Former President

The name of former President, army veteran, actor, lifeguard and sports broadcaster Ronald Reagan has become interwoven with the fabric of life in 20th-century America, but it was his bravery in coming forward to describe his Alzheimer’s disease which caught the attention of the nation recently. 

The Illinois native, who survived an assassination attempt during his presidency in 1981, was born to Nelle Wilson and Jack Reagan in 1911. He attended Eureka college in Illinois, and majored in economics and sociology. During this time, his interest in drama began, and he started work as a sports commentator with a small radio station in Iowa, an affiliate of NBC. After he enlisted in the army in 1937, an agent for Warner Brothers “discovered” Reagan, and his acting career – during which he made 53 movies – took off. In 1940, he married Jane Wyman, and the couple had a daughter, but later divorced in 1949. Reagan later married Nancy Davis, and they had two children. 

Entering politics, Reagan began by campaigning for Eisenhower and Nixon, and officially changed his party registration to Republican. In 1966, he was elected governor of California, and in 1980 became the 40th President of the United States.