Hail to the chief who hailed from Long Island.
It’s hard to think of a U.S. President whose life was more colorful and adventurous than that of Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, who called Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay home from 1887 until his death on Jan. 6. 1919.
Such a larger-than-life character was a ripe role for a number of actors who have played him in the movies and on TV. On this Presidents Day, let’s shout out a great big “Bully!” to these five men who channeled Teddy on screen.
John Alexander
Grant Mitchell, left, John Alexander as Teddy, Josephine Hull, Jack Carson and Edward McNamara appeared in Frank Capra’s “Arsenic and Old Lace” (1944). Credit: Everett Collection/Warner Bros. Pictures
THE MOVIE “Arsenic and Old Lace” (1944) (Rent on digital platforms)
THE PLOT Two sweet old ladies invite elderly men to their Brooklyn home and ply them with poisoned elderberry wine.
BEHIND THE SCENES Alexander originated the role of Teddy Brewster, the aunts’ nephew who believe he’s Teddy Roosevelt, in the 1941 Broadway production of the black comedy. On both stage and screen, Alexander got plenty of laughs by screaming “Charge!” every time he headed up the stairs. The actor reprised the role in a 1955 TV adaptation that also featured Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre. And in a bit of inspired casting, Alexander portrayed the real Teddy Roosevelt in the 1950 Bob Hope-Lucille Ball comedy Western “Fancy Pants.”
Brian Keith
Brian Keith brought Theodore Roosevelt to life in the 1975 historical drama “The Wind and the Lion.” Credit: Everett Collection/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists
THE MOVIE “The Wind and the Lion” (1975) (rent on digital platforms)
THE PLOT Based on a 1904 incident, the film recounts Roosevelt’s mission to save a widow (Candice Bergen) and her two children kidnapped in Morocco by Barbary pirates.
BEHIND THE SCENES In the film, Roosevelt sends the Marines to the rescue in Morocco. Keith, who graduated from East Rockaway High School in 1939, served in the Marines from 1942 to 1945. Keith relied less on prosthetics and more on capturing Roosevelt’s boisterous personality and commanding voice for his portrayal.
Tom Berenger
THE MINISERIES “Rough Riders” (1997) (rent or buy on Prime and Apple TV)
THE PLOT The two-part series recounted the period when Roosevelt resigned as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley to create his army of “Rough Riders” to fight in the Spanish-American War in 1898.
BEHIND THE SCENES The actor, who scored a supporting actor Oscar nomination for “Platoon” (1986), also served as producer of “Rough Riders.” The series’ realistic battles scenes were based on written diaries and military dispatches and included a true incident in which Roosevelt felt down from tripping over his sword. The miniseries was also dedicated to Keith, who played McKinley, and died in June 1997, one month before “Rough Riders” aired.
Robin Williams
THE MOVIES “Night at the Museum” (2006) and its two sequels. (stream on Disney+ and Netflix)
THE PLOT Animals and famous figures come to life at Manhattan’s Museum of Natural History, wreaking havoc for a security guard (Ben Stiller).
BEHIND THE SCENES Director Shawn Levy allowed Williams free range to bring his improv skills to his portrayal of Roosevelt, coming up with lines like “Oh, what in the name of Rutherford B. Hayes is going on here?” Williams’ final film appearance was in 2014’s “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” where his last screen words were “Smile my boy, it’s sunrise.”
Aidan Quinn
THE MINISERIES “The American Guest” (2021) (stream on HBO Max)
THE PLOT After leaving the White House, Roosevelt explored unknown parts of the Amazon rainforest with Brazilian army officer Cândido Rondon.
BEHIND THE SCENES Quinn was incidentally concerned about whether he could transform himself into the former President. During an interview on “Live With Kelly and Ryan,” Quinn said he had to gain 25 pounds and he really sank his teeth into the role. Roosevelt “had very prominent teeth in all the videos and pictures of him,” Quinn said. While shooting in São Paulo, Brazil, Quinn found a dentist who made him false teeth similar to Roosevelt’s.