Description:

Eisenhower DS Appointing Actor Robert Montgomery to Advisory Committee of Future Kennedy Center

A 1p document signed by 34th U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969), as "Dwight D Eisenhower" at lower right. Issued from Washington, D.C. on April 11, 1959. Also co-signed by U.S. Secretary of State Christian Herter (1895-1966), as "Christian A. Herter" at lower center. The document is partly handwritten and partly printed on a large sheet of paper. A presidential seal of embossed paper is located at the lower left. Expected wear including even toning, isolated surface wrinkles, and isolated edge darkening. Minor to moderate water stains affecting the bottom margin, nowhere near the text. Minor mat burn found verso. Else very good to near fine. 19.875" x 15.75."

President Eisenhower appointed Classic Hollywood actor Robert Montgomery (1904-1981) as "a Member of the Advisory Committee on the Arts (National Cultural Center)…"

In early September 1958, Congress had approved the passage of the National Cultural Act, which would pave the way for fundraising and construction of a national performing arts center. In 1964, the name of the National Cultural Center would be changed to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Its mission then, as now, was to celebrate music, dance, theatre, and other art forms through privately funded programming, for the cultural enrichment of the public.

Members of the first Advisory Committee on the Arts for the National Cultural Center were selected and finalized by presidential appointment by January 1958, and included "Robert Montgomery, Actor and Television Executive." Its nine other committee members were architects, artists, musicians, authors, art historians, museum executives, university professors, and art patrons; another notable was historical novelist James A. Michener. Advisory Committee members, in the words of its bylaws, "shall be persons who are recognized for their knowledge of, or experience or interest in, one or more of the arts in the fields covered by the National Cultural Center."

Robert Montgomery was well-suited for this advisory role. Best known for his Oscar-nominated leading man roles in the 1930s and 1940s, he also had acting experience on the stage, television, and radio, and was a director and producer. He had twice served as President of the Screen Actors Guild, and after 1954, would serve as President Eisenhower's informal media consultant.

Dwight D. Eisenhower served as president between January 1953 and January 1961. Christian Herter served as U.S. Secretary of State between April 1959 and January 1961.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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