Ask any American of a certain age about President Ronald Reagan, and they are sure to have an opinion. Loved by some and hated by others, Reagan enacted many pieces of legislation that changed the shape of the country. At the same time, however, he could express himself openly to the people of the nation. This led him to be called “The Great Communicator.” Reagan lived a long and fascinating life, with many incredible facts you may not know.
Born in Illinois to a religious family, Reagan excelled at sports in college before becoming a sports broadcaster. After being invited to Hollywood for a screen test, Reagan became a well-known actor, starring in dozens of movies. All the while, his political yearnings grew and he successfully ran for governor of California.
From there, he set his sights on the White House, and once elected, became one of the best-known and well-respected presidents in history. Though opinion is divided on his legacy, there are some incredible moments from Reagan’s long and multifaceted life. In this article, we will explore 20 incredible facts about Reagan.
To compile a list of incredible facts about Ronald Reagan, 24/7 Tempo consulted a variety of political, historical, and entertainment sources including Time Magazine, and The National Constitution Center. Next, we selected facts highlighting his political career juxtaposed with unexpected aspects of his life story. After that, we confirmed elements of these stories using sites like The White House and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. (For a rundown of presidents, explore the worst and best U.S. presidents.)
His family called him Dutch
Given to him by his father shortly after Reagan was born, the nickname “Dutch” came from his father calling him a “fat little Dutchman” due to his size. This was only solidified upon receiving Dutch-boy haircuts throughout his childhood. Furthermore, Reagan preferred those closest to him to call him Dutch. He felt it was a far more red-blooded American name than Ronald.
Reagan was once an FBI informant
While still working as an actor in Los Angeles, Reagan assisted the Federal Bureau of Investigation to help them identify suspected Communist sympathizers. While he took the codename T-10, Reagan began having misgivings about his role in pointing out Hollywood commies. Concerned that the Bureau was using too heavy a hand, he once asked an FBI agent, “Do they expect us to constitute ourselves as a little FBI of our own and determine just who is a Commie and who isn’t?”
He was crazy about jelly beans
While attempting to give up smoking, Reagan turned to jelly beans to satisfy his cravings. He became such a fan that after he was elected governor of California, the Goelitz Candy Company sent him regular shipments. The shipments never stopped and regular parcels were delivered to Reagan while he lived in the White House. He even gave the company permission to ship Jelly Belly Jars with the official presidential seal. These were handed out at White House functions. Reportedly, Reagan’s favorite flavor of jelly bean was licorice.
He was practically deaf in 1 ear
While working on a movie set in the 1930s, a gun was fired right next to Reagan’s head. This caused him to have partial hearing damage in one ear for the rest of his life. Sympathetic to workplace hazards for actors and the like, Reagan later wrote a letter to Michael Jackson, lending his support after Jackson was burned while filming a television commercial.
Reagan ended the stigmatization of hearing aids
Having suffered from partial hearing loss for much of his life, Reagan was sympathetic to people with similar afflictions and, in 1983, admitted to using a hearing aid. While previously considered technology for people with weak constitutions, his admission helped hearing aid equipment reach record sales. Indeed, the company that made Reagan’s hearing aid, Starkey Laboratories, reported quadrupled sales following the president’s public comments.
He starred in dozens of films
Though he’s undoubtedly remembered for his time as president, Reagan’s acting résumé is hefty. He started his media career as a sportscaster in Chicago. After he secured a Hollywood screen test, however, the rest was history. Reagan went on to star in over 50 movies during his three-decade moviemaking career. Some of these movies include “Bedtime for Bonzo,” “Love is on the Air,” and “The Killers.”
His Hollywood career didn’t end there, however. After acting for several years, Reagan was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild in 1947. While president of SAG, he negotiated labor disputes, spied on actors for their Communist leanings, and helped implement the Taft-Hartley Act. Though he resigned in 1952, he returned by popular demand as SAG Ppresident in 1959. This time, Reagan successfully secured residual payments for actors in films that later aired on television.
Reagan was the first divorcée president
In the mid-1940s, Reagan married actress Jane Wyman. The couple divorced by 1948. Though he went on to marry Nancy Davis, whom he remained married to for the rest of his life, this gave him a unique standing as president. It made him the first president who had ever been divorced. Only with the election of Donald Trump did divorcées once again enter the Executive Branch.
He hated brussels sprouts
While Reagan had a strong penchant for jelly beans, he hated a few vegetables. As exposed in wife Nancy Reagan’s biography, he hated brussels sprouts. He also did not like tomatoes. His dislike of brussels sprouts was not an aversion, however. As Nancy put it, he was fed so many brussels sprouts during a trip to England that he swore to never again eat them. Otherwise, he was not a fussy eater, having lived on the public speaking circuit for years, if not, decades.
Reagan the Democrat
Reagan was an early political supporter of the Democratic Party. He later switched to Republican and became one of the best-known Republican presidents. Before that, however, in the 1930s, he was a strong supporter of the New Deal Movement put forth by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. While touring the country as a General Electric spokesman in the 1950s, Reagan’s political ideas turned more conservative.
He resented never winning an Oscar
Though he was a successful actor and later, the most powerful person in the United States, Reagan remained bitter about never winning an Academy Award. His movie career was not populated by what you would call Oscar contenders, but that did not stop Reagan from thinking otherwise. According to White House aide Mark Weinberg, Reagan expressed resentment that the Academy never recognized his meteoric rise through public life. Reagan said, “You would think that after what I’ve done—being the only one from that profession to do so—they would commemorate it in some way. But I guess their political agenda has taken over good manners.”
In an odd twist of fate or some type of cosmic joke, however, the Oscars eventually lent Reagan some recognition. John Hinckley Jr. shot Reagan on the same day the awards ceremony was scheduled to occur: March 30, 1981. Out of respect, The Academy postponed the ceremony for one day.
Reagan was an avid letter writer
Even while in the White House, Reagan set time aside each day to read and respond to correspondence. Besides his aforementioned letter to Michael Jackson, Reagan famously wrote back to a 7th grader. The child had written him asking for federal assistance because his mother had declared his room a disaster area. Reagan responded, suggesting the kid clean his room.
A chimpanzee almost killed him
While filming the movie “Bedtime for Bonzo” in 1951, Reagan acted in a scene that almost killed him. Peggy the chimp became fixated on his tie and started pulling on it. She pulled it so hard, however, she nearly strangled the future president.
While Reagan managed to escape the chimp’s clutches, the tie was pulled so tight that crew members had to cut it off his neck. Ironically, “Bedtime for Bonzo” later became something of a cult classic. After he won the 1980 presidential election, having received many jokes at his expense regarding the movie, Reagan embraced his role in the sleeper hit.
He had a wicked sense of humor
While Reagan made many controversial decisions as president, one thing people remember him for is his sense of humor. The jokes didn’t always land well, however. While giving his weekly radio talk in 1984, Reagan said, “My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”
The public immediately expressed disdain for the comment, but Reagan went on his merry way. His sharp wit, however, later served him well. While debating former Vice President Walter Mondale in an election debate, Reagan cast shade on the politician. He famously said, “I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”
The list of Reagan’s jokes goes on. After he was shot and wheeled into the operating room, he turned to the surgeons and said, “Please tell me you’re Republicans.” (For other information about the election process, discover the most watched presidential debates.)
He’s one of the few presidents to survive an assassination attempt
As mentioned above, one of the incredible facts about Ronald Reagan is being shot and living to tell the tale. While standing outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C., he was approached by John Hinckley Jr., who pulled a gun and shot at the president. No bullet directly hit Reagan but one ricocheted off his limousine and hit him in the chest. Though Reagan was close to death, after a successful surgery, he made it. What’s more, he fully recovered and continued as president for another eight years.
He almost died twice while president
While many Americans know about his miraculous survival from a gunshot wound in his would-be assassination, it wasn’t the only time Reagan felt the cold touch of death as president. In 1981, Reagan underwent emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in his lung. If left untreated, it would have killed him.
Reagan appointed the first female Supreme Court justice
Though Republicans have a reputation for more conservative stances regarding social issues, it didn’t stop Reagan. He made history in 1981 when he appointed Sandra Day O’Connor as a Supreme Court justice. Since she was the first woman on the Supreme Court, Reagan made a historic advancement in gender equality.
He was known as ‘The Great Communicator’
Reagan had incredible public speaking abilities thanks to years in Hollywood and more on the public speaking circuit. He had an uncanny ability to simplify complex topics, often with a bit of wit to bring points home. Some of his speeches and comments, like “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall,” have become classic presidential quotes. All these elements led to him being known as “The Great Communicator.”
He had a thing for red
Reagan was quite enamored with his wife Nancy, and that extended to her usually red-colored wardrobe. So much so, that Reagan seemed to gravitate toward White House reporters donning the passionate color. Furthermore, many reporters began wearing red in hopes that Reagan would show them favoritism in press conferences. Once, Reagan called on United Press International reporter Helen Thomas and said, “Now, Helen, I know that Nancy upstairs would die – she’s watching on television – if I didn’t call on you in that pretty red dress.”
Reagan raised taxes
Despite being a Republican and having a reputation for lowering taxes, Reagan’s track record suggests the opposite. While he did cut the federal budget in the first six months of his presidency, Reagan raised taxes 11 separate times after that. During his administration, the federal budget deficit rose steadily from $700 million to over $3 trillion. Compared to other Republican presidents, Reagan was not afraid to raise taxes.
He loved squirrels
Reagan had a love of animals, particularly squirrels. As he enjoyed spending time on the White House lawn, he grew accustomed to the local squirrel population. At a certain point, he began feeding them and the squirrels grew so tame they would come right up to the president. When President George H.W. Bush began moving into the White House, Reagan jokingly left a note for his squirrel friends warning them of the incoming dogs. It said, “Beware of the dog.” (For other presidential trivia, discover fascinating facts you probably didn’t know about U.S. presidents.)