FIRST LADY NANCY DAVIS REAGAN - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH - HFSID 257264

NANCY DAVIS REAGAN
The First Lady signed this color publicity photograph of her and her husband in Red Square, Moscow
Photograph signed: "Nancy/ Reagan". Color, 8x10 overall, image 6½x9½ (one surface). Official White House photo, June 1, 1988. President and Mrs. Reagan visited the Soviet Union for the first time, May 29 to June 1, 1988 at the invitation of Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. Nancy Davis Reagan (1921-2016) was an actress and First Lady who married U.S. President and actor Ronald Reagan in 1952. When both were actors, she noticed that her name was on the Hollywood blacklist, associating her with the Communist Party. An affiliation with the Communist Party would mean the end of her career, so she consulted with film director Mervyn LeRoy. LeRoy connected her with Screen Actors Guild President Ronald Reagan in 1949, who assured her that there were multiple actresses named Nancy Davis and that he would make sure her name was removed from the blacklist. As an actress, Nancy appeared in film and television roles including The Next Voice You Hear… (1950) and Hellcats of the Navy (1957). The latter film is the only film collaboration between Nancy and Ronald. The two also appeared in an episode of the Zane Grey Theatre (1956-1961) together in 1961. She became the First Lady of California (1967-1975) and the First Lady of the United States (1981-1989) as her husband became an elected official. In the White House, Nancy became an influential force. She renovated the White House and, following an assassination attempt in 1981, threw herself into protecting the President. Her influence on the decision-making process for the President was unprecedented. As First Lady, she also launched the “Just Say No” anti-drug program. Mrs. Reagan was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. Three tack holes at upper blank background. Light, pinhead-size stain at lower right blank border. Otherwise, fine condition.