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The American president is the most frequently represented single figure in Western film. Lea N. Michel’s compendium of 164 fictitious leaders breaks them down into archetypes: Father and Husband, Villain, Alien, Clown, Hero, Lover, which she has further sorted into a dizzying 240 subcategories, such as Shaking Hands, Looking Shocked at a Screen, or In a Video Conference with a Terrorist. At a time in which fiction shades ever more into our political reality, Michel’s book is a reminder that perhaps, in Hollywood, things have ever been thus.

Lea N. Michel, The President of the United States on Screen, 164 Presidents, 1877 Illustrations, 240 Categories, Scheidegger & Spiess, 2020

Screaming

13. President Phillips

14. President William Alan Moore

15. President Harriet Franklin

16. The President of the United States of America

Behind their desk in the Oval Office, talking to the staff

17. President Richardson

18. President Barbara Adams

19. President James W. Sawyer

20. Mr. President

Index

1. President Jackson Evans, The Contender, 2000. Played by Jeff Bridges © Produced by Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG, Cinecontender, Battleground Productions, SE8 Group, Battlefield

2. President Thomas Benson, Hot Shots! Part Deux, 1993. Played by Lloyd Bridges © Twentieth Century Fox

3. President Dale Gilchrist, 1600 Penn, 2012–2013. Played by Bill Pullman © Produced by Angry Child Productions, Small Dog Picture Company, 20th Century Fox Television, Cinema Vehicle Services

4. President Thomas Benson, Hot Shots! Part Deux, 1993. Played by Lloyd Bridges © Produced by Twentieth Century Fox

5. President Dave Kovic, Dave, 1993. Played by Kevin Kline © Produced by Northern Lights Entertainment, Lauren Shuler Donner Productions

6. The President of the United States of America, G.I. Joe 1, 2009. Played by Jonathan Pryce © Produced by Paramount Pictures, Spyglass Entertainment, Hasbro, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Digital Image Associates

7. President David Palmer, 24, 2002–2004. Played by Dennis Haysbert © Produced by Imagine Television, Real Time Productions, Teakwood Lane, Productions, 20th Century Fox Television

8. The President of the United States of America, Escape from L.A., 1996. Played by Cliff Robertson © Produced by Paramount Pictures, Rysher Entertainment

9. The President of the United States of America, Escape from New York, 1981. Played by Donald Pleasence © Produced by Embassy Pictures, International Film Investors, Goldcrest Films International, Major Studio Partners

10. President James Dale, Mars Attacks!, 1996. Played by Jack Nicholson © Produced by Tim Burton Productions, Warner Bros.

11. President Joe Bauers, Idiocracy, 2006. Played by Luke Wilson © Produced by Twentieth Century Fox, Ternion Pictures,  Major Studio Partners

12. President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho, Idiocracy, 2006. Played by Terry Crews © Produced by Twentieth Century Fox, Ternion Pictures, Major Studio Partners

13. President Phillips, Air Collision, 2012. Played by Andy Clemence © Produced by The Asylum

14. President William Alan Moore, Big Game, 2014. Played by Samuel L. Jackson © Subzero Film Entertainment, Altitude Film Entertainment, Egoli Tossell Film, VisionPlus Fund, Ketchup Entertainment, Waterstone Entertainment, Head Gear Films, Metrol Technology, Film House Germany, Bavaria FilmPartners

15. President Harriet Franklin, Airline Disaster, 2010. Played by Meredith Baxter © Produced by The Asylum

16. The President of the United States of America, Canadian Bacon, 1995. Played by Alan Alda © PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Propaganda Films, David Brown Productions, Maverick Picture Company

17. President Richardson, Virus, 1980. Played by Glenn Ford © Produced by Haruki Kadokawa Office

18. President Barbara Adams, Whoops Apocalypse, 1986. Played by Loretta Swit © Produced by Incorporated Television Company, Picture Partnership

19. President James W. Sawyer, White House Down, 2013. Played by Jamie Foxx © Produced by Columbia Pictures, Mythology Entertainment, Centropolis Entertainment, Iron Horse Entertainment (II)

20. Mr. President, X-Men 3: The Last Stand, 2006. Played by Josef Sommer © Produced by Twentieth Century Fox, Marvel Enterprises, Donners’ Company, Ingenious Film Partners, Dune Entertainment, Major Studio Partners, Bad Hat Harry Productions, X3 Canada Productions, X3US Productions, XM3 Service, thinkfilm

21. President Mays Gilliam, Head of State, 2003. Played by Chris Rock © Produced by Warner Bros., Electric Entertainment, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Skydance Media, Stereo D, Twisted Media

22. The President of the United States of America, Escape from New York, 1981. Played by Donald Pleasence © Produced by Embassy Pictures, International Film Investors, Goldcrest Films International, Major Studio Partners

23. President Wayne Palmer, 24, 2007. Played by D.B. Woodside © Produced by Imagine Television, Real Time Productions, Teakwood Lane Productions, 20th Century Fox Television

24. President Chet Roosevelt, Americathon, 1979. Played by John Ritter © Produced by Lorimar Television

25. President Baxter Harris, Scary Movie 4, 2006. Played by Leslie Nielsen © Produced by Dimension Films, 415 Project, Brad Grey Pictures, Miramax

26. President James Dale, Mars Attacks!, 1996. Played by Jack Nicholson © Produced by Tim Burton Productions, Warner Bros.