jjnxn-1 Excellent mini-series from the time when the major networks crafted them with care. Olivia Cole is very strong in the lead providing a through line for the stories of the many administrations she witnessed. A fascinating peek at the life behind the white pillars by people who were actually there. The stories of the lesser known president's and their families is a definite draw, the Roosevelt's are legendary of course but their tenure has been examined many times. The Coolidges and Trumans come across well the Hoovers do not. Lou Hoover in particular seemed to be a cold, autocratic iceberg. One of the great things about these shows is the opportunity to see so many great actors and actresses all in the same program and they all deliver good work. For history buffs this will be heaven.

edwagreen Outstanding. Superlative. Out of this world. No other words seem adequate regarding this magnificent series.I am a retired social studies teacher. This series would have been so perfect for my grade 8 history students. It was so rich in history and personal emotions.As far as the Emmy awards go,Backstairs should have tied with Roots for the best mini-series of the season.The acting was outstanding. Robert Vaughn brought the perfect touch to Woodrow Wilson. Whoever thought that the character of Florence Harding, who died in 1924, under mysterious conditions was so interesting? Celeste Holm was simply memorable as Mrs. Harding. Eileen Heckart was memorable as Eleanor Roosevelt. Lee Grant brought the perfect touch to Grace Coolidge. Julie Harris set the tone as Nellie Taft.Actresses Olivia Cole and Leslie Uggams, in a totally non-singing role, were just fabulous as the mother and daughter who worked for so many years at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.This is another Best Years Of Our Lives. We all realize the sacrifices that were made during the extremely informative period of history. We are also shown that the White House was a scene of constant tragedy mixed with a total triumph of the human spirit.We need more series of this quality.

d56fan My husband & I have both spent years looking for a copy of the mini-series, "Backstairs at the White House." We cannot understand why this great American piece of history has never been shown again or released on video or DVD. It was well acted, informative and very entertaining. No series has ever made such a lasting impression on me. It is a timeless movie that makes a large portion of our nation's history come to life. It depicts how our nation thought, acted, lived, and worked before, during and after WWII. We were able to see our culture evolve as the country changed from an agrarian society into the world's leading industrial nation, and how daily life was effected by advances in technology, medicine, political swings, and economic ups and downs. It is a classic that every student should see when studying American history. We have waited for years to see it again. Does anyone know why NBC has never re-shown or released this great story?

castelle-1 I saw this miniseries when it aired originally in 1979. I thought it was excellent. Unfortunately, I missed some of nights that it aired. I had always hoped that it would air again. As far as I know it never did. Our main public library had one copy of it on video, but apparently it was checked out of the library and never returned to the library. If my memory serves me correctly, Backstairs at the White House aired the same time that Roots was on TV, and we put both TV's together to watch both series. I have checked everywhere to find a copy of this wonderful series. At one time I saw that it was not available on video or DVD. I would really like to be able to purchase a copy of Backstairs..... via video, DVD, whatever is available. Thxs.