• Mrs. Reagan Speaks at President Reagan's Birthday Party
    Mary Anne Fackelman
    staff
    celebration
    White House Guests
    State Floor
    East Room
    military
    In this photograph, taken February 6, 1981, First Lady Nancy Reagan hosts a surprise birthday party for her husband, President Ronald Reagan, in the East Room of the White House. For his 70th birthday, and his first in the White House, President Reagan expected an intimate gathering of about 20 friends and family members. Little did he know the grand bash Mrs. Reagan had in store, with over 100 guests, including many celebrity friends from California, such as James Stewart and Frank Sinatra, lighting by interior designer Ted Graber, and over ten cakes created by White House Executive Chef Henry Haller and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Maitre d'hotel John W. Ficklin can be seen over Mesnier's shoulder on the right side of the photograph. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef of the White House from 1966-1987, catering to the tastes of five first families and their distinguished guests.
  • President Reagan Shares a Toast at his 70th Birthday Party
    Bill Fitz-Patrick
    celebration
    White House Guests
    State Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    In this photograph, taken on February 6, 1981, President Ronald Reagan raises a glass in the East Room as guests applaud during his 70th birthday party. The surprise party was organized by First Lady Nancy Reagan. Over 100 guests attended, including many celebrity friends of the Reagans, such as Frank Sinatra and James Stewart. In this photograph, President Reagan stands beside a table topped with over ten birthday cakes, created by White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier and Executive Chef Henry Haller. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987.
  • East Room Christmas Decorations, Nixon Administration
    Karl Schumacher
    holidays
    State Floor
    East Room
    Christmas
    piano
    This photograph, taken on December 14, 1973 during the administration of Richard M. Nixon, shows the East Room decorated for the holiday season. Featured in the center of the photograph is a 1938 Steinway piano, a gift to the White House from Steinway & Sons of Long Island City, New York. This piano replaced an earlier piano given to the White House by Steinway in 1903. The piano is supported by three gilded, eagle-shaped legs in the Art deco style. President Nixon was an accomplished piano player, and occasionally accompanied distinguished performers at the White House, including jazz legend Duke Ellington. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987.
  • Lynda Bird Johnson's Wedding Cake
    Unknown
    wedding
    State Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    This cake was created for the wedding of Lynda Bird Johnson to Capt. Charles S. Robb on December 9, 1967. They were the 15th couple to be married at the White House. The cake is pictured on display in the East Room. White House Executive Chef Henry Haller oversaw the catering for the wedding reception, which, like the ceremony itself, was held in the East Room of the White House. The cake was designed by pastry chef Clement Maggia of the Greenbriar Hotel, and decorated by pastry chef Eric Crane of the Greenbriar Hotel on the day of the wedding. Johnson was the daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Henry Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987, serving five first families and their distinguished guests.
  • Lynda Bird Johnson and Charles Robb Wed in the East Room
    Unknown
    wedding
    State Floor
    First Family
    East Room
    military
    In this photograph, taken December 9, 1967, newlyweds Lynda Bird Johnson Robb and Capt. Charles S. Robb take their first steps together as man and wife following their wedding ceremony in the East Room of the White House. The ceremony was officiated by the Right Reverend Gerald Nicholas McAllister. This was the 15th wedding held at the White House. The couple enjoyed their wedding cake in the same room where they were married. During the ceremony, the cake was hidden behind a screen, which was removed when guests returned to the East Room for champagne, cake, and dancing. Fellow White House bride Alice Roosevelt Longworth, who married in 1906, was among the approximately 500 guests who attended the wedding. The bride's parents, President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, can be seen watching proudly on the left side of this photograph. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. As executive chef from 1966-1987, Haller oversaw the food preparations for three wedding receptions at the White House for first daughters Luci Baines Johnson, Lynda Bird Johnson, and Tricia Nixon.
  • Lynda Bird Johnson's Wedding Cake
    Unknown
    wedding
    staff
    State Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    This cake was created for the wedding of first daughter Lynda Bird Johnson and Capt. Charles S. Robb on December 9, 1967. They were the 15th couple known to be married at the White House. The cake is pictured on display in the East Room. White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (far left) oversaw the catering for the wedding reception, which, like the ceremony itself, was held in the East Room of the White House. The cake was designed by pastry chef Clement Maggia of the Greenbriar Hotel, and decorated by pastry chef Eric Crane of the Greenbriar Hotel on the day of the wedding. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef of the White House from 1966-1987.
  • Lynda Bird Johnson's Wedding Cake
    Unknown
    wedding
    State Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    This cake was created for the wedding of Lynda Bird Johnson and Capt. Charles S. Robb on December 9, 1967. Johnson was the daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. White House pastry chef Ferdinand Louvat was originally recruited to design the cake, but was prevented from taking ownership of the project due to illness. The cake was predominately designed by Clement Maggia, a renowned pastry chef from the Greenbriar Hotel in West Virginia. However, Maggia suddenly died of a heart attack three days before the wedding. On the day of the wedding, the 6-foot-tall cake was ultimately assembled by Eric Crane, another pastry chef from the Greenbriar Hotel. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987, and oversaw the food preparations for the White House wedding receptions of Johnson, Luci Baines Johnson, and Tricia Nixon.
  • Chefs with Luci Johnson's Wedding Cake in the East Room
    Unknown
    wedding
    staff
    State Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    In this photograph, taken August 6, 1966, White House pastry chef Ferdinand Louvat, New York pastry chef Maurice Bonté, and White House Executive Chef Henry Haller stand proudly next to first daughter Luci Baines Johnson's wedding cake in the East Room. Louvat designed the cake, while Bonté decorated the cake with delicate archways and 60 handmade flowers made from granulated sugar. As the total cake weighed 300-pounds, layers of the cake were wheeled to the East Room on movable tables, where it was assembled, frosted, and decorated. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987.
  • Chefs with Luci Johnson's Wedding Cake in the East Room
    Unknown
    wedding
    staff
    Ground Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    In this photograph, taken August 6, 1966, White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, New York pastry chef Maurice Bonté, and White House pastry chef Ferdinant Louvat stand proudly next to Luci Baines Johnson's wedding cake. Johnson was the daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. Louvat designed the cake, while Bonté decorated the cake with delicate archways and 60 handmade flowers made from granulated sugar. As the seven-layer cake weighed approximately 300 pounds, it was assembled in the East Room on the day of the wedding reception. Layers of cake were wheeled up to the East Room from the White House Kitchen on movable tables, where it was assembled, frosted, and decorated by Haller, Bonté, and Louvat. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987. He oversaw the food preparations for the White House wedding receptions of three first daughters: Johnson, Lynda Bird Johnson, and Tricia Nixon.
  • Chefs Louvat and Bonté Assemble Luci Johnson's Wedding Cake
    Unknown
    wedding
    staff
    State Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    In this photograph, taken August 6, 1966, White House Pastry Chef Ferdinand Louvat and New York pastry chef Maurice Bonté assemble first daughter Luci Baines Johnson's wedding cake prior to her reception in the East Room of the White House. Louvat designed the cake, while Bonté decorated the cake with delicate archways and 60 handmade flowers made from granulated sugar. As the total cake weighed 300-pounds, layers of the cake were wheeled to the East Room on movable tables, where the cake was assembled, frosted, and decorated. Johnson, the youngest daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, wed Patrick Nugent on August 6, 1966 at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987. Haller also oversaw the food preparations for the wedding receptions of first daughters Lynda Bird Johnson and Tricia Nixon.
  • Chefs Assemble Luci Johnson's Wedding Cake in the East Room
    Unknown
    wedding
    staff
    State Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    In this photograph, taken August 6, 1966, White House pastry chef Ferdinand Louvat and New York pastry chef Maurice Bonté assemble first daughter Luci Baines Johnson's wedding cake prior to her reception in the East Room of the White House. Johnson was the daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. Louvat designed the cake, while Bonté decorated it with delicate archways and 60 handmade flowers made from granulated sugar. As the total cake weighed 300-pounds, layers of the cake were wheeled to the East Room on movable tables, where it was assembled, frosted, and decorated. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987. Haller oversaw the food preparations for three wedding receptions at the White House for Johnson, Lynda Bird Johnson, and Tricia Nixon.
  • Luci Baines Johnson's Wedding Cake
    Unknown
    wedding
    State Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    This eight-foot tall cake was created for the wedding of Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, to Patrick Nugent on August 6, 1966. The couple were married at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. and enjoyed their reception in the White House. The cake is pictured on display in the East Room. The cake was designed by White House pastry chef Ferdinand Louvat. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987. He oversaw the food preparations for the White House wedding receptions of Johnson, Lynda Bird Johnson, and Tricia Nixon.
  • Chefs Haller and Mesnier Bring Cakes for President Reagan's Birthday
    Bill Fitz-Patrick
    staff
    military
    celebration
    State Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    In this photograph, taken on February 6, 1981, White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (left) and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (right) deliver cakes to the East Room for President Ronald Reagan's surprise birthday party. It was the president's 70th birthday and his first in the White House. Behind the chefs, a group of army musicians await to perform. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987, catering to the tastes of five first families and their distinguished guests.
  • President Reagan's 70th Birthday Party
    Mary Anne Fackelman
    staff
    celebration
    White House Guests
    East Room
    food & drink
    This photograph by White House photographer Mary Anne Fackelman was taken on February 6, 1981 during President Ronald Reagan's 70th birthday party. Over 100 guests, including friends and family from California, attended the surprise party, organized by First Lady Nancy Reagan. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987, catering to the tastes of five first families and their distinguished guests.
  • President Reagan's 70th Birthday Party
    Bill Fitz-Patrick
    White House Guests
    East Room
    State Floor
    celebration
    In this photograph, taken February 6, 1981, guests of President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan dine in the East Room to celebrate President Reagan's 70th birthday. For his first birthday in the White House, President Reagan expected an intimate gathering of about 20 friends and family members. Little did he know the grand bash Mrs. Reagan had in store, with over 100 guests, including many celebrity friends from California, such as James Stewart and Frank Sinatra, lighting by interior designer Ted Graber, and over ten cakes created by White House Executive Chef Henry Haller and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987.
  • President Reagan Cuts Cake at his 70th Birthday Party
    Michael Evans
    staff
    celebration
    State Floor
    East Room
    food & drink
    In this photograph, taken on February 6, 1981 by White House photographer Michael Evans, President Ronald Reagan cuts into a birthday cake during a surprise birthday party in the East Room organized by First Lady Nancy Reagan. Earlier in the day, President Reagan was presented with a cake by the White House staff, and was expecting a relatively quiet dinner party to celebrate his first birthday at the White House. Little did he know that Mrs. Reagan had invited more than 100 friends and family members to the party in the East Room, including celebrity friends from California such as James Stewart and Frank Sinatra. In this photograph, Maître d'Hotel John W. Ficklin stands behind Mrs. Reagan, while Reagan's vice president and future United States President George H. W. Bush sits among the dinner guests. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef of the White House from 1966-1987.
  • President and Mrs. Nixon with White House Social Aides
    Unknown
    military
    East Room
    State Floor
    This group photograph shows President Richard M. Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon standing proudly in the East Room with a group of White House social aides. White House social aides are active service members of the military, charged with assisting guests at White House social functions. The role was only fulfilled by men until 1969, when President and Mrs. Nixon welcomed women to the post. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. As executive chef from 1966-1987, Haller oversaw the menus for many formal occasions at the White House.
  • Staff Present Cake at Amy Carter's Mickey Mouse Party
    Unknown
    staff
    food
    event
    State Floor
    East Room
    children
    In this photograph, taken on November 17, 1978, butler Eugene Allen (left) and maître d'hotel John W. Ficklin (right) bring out a cake during a party in the East Room to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Mickey Mouse. The event was hosted by Amy Carter, daughter of President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who invited local children with disabilities to the celebration. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served five first families and their distinguished guests as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987.