Press release: Irving Berlin’s letters reveal his efforts to get Dwight D Eisenhower elected

Journalists sitting and writing in notepads

8 December 2024

Irving Berlin’s letters reveal his efforts to get Dwight D Eisenhower elected President of the United States  

And according to Professor Dominic Broomfield-McHugh of Gresham College, Berlin documented his admiration for the former war hero in the character of the retired General in the classic movie White Christmas, which celebrates its seventieth anniversary this year 

First heard on a Christmas radio broadcast in 1941, Irving Berlin’s song White Christmas remains ubiquitous at this time of year, thanks to Bing Crosby’s multiple classic renditions. 

Its appearance in the 1954 film of the same name is probably its most familiar form, because of its annual screenings on television. 

Yet amid the Santa costumes and snow, the heart of the film’s story is a tribute to General Dwight D Eisenhower, whom Berlin had worked behind the scenes to help elect as President in 1952 and again in 1956. 

“While we associate the movie White Christmas with the winter holidays, it’s really about how two former members of a regiment in the Second World War – played by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye – come to the rescue of their former General, who has retired and opened a hotel in New England.  

“He is struggling in civilian life, so they use their fame as performers to pay tribute to the General and thereby draw attention to the hotel.” 

Research into Berlin’s papers at the Library of Congress show that he initially worked on an unproduced musical about a retired General who reluctantly runs for President of the United States in 1947-48, called Stars on My Shoulders. It was abandoned but it included several songs that were later repurposed into White Christmas. 

Then in 1950, with President Truman’s government in turmoil during his second term, Berlin took part in a general groundswell to persuade Eisenhower – a hero of the Second World War, who had already resisted calls to run for office in 1948 – to become the Republican candidate for 1952. 

“He did this through the musical Call Me Madam in 1950,” explains Broomfield-McHugh.  

“The show is a satire of Washington politics, and in the second act two of the politicians sing a song called ‘They Like Ike’, in which they discuss why Eisenhower would make a successful candidate for President.” 

Eisenhower attended the opening of the musical, and four days later the headline of the front page of the New York Times revealed that the former Republican nominee from the 1948 election said that Eisenhower should represent the party this time. 

“Eisenhower resisted for a further period,” adds Broomfield-McHugh. “But Berlin’s correspondence shows that he sent the song ‘They Like Ike' to him to encourage him to run.  

“When Eisenhower decided to do so in early 1952, Berlin not only took part in a rally for him, but he also tweaked the words of the song to ‘I Like Ike’, which became his campaign slogan and song.” 

Eisenhower won the Presidency in 1952, and in July 1954 he awarded Berlin the Congressional Gold Medal – one of the two highest civilian honours in the United States – in recognition of his contribution of patriotic songs to American life. 

“Three months later, White Christmas was released,” notes Broomfield-McHugh, “and given his participation in supporting Eisenhower’s election, can there be any doubt that the General Waverley of the film represented the General Eisenhower of the Oval Office?” 

While Professor Broomfield-McHugh will be sharing some of his research on the big screen, to help illustrate some of his points he will be joined by West End star Beverley Klein to sing several songs pertinent to the lecture. 

Gresham College is London’s oldest higher education institution.  Founded in 1597 under the will of Sir Thomas Gresham, Gresham College has been delivering free public lectures for over 427 years from a lineage of leading professors and experts in their field who have included Christopher Wren, Robert Hooke, Iannis Xenakis and Sir Roger Penrose.  

The lectures will be given at Conway Hall in Central London. 

Starting at 6pm, entry is free, and it is also broadcast live online. They last an hour.  

In-person places can be booked online via Gresham College’s website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/whats-on/unwrapping-irving-berlins-white-christmas 

ENDS 

Notes to Editors

Professor Dominic Broomfield-McHugh is happy to take part in radio and podcast interviews and will also give in-depth print interviews; please contact: Phil Creighton press@gresham.ac.uk 

Images available on request

About Gresham College  
Gresham College has been providing free, educational lectures - at the university level - since 1597 when Sir Thomas Gresham founded the college to bring Renaissance Learning to Londoners. Our history includes some of the luminaries of the scientific revolution including Robert Hooke and Sir Christopher Wren and connects us to the founding of the Royal Society.  

Today we carry on Sir Thomas's vision. The College aims to stimulate intellectual curiosity and to champion academic rigour, professional expertise and freedom of expression. www.gresham.ac.uk  

Gresham College is a registered charity number 1039962 and relies on donations to help us encourage people's love of learning for many years to come. For more details or to make a gift, visit our website.