I work at Warner Bros. We had a moment of silence for President Reagan on the lot this morning at 10 am. I showed up at the memorial plaque we have here commemorating Warners employees in uniform during WWII - Ronald Reagan's is among the names there inscribed. I expected to be alone, but there were about a dozen other employees gathered, mostly security guards. Someone had put two white roses at the base of the plaque for RR. Because I wore my black suit, the others assumed I was an executive - the shock on their faces said it all. I had to assure them I'm a wage slave like them, just wearing the suit because it's a national day of mourning. We stood with heads bowed for a few minutes, then quietly went about our business.
Ronald Reagan began his Hollywood career here, spent fifteen years at the studio and made almost all of his best pictures here. And not one person from the executive ranks, not one star, not one celebrity was there with us to honor his memory. Just the ordinary working stiffs.
Somehow, I find that appropriate, and wonderful. Average Americans cared about Ronald Reagan, as he cared for them. He lives in our hearts forever.
Argus did you hear on Laura Ingram this morning, so guy call in and Warners was a "B" movie studio when RR was there. As far aas I can remember they turned out so grade A movies back then
In an interview the other on on Scarborough County and man (don't remember who he was) said when he went to sign up & pay his dues at SAGA not a picture of Ronald Reagan was to be found among the past presidents of that union. He said he almost because obsessed trying to find one, going from hallway to hallway upstairs, downstairs, never to find one. As if all memory of RR was erased. He was amazed, but pointed out that is the attitude in Hollyweird...very Nazi-like while saying what inclusive people they are....
I understand that there will be a big Hollywood presence tonight at the internment....however, Warner Bros. is very different than when RR worked there. You look at the old photos they have on the walls, or at the Smoke House, and compare it to now....and it was better back then!