Nancy Reagan, widow of President Ronald Reagan, was a former First Lady of the United States. She began her career as a Hollywood actress in the 1940s and 1950s, marrying Ronald Reagan in 1952. Before moving into the White House, she served as First Lady of California and acted as a close adviser to her husband.
Her most notable initiative as First Lady was the “Just Say No” campaign to raise awareness about drug abuse. Later, after her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she became a passionate advocate for research and a cure.
Early Life and Family Roots
Nancy Reagan’s early life gave few hints of the woman she would become. Born Anne Frances Robbins on July 6, 1921, in New York City, she was the only child of Kenneth Robbins, a salesman, and Edith Luckett Robbins, an aspiring actress. She gained the nickname “Nancy” early on.
After her father left the marriage during her infancy, her mother arranged for Nancy to be raised by her aunt and uncle, Virginia and C. Audley Galbraith, in Bethesda, Maryland. There, she briefly attended Sidwell Friends School. Nancy and her aunt often traveled to New York to visit her mother during her long theater runs.
Broadway to Hollywood
After college, Nancy worked as a sales clerk at Marshall Field’s in Chicago and later as a nurse’s aide. With help from her mother’s friends, she began an acting career. Her first role was a nonspeaking part in the touring production of Ramshackle Inn. The play eventually reached Broadway, where Nancy landed a minor role in the 1946 musical Lute Song, starring Yul Brynner and Mary Martin.
In 1949, Nancy Davis moved to Hollywood and signed a seven-year contract with MGM Studios. Success didn’t come immediately, as MGM struggled to find the right roles for her. She was often cast in minor parts, such as the loyal housewife or steady woman. Her early films included The Doctor and the Girl (1949) with Glenn Ford and East Side, West Side (1949) with Barbara Stanwick. Nancy later said her favorite role was Mrs. Katherine Mead in Night into Morning (1951), starring Ray Millan.
Blacklist to First Lady
By 1949, Nancy’s acting offers had dried up. She was mistakenly blacklisted as a communist. In November, she reached out to Ronald Reagan, and they quickly became close. After three years, they married on March 4, 1952. Nancy acted occasionally after marriage but soon focused on raising their family, including Patricia and Ronald Jr., along with Reagan’s two children from his previous marriage.
U.S. First Lady
Nancy Reagan, U.S. First Lady from 1981 to 1989, faced early criticism for redecorating the White House. She transformed her image by leading the “Just Say No” drug awareness campaign, traveling nationwide and abroad to support prevention programs.
She addressed the United Nations on international drug issues while battling breast cancer. After the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan, she became deeply involved in his schedule, even consulting an astrologer, showing her dedication as both First Lady and protector.
Death and Funeral
Nancy Reagan passed away from congestive heart failure on March 6, 2016, at age 94. She was laid to rest alongside her husband at the Reagan Presidential Library. Attending her funeral were friends, family, and dignitaries, including Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Rosalynn Carter, and George W. and Laura Bush.
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