Product Details

• Actors: Olivia Cole, Leslie Uggams, Louis Gossett Jr., Robert Hooks, Bill Overton
• Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English (Unknown)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Acorn Media
• DVD Release Date: November 1, 2005
• Run Time: 444 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000AYELAQ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,813 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Backstairs at the White House" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

The classic miniseries about two remarkable women and the eight First Families they served
Their unrivaled behind-the-scenes access gives White House staff a uniquely personal view of history in the making. Two remarkable women in one family served as White House maids over a period spanning five decades and eight administrations—from Taft to Eisenhower. Their story and a half-century of American history unfold in this star-studded drama, nominated for 11 Emmy® Awards.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lost treasure now found again, September 12, 2005

By 

Eric Pregosin (New Carrollton, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Backstairs at the White House (DVD)

With all the attention people give The West Wing (I should talk, I've bought them all here), and big screen comedies like The American President (I own that too), here's a REAL look at the White House of the first half of the 20th Century. Olivia Cole stars as Maggie Rogers, a black woman with 2 kids, and a constantly disappearing husband, who gets a job as a maid at "ole 1600" at the beginning of the Taft administration. Leslie Uggams plays the adult version of her daughter Lillian, and between the 2 of them they see the ins and outs of the first families all the way til Kennedy's inauguration. An all star cast of known tv and movie stars, portray the Tafts, Wilsons, Hardings, Coolidges, Hoovers, Roosevelts, Trumans and Eisenhowers, as well as other maids, butlers, chauffers, etc. If you think the West Wing gives a great look, at the staffers during an administration, get this classic mini series which you will see the oval through the eyes of the "permanent" staff. Screenplay written Paul Dubov and Gwen Bagni based on their novel which in turn is based on the real Lillian Rogers own autobiography "My 30 Years Backstairs At The White House". Since VCRs were invented, I thought this series was long gone. When The History Channel was born, I thought it would get a new lease on life. Now 25 years later it finally has, Thank you, NBC for finally giving the rights to a local (to me at least) video manufacturer like Acorn to release a DVD copy. I will NOT let this one get away from me.:-)

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Miss, November 1, 2005

By 

W. Schultz (Detroit) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Backstairs at the White House (DVD)

Leslie Uggams and Oliva Cole bring to live the true story of a mother and daughter that spent their lives working "backstairs at the white house". The story is beautiful and the performaces match. It has been years waiting for this to come to Home Video (never did make VHS) but at long last it's here. don't miss it.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Back Where It Belongs!, November 6, 2005

By 

Buddy's Master "history buff" (Mays Landing, NJ) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Backstairs at the White House (DVD)

Finally, the 4 disc Presidential story of some of our later presidents is available to the public - where it should have been at the early beginning of VHS/BETA! Traces the history of the domestic staff along with the presidents and their families from William Howard Taft to the inaguration of the Kennedy White House.

Each of the four colorful discs is enclosed in a separate holder and all are enclosed in a box with a pamphlet of information. The discs are in much better shape than I thought they would be and would rate the quality a 4 out of 5 and quantity a 5 out of 5. Good but not as good as Eleanor and Franklin: The Early Years - better color and in letterbox! The set is worth the price and will provide hours of enjoyment.