NET Festival; B; White House Red Carpet with Julia Child
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- Transcript
White House. The President and Mrs. Jobson welcome you to the White House this morning you will enter the East Wing passing first the dark side of the east terrace. And then you walk along the ground far corridors into the public world. The walls of these public rooms are lined with the unique White House portrait collection of President satin that why. Now it's spite of the fact that these rooms contain priceless relics of the past. They are in constant
use by the president. I have the first lady for entertaining foreign diplomats and to honor a high government official. Welcome to Washington. I'm sure your child out here in front of the east gate of the White House every day. Oh sense of visitors go from this historic mansion. And today something very special is going on. One of the first signs you have that something special is going up is when you see these flags flying inspected you places. They tell you that an important foreign dignitary is visiting the White House. You always have the flag of the District of Columbia and the American flag. From back in the middle tells you what country he's coming from in this case. The prime minister of Japan is here on an official visit to the president of the
United States. These visits are tower my apartment also terribly complicated to handle. It's. Really. Fascinating. To see how the White House manages one of them. And that's exactly what we're going to see. Not only what goes on in front. But what goes on backstage and backs here. We're going to see everything inside out from the start. You are so right on through the Great White House. It. Began with the right
to. Speak. I'm here this morning. For. One of the important people are in their places. Of me here. It. Was.
This way from the White House. But pointing in the opposite direction. Getting ready to give it. To the man in the big. Black. Now now I am the prime minister from when from Tokyo yesterday and spoke last night by our house our official residence for him. Yes. Honor Guards from the service are here this morning. The regime's Navy Coast. Farce and way down there is here the army and their pilots. Young.
Mr. Prime Minister. Mr. Subtle I think the objectives of the American people and the Japanese people are very much the same. First we want peace and particularly in that troubled part of the world. Where we do not have it now. We want to education children health. One of the reasons the fires beautiful is because of people on the right. Simon chief of protocol. Yesterday at Blair House we asked Ambassador Simon about protocol. The work of protocol really is the establishment of a context in
which meetings can ensue with the greatest possible communication and effectiveness between heads of state and or their ministers. The fact of the visit is of course as a result of a political decision between the two heads of state or heads of government as the case may be. After this political decision is made the two government begin communicating at different levels as to what is really to be gained from the particular visit what are the problems and how best can we work here so as to make the visit a success and achieve its goals. And this isn't merely a conversation between me and the ambassador that's one of many such you know recessions that occur and little by little with an exchange of cables we zero down on the kind of visit that we think it ought to be with agreements on all sides. How long where and so forth. Both recognize the very great responsibilities that are signing to those
in Washington. This is called an official visit. We asked him how much meaningful work could be done in the midst of all the ceremony protocol protocol the only useful when it lubricates. Relations between between people and. The important thing on a visit like this of course is that the two leaders government get to know each other better. It's the personal interchange between them and our job as diplomats of course is to lay the groundwork for this so that. They don't waste and waste time. This involves a great deal of discussion. Personally with AMUN also from the Foreign Office through the embassy guard to the subjects that they would like to discuss. We tell them the subjects we'd like to discuss and then we try to define the issues. There's no point in there spending a lot of time on things that.
We agree on and there are no problems at all. But to define issues down to the point that. They can make their discussion just as meaningful as possible be between the two of. This terribly complicated affair to arrange security holes not too complicated. After all we've been through the experience before my first state visit to experience was one of those hiking plane came here in 1960 I was scared. And at that time. And it I suppose like cooking or anything else when you know how to do it it looks easy. But. Let me know. Maybe you got. What I think in the summer when you have about one man who isn't likely to be here this morning because his duties lie outside the pageantry is what assistant to the president Mr. Ross Don's job is to coordinate the private talks between the president and the prime minister.
But the heart of the meeting is the hours that the man who bears the political responsibility in Japan and there's a political responsibility in the United States. Talk to one of one other fellow in this case just with their interpreters. Preston is out of my experience extremely vivid to those who bear the direct political responsibility. Must look at the world somewhat differently than their advisors and technicians and this is an opportunity for them to open up to each other their minds their hearts their problems. I would say that the working responsible politicians find it generally easy to communicate with what they have real sympathy. For each other's problems. There are two other elements. First certain specific issues that may at this time be before the two nations. Secondly the.
Chats for the technicians to catch up and iron out and deal with matters which are on the table between the two countries. Compare notes and move a lot of lesser issues forward on the occasion of this at the basis of the visit. Is the rare opportunity for these highly irresponsible. To discuss the problems of the two nations face in relationship to the world of chatter with that special quality that comes when men who bear the political response address themselves. And that is the heart of it. Our only official ceremonials are going on. There's tremendous activity backstage getting ready for the official dinner tonight. Something delightful about the White House is that there are great bouquets of fresh flowers. Believe me arrange a family where. Rusty young have faras
told us that they get some of these flowers from the National Park Service. He's making nice big bouquets for all the reception rooms. There were 19 center pieces one for each banquet table tonight to call for really first class affair you have to draw on the talents of many kinds of experts. MAHER Obama White House calligrapher has been here writing invitations to prominent people for 14 years. In addition the hand-lettered invitations there will be a place card for each one of the hundred and ninety gifts. Just a short while ago some 12000 visitors toured from the state dining room and giving a dinner party for almost 200 people and not being able to get the dining room at all until noon.
My armory were in the White House today. Her job was just so you that all of them were to my banquet. As far as we can tell she's in charge of grammar thing from white stars. Mrs. Carter the housekeeper. I supervise the key interior being you know keeping it clean and keeping it neat. And keeping it the facilities available for any first family or whoever happens to need them. It is a housewife job really to work with so fascinating and difficult planning the problems that arise with it. First of all when we when we hear about a signature coming we I know to satisfy any advances we possibly can be one of the. Vital pieces of information is the number. Yes because today you can't do one hundred and ninety as we're going to
have tonight that you could do for 30 the first thing we do is to eliminate the things we can't have any dietary limitations that the visitor would have. Right. But at the possibility that there is a possibility that he may have been an employer this attorney and that we would want to do it. So we kept these banks and then finally armed with all of this information comes and. My office and we just got all of the ideas we have had in many ways yet we have got the best many we can possibly get and we put all the fields in motion to dinner. Here we are not only backstage but the home stairs in the basement that big state dining room. This is the domain of Chef Henry holler who was born in Switzerland. How does training in Europe and this manage the kitchens of some of the biggest and best hotels.
Maybe. This. Style we have right here. People came. In at night. And there. Was I want to help. And. That's that. Yeah that's right. Yeah I think that you know they feel without the support of Helen and me and. My wife. Yeah. I mean. I think about it. And I am. There. And they scour. That me. And they're trying to train. And then. Our. Whole thing when. They pick a name. For us I mean that's just coming out. And they're. Not. Going to. Get. Anything. Else.
And. Oh. Yeah oh ok. Yeah but. I think you know. Here you. Are. OK OK I'm going with right now if they can I. Think you're. OK. Combination Actually I haven't seen. It if my company. Can make it with. Right. OK. Right. Now a.
Guy. Right there. And. I think. That he. Put everything. I. Want. No. I don't mean at all that I think of. It and. I think. You know I don't you. Know. I don't think voice recorder and I think you'll get over. For. My. Perfect Yarra. But. It's not a cracker. Jacks. Yeah yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Where.
Are. You. We make what we have and what the plan. You like to see. Let's decide when and. If you actually need this old house boat. And. Then become. The man in. This piece because I don't. Really like that but I think you know. I mean we deliberately marry me you know but I mean you know he and I. Just I think want to just very short and it's all good and then and then and. Now. Meet with their. Seasoning. Of it. Now. And we saw the date it and they're always. Like this again Frank I was thinking it. Would be like a secret but I think I need an excuse. Yes.
I think. What we see. Now. Will be the source and I don't what they. Are. Yes. And with the yes day but I think you broaden it. Make. No. And. Regiment black. Yeah you know I think the plan. Way to much room. My. Son might. See this all. Week. And.
All that. Day that they. Were going to make the story go to. Prepare our. Meal. Here they are ready for boiling. First baby boy made a mistake and also to meet people and to meet and maybe try to meet up with me you know yesterday. Did you know already do. These evenings. Depends on the guest of honor. That. Played for the president.
And for good reason for me. But. You know all these people here this is the first time they. Hear.
Me. Thank you. In a few hours one hundred guests will be sitting down to dinner. John Franklin the head butler is in charge. The president chair. This is table. The color scheme of the white money of the accessories are gone. It's called they are man or gold or silver. They have dozens and dozens of them most are now pins. All of them embossed with the presidential seal. And some. This place is part of one service border. Because so many people are coming tonight they've had to dip into other patterns for other tables.
Mr. Clinton says she's glad it's going to take time for the washed up job tonight. What a beautiful fish knife. Go play Pearl had a little. Part of the Monroe patter grave damage to his president's house. One of the very nice things about the White House dinners nowadays is that you don't have one big banquet table but smaller tables of them. It makes for a much more intimate atmosphere. One thing that has impressed me is that this White House has an awfully difficult room arrangement. It just grows the building. You've got mazes of colanders and stairs making it extremely difficult for the
staff to get from one place to another. The White House simply wasn't designed for large scale events like this but somehow they manage them and with great style. The numbers on the table tell the guests where they're going to sit. When everyone is in the numbers come off. A seating arrangement is very carefully worked out by the First Lady. The social secretary and the chief of protocol. If I happen to know you're an opera buff you may be placed next to about town husbands and wives don't sit together while the president and the prime minister's wife are here in this room. The first lady will be with the prime minister and 48 other guests in the adjoining room. We're now in the private part of the White House where the president and his family live. This is the yellow room. We're looking at some of the gifts that will be exchanged tonight the president is giving the prime minister a
Tiffany desk set a gold silver very elegant. Here again is with the seating arrangements. A great deal of thought goes into the selection of the most appropriate guest Mrs. Jobson is giving Mrs. Sato us far off range once an exchange of gifts as part of the tradition of these visits a tradition that goes back many centuries whenever heads of state meet along with the photograph of his family. Prime Minister sof always giving the president a portable television camera and a video tape recorder. Things are heating up in the kitchen now the shop sold. He's selling out for the 90 actually come out to help. The garnish for those. Luscious.
While the party is beginning again. This is the diplomatic reception room. The stock market we were this morning for the Sony. This time on the other side of the White House the front door of the North Portico. The official guests are also arriving.
This is where ambassadors and of course the guest of honor. OK. OK. A. Diplomatic Reception. With all kinds of people. Was. The problem. Anyone who might have a. Connection with Japan. Evening. You. Were just asked from Blair House at the best of what day. His. Son lives here. The prime minister took.
A. Toll. And less is. Optional. After posing for photographs which will be shown all over the world tomorrow morning. The official party don't close ups for the exchange of gifts we saw earlier. I think in the kitchen this time to the minute. From now on it's all peak of what's going on upstairs. Terrace that seafood family for the big. First course. How stars celebrated the scholar who finds his way into this marvelous Mahlon. The shop and the staff have given at least a hundred lunches dinners in the past year.
They work together like a team. OK OK OK. OK. OK. OK. OK. OK. OK. OK. OK. OK OK. OK. OK. OK OK. I am. Here. OK. OK. OK OK OK OK. OK. OK. OK. OK.
OK. OK. OK OK. Oh and. I hate you. Ok I am. Surely. You. Will. Find. My. Dear friend. OK. OK. Ok I am. OK. Ok I am. OK. OK. I am. Like. It.
Yeah.
We are one of the. First. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh yeah. Oh. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah OK. OK. Yeah OK. OK. OK. OK. OK. OK OK. OK. Yeah I am. Oh OK. Oh. OK. OK. OK.
OK. OK. Thank. You an. Absolutely delicious dinner. OK. Thank. You. OK. Just. First class. OK. Yeah. That helps.
Right. And one. Thing I. Don't like oh you. Like. My. Service. Yeah. One of the best to. Me. Because. Here are six people. In. There. Man.
I. Want peace. We. Heard from. Prime Minister.
Here's. A thought. One of the reasons these official evenings you were playing is that they're highly organized things you get is a guest
on the mechanics of Saturday night and to be entertaining again in the summer changing wrong son. OK. Family. Only a few hours ago we saw Mrs. Woodward was telling me that she was awfully busy then briefing everybody. But she said that during the entertainment we could talk. Well it's very glamorous but I'm trying to help the women do their job. Well Lewis you have to give the press all kinds of information or brief in which they say how do you go about to break the press. We generally back up about five days before the party and announce the entertainment that will be served up to the king of the prime minister.
Then on the morning of the party we will put out a guest list we will put out what we call a fact sheet that tells them some of the principal things that go in to the ban on gifts that are to be exchanged and the decorations the flowers that are being years the menu. And so often in a menu we give the name to a dish and the head of state is home province something that it's it's a little salute to his home and other aspects of the dinner. There are loads of phone calls that day the phone rang all day with lots and lots of questions. Elim part happens during the dinner we look passion here. Do you. Have a global rethink for them. The newspaper women who are not seated at the dinner come into the library despairing room and you might be interested. Julia because this room I love dearly it is where we hold our briefings.
But during the days of Abigail Adams It's where she kept her me uptown and so we laughingly say we've moved from you me used to new that you can copy Be sure to watch Big times when things come to you. Can you remember any nice institution that story. Well. I thank you. Of course anyone elites giving a dinner has a slight problem. If 12000 people have been to their house that morning and that is true at the White House the parade of visitors at the White House ends at 12:30 a.m. and everything gets set in motion for the event that evening which may be a dinner for 140 to 190 people. The. Remember one day Mrs. Johnson was going out to greet the head of study. He looked at her and it was pretty much of a clip.
The tourists head out of the vacuum cleaner said and suddenly we could hear the helicopters. So we started out and dad up and a vacuum cleaner and we looked we would be bringing the head upstairs and see if there was anyone to take that out. And there was so picked up the door and just continue dong. So you have to be prepared for anything like that there. I think the great. Great thing that you feel in this is a set of continuity from one hundred sixty seven years to.
Get during the. Presidential Party. You. Would rather hear the official party party this morning and lock out the. They really seem. Family and. Happy to the point. Home. Washington this morning. Already there. People those historic rooms. It doesn't happen to be a great dinner for tonight
but there could be in there. We know that the White House staff is already working on a mix up all over the city and the great the arrival of a foreign dignitary to be entertained at the president's house ever since six years ago when no one recognized our existence. President John Adams. From this. Smaller. Deal I'm finished. I give a speech today. To Indian kings and the rest are crap. But the way it's all going to spin here at the White House. Dinner and diplomacy. This program was made possible by a grant from Hills Brothers
coffee. If you are an American. The White House is a part of your heritage. Decisions that have shaped the nation's destiny for almost 170 years have been made here. You will leave the White House by the North Portico looking out over the green and spacious North Lawn of the president's 18 acre estate. You will be standing where the chief executives and their ladies and greeted a long procession of famous guests. On such occasions the president speaks not for himself. But for the nation. Franklin D Roosevelt said I will never forget that I live in a house owned by all the American people. And. I'm.
OK. OK. OK. OK OK. OK. OK. OK. Eh. Eh. Eh eh. Now at. The end.
I am. Eh. Eh eh. OK OK OK. I EVER. Actually do x. OK. Going to. The L. O l. O
l. O l. You. Know actually OK. The end. OK. OK. Ok ok I m going to. I am. I am. The alpha. I am. Cuckoo n. I am. I am. Going to. The
to end. The end. I am. I am. I am. I am. Wow wow wow. Right now our Q Yeah the key to our Was the book was the key to our entry would be the book the crib. OK OK.
Wow yeah. OK the thing. I am. I am.
I am I am. I am. I am. I even.
Al. Al Al. Qaida. Al. I am. I am. And when did he say
that National Educational Television that. I want.
- Series
- NET Festival
- Episode Number
- B
- Contributing Organization
- WGBH (Boston, Massachusetts)
- Library of Congress (Washington, District of Columbia)
- AAPB ID
- cpb-aacip/15-44bp03nd
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip/15-44bp03nd).
- Description
- Episode Description
- Julia Child, television's well-known "French Chef," takes viewers behind the scenes at a dinner given by President and Mrs. Johnson at the White House honoring Prime Minister Eisaku Sato and Mrs. Sato of Japan. In an engaging and personal way, Mrs. Child describes the preparations for the dinner, and the event itself, and also traces the long tradition of entertaining at the White House and its important role in diplomacy. Through her eyes, viewers will witness the "out-front" formalities underlining the importance of Prime Minister Sato's visit. Backstairs, where preparations for the official dinner in his honor are underway, Mrs. Child points up the human values how the White House chef faces many of the same problems as the housewife does in her kitchen when she entertains - not enough room, difficult serving conditions, and in this case, the challenge of serving food to 190 guests. Mrs. Child talks to the housekeeper Mrs. Mary Kaltman, "a sort of super housewife" who is in charge of the entire edifice "from lightbulbs to lobsters." She visits the domain of Chef Henri Haller, discusses with him the preparation of the carefully planned menu with his recipes for vol-au-vent of seafood, noisettes of lamb with artichokes and asparagus, and strawberry mousse. She also has a "little taste" of the food. Mrs. Child describes the entertainment planned for the evening -- singer Tony Bennett -- the arrangement of the dining room, and then the proceedings of the dinner itself, summing it up as "one of the best dinners I've ever eaten; if I could serve it for six people I'd be very proud indeed." In addition, Mrs. Child discusses with other White House staff members their roles in the event. She talks to Walt Rostow, special assistant to the President; Ambassador James Symington, Chief of Protocol; and Mrs. Elizabeth Carpenter press secretary to Mrs. Johnson. The Hon. U. Alexis Johnson, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, also discusses his role in the preparations of Prime Minister Sato's visit prior to his arrival in the United States. "I suppose, like cooking or anything else," he says "if you know how to do it, it looks easy." We then see Mrs. Child and her husband as guests at the dinner, which is held in the State Dining Room, and at the entertainment that follows in the East Room until the President says goodnight. Through all these activities, the program emphasizes the "lived-in" quality of the White House, and reveals its triple function as a historic site, as the executive office of the President, and as official residence. NET FESTIVAL -- "White House Red Carpet with Julia Child" is a production of WGBH-TV, for National Educational Television, recorded in color on film. White House Red Carpet with Julia Child runs approximately 48 minutes in length, a filler entitled "Improvisations," running approximately 10 minutes in length has been added. The total running time is now approximately 58 minutes. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche)
- Series Description
- NET Festival is an anthology series of performing arts programming.
- Broadcast Date
- 1968-04-14
- Date
- 1968-00-00
- Asset type
- Episode
- Genres
- Event Coverage
- Topics
- History
- Media type
- Moving Image
- Duration
- 00:58:37
- Credits
-
- AAPB Contributor Holdings
-
WGBH
Identifier: 118398 (WGBH Barcode)
Format: U-matic
Generation: Copy: Access
Duration: 00:58:18
-
WGBH
Identifier: 02022 (WGBH Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Print
-
WGBH
Identifier: 20471 (WGBH Barcode)
Format: Betacam
Generation: Master
Duration: 00:58:18
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2333336-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2333336-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
-
Indiana University Libraries Moving Image Archive
Identifier: [request film based on title] (Indiana University)
Format: 16mm film
If you have a copy of this asset and would like us to add it to our catalog, please contact us.
- Citations
- Chicago: “NET Festival; B; White House Red Carpet with Julia Child,” 1968-04-14, WGBH, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed September 8, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-44bp03nd.
- MLA: “NET Festival; B; White House Red Carpet with Julia Child.” 1968-04-14. WGBH, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. September 8, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-44bp03nd>.
- APA: NET Festival; B; White House Red Carpet with Julia Child. Boston, MA: WGBH, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-44bp03nd