In “The Godfather,” Hyman Roth and Johnny Ola were based on real-life mobsters Meyer Lansky and Vincent Alo, here enjoying birthday cake, just as in the movie:

Michael Corleone was said to be partly based on Chicago airport namesake Butch O’Hare, who became a World War II hero and died in battle, it was said, with an aim of overcoming his father’s dark past as Al Capone’s onetime collaborator:

In real life, not “Godfather Part II,” Castro rebels arrive in Havana for New Year 1959:

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Michael Beschloss

@BeschlossDC

28 Dec 21

Time capsule from the removed Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond is being opened at this moment:

Time capsule has been opened:

So far, this is not exactly “National Treasure.”

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Michael Beschloss

@BeschlossDC

27 Dec 21

LBJ celebrating his last Christmas, with family, LBJ Ranch, yesterday 1972. With ranch now open to public, this dining room looks much the same, except for that Lady Bird had linoleum floor yanked out and replaced by wood parquet after her husband’s death:

For those eager to search for replicas of Presidential furniture, at left is the hide-covered chair with little stirrups that LBJ often sat in while presiding at head of his ranch dining room table:

Note the desk in LBJ’s ranch office during his Presidency—he was using Nixon’s old Vice Presidential desk—after his 1968 election, Nixon went looking for it—learned that LBJ had flown it to Texas—Nixon had it flown back to DC, where he used it for all of his time in Oval Office:

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Michael Beschloss

@BeschlossDC

24 Dec 21

@MSNBC

My TV show “Fireside History with Michael Beschloss” (today, 5 PM Eastern on @MSNBC) shows the 1963 Christmas card JFK never lived to send:

@MSNBC

@MSNBC “Fireside History with Michael Beschloss” (today, 5 PM Eastern on @MSNBC) includes behind-the-scenes movies and images of First Families (including dogs) as they observe the holidays and open gifts:

@MSNBC

@MSNBC “Fireside History with Michael Beschloss” (today, 5 PM Eastern on @MSNBC) shows how FDR had Christmas dinner with his houseguest Winston Churchill at White House eighteen days after Pearl Harbor:

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