a jumping-off point to explore questions of race in the ...
People also ask
Is the Butler based on a true story?
Was a butler well served by this election based on a true story?
Who was the inspiration for 'the Butler'?
Who is Cecil Gaines in 'the Butler'?
- Was The Real Cecil Gaines Born on A Plantation Like in The Butler Movie?
- How Did Eugene Allen Land His Job at The White House?
- How Long Did The Real Cecil Gaines, Eugene Allen, Work as A White House Butler?
- Why Was Eugene Allen's Name Changed to Cecil Gaines For The Movie?
- Did Eugene Get A Personal Invitation to Attend JFK's Funeral?
- Did The Allens' Son Die in The Vietnam War?
- Is The Eldest Son in The Movie, Louis Gaines, Based on A Real person?
- Is The Movie Accurate in Depicting President Ronald Reagan as Being Racist?
- Is It True That U.S. President Barack Obama Was Asked to Be in The Butler?
- Did Eugene's Wife Helene Really Die Just Prior to Obama's Election?
Yes. The true story behind Eugene Allen verifies that he was born on a plantation in Virginia (not Georgia). He worked for the family as a house boy doing chores such as washing dishes. The skills he gained on the plantation prepared him to work as a waiter at the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia and then at a Washington, D.C. country club...
In 1952, the real Cecil Gaines, Eugene Allen, was working as a waiter at a Washington D.C. country club. After being informed by a co-worker of job openings at the White House, he applied. Allen met with Alonzo Fields, a maitre d', who instantly liked him. "I wasn't even looking for a job," Allen admits (The Washington Post). This differs from the ...
Mr. Allen worked for 34 years in the White House under eight presidents. He was hired in 1952 as a pantry worker and worked his way up to butler after several years. This contrasts the movie, which has Cecil starting to work as a butler immediately. In 1980, during the Reagan administration, Mr. Allen was promoted to maitre d', the position he held...
"While the movie The Butler is set against historical events, the title character and his family are fictionalized," states director Lee Daniels. "We were able to borrow some extraordinary moments from Eugene's real life to weave into the movie." -The Butler: A Witness to History "It's important to understand," says Danny Strong, who penned The But...
Yes. The Butler true story reveals that Eugene Allen was working in the White House kitchen on the day that President Kennedy was assassinated. He turned down a personal invitation to President John F. Kennedy's funeral, instead devoting himself in another way, "Somebody had to be at the White House to serve everyone after they came from the funera...
No. In the movie, the Gaines' youngest son Charlie (Elijah Kelley) dies in Vietnam, requiring Cecil to maintain his composure and poise while confronting Nixon. When comparing The Butler movie fiction vs. fact, we discovered that in real life, Eugene and Helene Allen's only son, Charles, did in fact serve in Vietnam, but he did not die there. He re...
No. During our research into The Butlertrue story, we quickly learned that the Louis Gaines character, portrayed by actor David Oyelowo, is entirely fictional, as is the subplot involving the character. This includes Louis joining the Freedom Riders and the Black Panthers, and the rift that develops between Cecil and his son as a result. In real li...
No. The Butler movie depicts President Ronald Reagan (Alan Rickman) stating that he will refuse to impose sanctions against South Africa for its racist policies. The true story behind The Butlermovie reveals that the situation was much more complex than Lee Daniel's film makes it appear. At the time, America was entangled in the Cold War with the S...
There has been a lot of debate as to whether or not President Obama was asked to be in the film, as well as what his response was if asked. During an interview with Gayle King for the Oprah Winfrey Network, director Lee Daniels said, "It was more powerful to not have Obama in it but we did go back and forth." He went on to admit that they didn't in...
Yes. Sadly, Helene did not witness the election. She passed away on November 3, 2008, the day before Barack Obama won the election.
Loosely based on the real life of Eugene Allen, who worked in the White House for decades, the film stars Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines, an African American who is a witness of notable political and social events of the 20th century during his 34-year tenure serving as a White House butler.
The Butler, with its Forrest Gump -like ambition to touch on every significant moment and movement in the country’s 20th century racial history, begins by showing Cecil Gaines on a Georgia...
Eugene Charles Allen (July 14, 1919 – March 31, 2010) was an American waiter and butler who worked for the US government at the White House for 34 years until he retired as the head butler in 1986. Allen's life was the inspiration for the 2013 film The Butler.
Aug 5, 2022 · Yes, ‘The Butler’ is based on a true story. Screenwriter Danny Strong based the script on the 2008 Washington Post article ‘A Butler Well Served by This Election’ by Wil Haygood, who, in turn, was inspired by the extraordinary life of Eugene Allen, who served at the White House between 1952 and 1986.
Aug 15, 2013 · Other moments from the film appear to be true: Allen witnessed presidents mulling over important historical decisions, including Eisenhower’s fight with Arkansas governor Orval...
