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Lessons of History
Grandson brings Truman to life in fall performance
Clifton Truman Daniel will portray his grandfather, President Harry S. Truman, in “Give ’Em Hell, Harry!”
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From the select group of living direct descendants of U.S. presidents, only one steps into the role of his presidential ancestor on stage. Actor Clifton Truman Daniel brings to life his grandfather, President Harry S. Truman, in this fall’s production “Give ’Em Hell, Harry!” at Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Ave. on Sunday, Oct. 10 at 5 p.m. The performance is a faithful and often humorous portrayal of President Truman’s life and presidency that has garnered awards and accolades since its premiere in 1975. Since October 2017, Daniel has performed the role, marking the first time a U.S. president has been portrayed onstage by a direct descendant.
Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture)’s Lessons of History Distinguished Lecture Series presents a national speaker every year in October in an engaging and in-depth program on an important topic of history. This is the ninth event in the series and the first time a performance, rather than a lecture, will be featured. The play spans Truman’s childhood, his “political
apprenticeship” as a judge in Jackson County, Mo., his years in the U.S. Senate and his momentous two terms as president. Set in a recreation of the Oval Office, the play is a historically accurate portrayal of the 33rd president of the United States, teeming with delightful humor. The title comes from an incident that took place during the 1948 presidential election campaign. In Bremerton, Wash., Truman delivered a speech attacking the Republicans. During the speech, a supporter yelled out, “Give ‘em Hell, Harry!” Truman replied, “I don’t give them Hell. I just tell the truth about them, and they think it’s Hell.” Subsequently, “Give ‘em Hell, Harry!” became a lifetime slogan for Truman supporters.
The one-man show about the life and presidency of Harry S. Truman, who took office after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945 and served until 1953, is
