I love little stories like this, thought others might enjoy.

(Courtesy of Laura Hillebrand, author of Seabiscuit and Unbroken.)

https://www.facebook.com/perma...6&id=165038523517866

On Saturdays during World War II, the National Press Club canteen in Washington, DC was open to soldiers, who could come to enjoy free hot dogs and beer.

In February, 1945, Vice President Harry Truman, then the most irrelevant man in American politics, found himself in his usual state of having nothing to do. Asked to participate in a little show put on for the troops in the canteen, he wandered over to the Press Club, went into the ballroom, sat down at the piano, and began to play.

It so happened that on that Saturday, a young actress was also invited to the club. It was Lauren Bacall, who was just twenty years old and experiencing her first blush of fame. While Truman played something homey, the smitingly gorgeous Bacall hopped up on the piano, draped her long legs over the keys, and watched Truman play. Truman, quite obviously delighted, played terribly. Someone snapped this photo of him, looking up at her as if gobsmacked. The shot became an instant, controversial sensation.

“What disturbed many people was that Truman appeared to be having such a good time, which he was,” wrote historian David McCullough. “Bess was furious. She told him he should play the piano in public no more.”

Although I never met her, she was a relative.

Her father was my paternal grandmother's nephew. Not sure what that makes us, some sort of cousin?

Great story. McCullough’s “Truman” is a great read and really lets the reader understand many of today’s political beginnings.

Yes, a famous Life Magazine photo. It's included in a book of Life Magazine pics I received as a brithday present when I was a kid.

My wife would say blaming a man for gawking at a beautiful woman is like “ blaming a compass for pointing north” ( quote from Raul Julia movie tequila sunrise)

Truman was one of my favorite presidents. One of the few Democrats.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
It's included in a book of Life Magazine pics I received as a birthday present when I was a kid.

I have a number of books of photo collections from that era, including U.S. Camera for 1945, ’46, and ’47. I will pore over them when I rediscover them in my collection because I’m fascinated by the pictures. There’s a character about them that I just don’t seem to find in anything similar today. Perhaps it’s because they reflect a different time. Thanks for that one; I don’t seem to recall seeing it before.

quote:

Originally posted by Rolan_Kraps:
Truman was one of my favorite presidents. One of the few Democrats.

He was the ONLY Democrat my Dad approved of. Heck, he even held it against Ronald Reagan that he was once a Democrat. It wasn't until 1990 that Dad would agree with me on Reagan being a good President. BTW, IMO Reagan was the finest President this country has had since Lincoln.

Truman survived an assassination attempt by Puerto Rican separatists. Quite a shoot out.

quote:

Originally posted by Rolan_Kraps:
Truman was one of my favorite presidents. One of the few Democrats.

AGREED.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Truman survived an assassination attempt by Puerto Rican separatists. Quite a shoot out.

As I recall, one or two of them found themselves on the wrong end of a Thompson.

Yes, I read a book about that. Truman was living in the Blair House. I can’t recall the title right now.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Truman survived an assassination attempt by Puerto Rican separatists. Quite a shoot out.

^^^^^ American Gunfight by Stephen Hunter.

What do Pres. Truman and mr kablammo have in common? Both sat at Mozart's piano in Salzburg. The difference is that the teenaged mr k snuck back into the room while the tour group were going downstairs. Mozart, BTW, is buried in an unknown pauper's grave.

You can find pictures of Truman at the piano.

He also wrote an angry letter to a critic of his daughter's piano recital.

I remember my mother talking of Margaret playing the piano and how boring the first family was. I can imagine that coming after FDR and Eleanor who really started the Feminist movement.

I do remember an interesting fact. S was his middle name and it had no period after it.

A notable stmt by Truman, prob not original with him, but very relevant in politics today, "it's not what the man doesn't know that worries me, it's what he knows for sure that just isn't so".

I believe he also originated:
“If you need a friend in Washington, get a dog.”

quote:

Originally posted by Rolan_Kraps:
Truman was one of my favorite presidents. One of the few Democrats.

. When Truman was a Senator he had to pick candidates for the Military Academies that Senators do. Dozens of letters came in from his State, he read through them all well typed and arranged, and then came across one hand written in pencil from a candidate from a boy living on a farm saying he didn’t have a typewriter. Truman read the letter and told his assistant to add that on to the accepted. Even as President Truman was a humble man.

Yeah, Truman will always be one of Missouri's most favorite sons.

I remember the year my wife and I got married (1980) we lived in Washington state but we always came back for a couple of weeks as she was born and raised in Kansas City and her whole family lived here. Anyways, the first thing her mom and dad did was to load us up in the station wagon and drive over to Independence so I could see his house. I remember them telling me Bess still lived there. I do believe she died shortly after that.

The biography Truman is an excellent read.

He was the last of what I would say was an honorable democrat.

As far as Bess not being happy, I’m not sure she was ever entirely happy to begin with.

Them gams... hubbahubbah bubba.