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Originally Processed With FOIA(s): FOIA Number: S S FOIA MARKER This is not a textual record. This is used as an administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential Library Staff. Record Group/Collection: George H.W. Bush Presidential Records Collection/Office of Origin: Speechwriting, White House Office of Series: Speech File Draft Files Subseries: Chron File, 1989-1993 OA/ID Number: 13593 Folder ID Number: 13593-010 Folder Title: Kennedy Center Honors 12/8/91 [OA 6040] Stack: Row: Section: Shelf: Position: G 26 17 5 1 KENNEDY CENTER HONORS \ THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 \ 5:30 P.M. BARBARA AND I ARE DELIGHTED TO TAKE PART IN CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SEVEN OUTSTANDING AMERICANS WHO HAVE DEVOTED THEIR LIVES TO THE PERFORMING ARTS. THEIR WORK REPRESENTS THE CARNIVAL OF CREATIVE DIVERSITY THAT MAKES AMERICA A NATION LIKE NO OTHER. THEY RICHLY DESERVE THEIR SELECTION FOR THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS. - 2 - THE KENNEDY CENTER IS TRULY OUR NATIONAL CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS. IT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN EDUCATING AND NURTURING YOUNG ARTISTS, HELPING ENSURE WE WILL HAVE EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMERS AND WRITERS AND COMPOSERS To HONOR IN DECADES TO COME. BARBARA AND I TAKE GREAT PLEASURE IN ATTENDING PERFORMANCES OF THEATER AND MUSIC AND DANCE AT THE CENTER EVERY SEASON OF THE YEAR. - 3 - AND NOW, LET ME RECOGNIZE THE HONOREES FOR 1991: Roy ACUFF, FROM THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS OF TENNESSEE, IS A MINISTER'S SON. As A SONGWRITER AND SINGER, HE HAS THAT BIBLICAL GENIUS FOR SPEAKING STRAIGHT TO THE HEART. A PRODIGIOUS PUBLISHER AND IMPRESARIO, HE HAS CREATED A FOLLOWING FOR AMERICA'S COUNTRY MUSIC IN OUR CITIES AND TOWNS -- AND EVEN IN PLACES OVERSEAS. LIKE THE WABASH CANNONBALL, Roy ACUFF'S MUSIC "GLIDES ALONG THE WOODLAND THROUGH THE HILLS AND BY THE SHORE." - 4 - WE HONOR THIS MIGHTY MAN FOR GIVING US MUSIC THAT NOT ONLY IS POPULAR BUT TIMELESS. BETTY COMDEN AND ADOLPH GREEN HELPED BRING THE AMERICAN MUSICAL TO FULL FLOWER IN THE 1940s -- AND THEIR WORK IS STILL FLOURISHING IN THE 1990s, ON BROADWAY AND IN HOLLYWOOD. IN PETER PAN, THEIR WRITING LIFTED MARY MARTIN TO LYRIC HEIGHTS NO WIRES OR PULLEYS COULD EVER REACH. - 5 - IN SINGIN" IN THE RAIN, ON THE TOWN, APPLAUSE -- AND DOZENS MORE PRODUCTIONS -- THEY PUT SONG AND DANCE AND LOVE AND LAUGHTER TOGETHER IN A COMBINATION UNMISTAKABLY AMERICAN. FOR THE CREATIVE MELDING OF AMERICAN DANCE FORMS, AND FOR SHEER ACROBATIC VIRTUOSITY ON THE STAGE, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MATCH FOR THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS. - 6 - FAYARD [FAY-YERD] NICHOLAS AND HIS BROTHER HAROLD HAVE CAPTIVATED AUDIENCES AROUND THE GLOBE WITH THEIR COMBINATIONS OF TAP DANCE, JAZZ BALLET AND ACROBATICS. FROM THE STAGE OF THE FABLED COTTON CLUB To THE GREAT SONG-AND-DANCE SPECTACULARS OF THE SILVER SCREEN, THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS HAVE DAZZLED GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS WITH THE EXCITEMENT AND GRACE OF THEIR PERFORMANCES. - 7 - DURING FOUR DECADES AS A FILM ACTOR, GREGORY PECK HAS EMBODIED STRENGTH AND DIGNITY IN HIS PORTRAYALS. FOR MOVIEGOERS, GREGORY PECK REPRESENTS THE FAITH OF FATHER CHISHOLM, THE HUMANITY AND COURAGE OF GENERAL FRANK SAVAGE, AND THE INCORRUPTIBLE DEVOTION TO JUSTICE OF ATTICUS FINCH. - 8 - OFF THE SCREEN, GREGORY PECK HAS DEVOTED HIS TALENT TO LEADERSHIP OF THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE AND THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES. HE WINS OUR LAURELS TODAY NOT ONLY AS AN ACTOR'S ACTOR, BUT ALSO AS A LEADER IN HIS PROFESSION. ROBERT SHAW HAS LED THE UNITED STATES TO UNPRECEDENTED DISTINCTION IN CHORAL MUSIC. - 9 - ROBERT SHAW IS ALSO A MINISTER'S SON, AND FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF HIS CAREER HE HAS HARMONIZED THE GIFT OF SONG WITH HIS STUDY OF PHILOSOPHY, THEOLOGY AND LITERATURE. LEADING BY EXAMPLE, HE DEMANDS EXCELLENCE FROM HIS STUDENTS AND HIS PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AND SINGERS. HE HAS GIVEN OUR NATION A TREASURE OF GREAT PERFORMANCES, FROM THE CLASSICAL AND SACRED TRADITIONS AS WELL AS FROM THE MODERN PERIOD AND OUR OWN AMERICAN FOLK IDIOM. - 10 - I SPEAK FOR A GRATEFUL NATION IN HONORING THESE ARTISTS. To Roy ACUFF; TO BETTY COMDEN AND ADOLPH GREEN; TO FAYARD NICHOLAS AND HAROLD NICHOLAS; TO GREGORY PecK; AND TO ROBERT SHAW: THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERS YOU HAVE WORKED WITH YOUR GREAT TALENTS. MAY GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU, AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. # # # KENNEDY CENTER HONORS \ THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 \ 5:30 P.M. BARBARA AND I ARE DELIGHTED TO TAKE PART IN CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SEVEN OUTSTANDING AMERICANS WHO HAVE DEVOTED THEIR LIVES TO THE PERFORMING ARTS. THEIR WORK REPRESENTS THE CARNIVAL OF CREATIVE DIVERSITY THAT MAKES AMERICA A NATION LIKE NO OTHER. THEY RICHLY DESERVE THEIR SELECTION FOR THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS. - 2 - THE KENNEDY CENTER IS TRULY OUR NATIONAL CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS. IT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN EDUCATING AND NURTURING YOUNG ARTISTS, HELPING ENSURE WE WILL HAVE EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMERS AND WRITERS AND COMPOSERS TO HONOR IN DECADES To COME. BARBARA AND I TAKE GREAT PLEASURE IN ATTENDING PERFORMANCES OF THEATER AND MUSIC AND DANCE AT THE CENTER EVERY SEASON OF THE YEAR. - 3 - AND NOW, LET ME RECOGNIZE THE HONOREES FOR 1991: Roy ACUFF, FROM THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS OF TENNESSEE, IS A MINISTER'S SON. As A SONGWRITER AND SINGER, HE HAS THAT BIBLICAL GENIUS FOR SPEAKING STRAIGHT TO THE HEART. A PRODIGIOUS PUBLISHER AND IMPRESARIO, HE HAS CREATED A FOLLOWING FOR AMERICA'S COUNTRY MUSIC IN OUR CITIES AND TOWNS -- AND EVEN IN PLACES OVERSEAS. LIKE THE WABASH CANNONBALL, ROY ACUFF'S MUSIC "GLIDES ALONG THE WOODLAND THROUGH THE HILLS AND BY THE SHORE." - 4 - WE HONOR THIS MIGHTY MAN FOR GIVING US MUSIC THAT NOT ONLY IS POPULAR BUT TIMELESS. BETTY COMDEN AND ADOLPH GREEN HELPED BRING THE AMERICAN MUSICAL TO FULL FLOWER IN THE 1940s -- AND THEIR WORK IS STILL FLOURISHING IN THE 1990s, ON BROADWAY AND IN HOLLYWOOD. IN PETER PAN, THEIR WRITING LIFTED MARY MARTIN TO LYRIC HEIGHTS NO WIRES OR PULLEYS COULD EVER REACH. - 5 - IN SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, ON THE TOWN, APPLAUSE -- AND DOZENS MORE PRODUCTIONS -- THEY PUT SONG AND DANCE AND LOVE AND LAUGHTER TOGETHER IN A COMBINATION UNMISTAKABLY AMERICAN. FOR THE CREATIVE MELDING OF AMERICAN DANCE FORMS, AND FOR SHEER ACROBATIC VIRTUOSITY ON THE STAGE, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MATCH FOR THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS. - 6 - FAYARD [FAY-YERD] NICHOLAS AND HIS BROTHER HAROLD HAVE CAPTIVATED AUDIENCES AROUND THE GLOBE WITH THEIR COMBINATIONS OF TAP DANCE, JAZZ BALLET AND ACROBATICS. FROM THE STAGE OF THE FABLED COTTON CLUB To THE GREAT SONG-AND-DANCE SPECTACULARS OF THE SILVER SCREEN, THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS HAVE DAZZLED GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS WITH THE EXCITEMENT AND GRACE OF THEIR PERFORMANCES. - 7 - DURING FOUR DECADES AS A FILM ACTOR, GREGORY PECK HAS EMBODIED STRENGTH AND DIGNITY IN HIS PORTRAYALS. FOR MOVIEGOERS, GREGORY PECK REPRESENTS THE FAITH OF FATHER CHISHOLM, THE HUMANITY AND COURAGE OF GENERAL FRANK SAVAGE, AND THE INCORRUPTIBLE DEVOTION TO JUSTICE OF ATTICUS FINCH. - 8 - OFF THE SCREEN, GREGORY PECK HAS DEVOTED HIS TALENT TO LEADERSHIP OF THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE AND THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES. HE WINS OUR LAURELS TODAY NOT ONLY AS AN ACTOR'S ACTOR, BUT ALSO AS A LEADER IN HIS PROFESSION. ROBERT SHAW HAS LED THE UNITED STATES TO UNPRECEDENTED DISTINCTION IN CHORAL MUSIC. - 9 - ROBERT SHAW IS ALSO A MINISTER'S SON, AND FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF HIS CAREER HE HAS HARMONIZED THE GIFT OF SONG WITH HIS STUDY OF PHILOSOPHY, THEOLOGY AND LITERATURE. LEADING BY EXAMPLE, HE DEMANDS EXCELLENCE FROM HIS STUDENTS AND HIS PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AND SINGERS. HE HAS GIVEN OUR NATION A TREASURE OF GREAT PERFORMANCES, FROM THE CLASSICAL AND SACRED TRADITIONS AS WELL AS FROM THE MODERN PERIOD AND OUR OWN AMERICAN FOLK IDIOM. - 10 - I SPEAK FOR A GRATEFUL NATION IN HONORING THESE ARTISTS. To Roy ACUFF; TO BETTY COMDEN AND ADOLPH GREEN; TO FAYARD NICHOLAS AND HAROLD NICHOLAS; TO GREGORY PecK; AND TO ROBERT SHAW: THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERS YOU HAVE WORKED WITH YOUR GREAT TALENTS. MAY GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU, AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. # # # THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON SCHEDULE OF THE PRESIDENT AND MRS. BUSH FOR WASHINGTON, D.C. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 EVENTS: Attend John F. Kennedy Center Honors DRESS: Men - Black Tie Women - Evening Gown CONTACTS: Office of Presidential Advance Jay Parmer - 202/456-7565 Trip Coordinator Patricia L. Conrad - 202/456-7565 ADVANCE: Mark Rosenker - LEAD Erin O'Brien - PRESS Chris McFarland - USSS Russ Cancilla - MIL. AIDE Lynn Litchy - WHCA WEATHER: Partly Cloudy/Low 50's SCHEDULE OF THE PRESIDENT AND MRS. BUSH FOR WASHINGTON, D.C. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 7:30 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush board Motorcade and depart White House en route John F. Kennedy Center. MOTORCADE ASSIGNMENTS: Lead Spare B. Farish Doctor LIMO THE PRESIDENT Mrs. Bush Follow Up Control Mil. Aide Support S. Rogich M. Lukens P. Swift Official Photographer Medic Staff I Staff Van All Remaining Staff Press Van I M. Busch Press Van II (Drive TIme: 5 Minutes) 7:35 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush arrive John F. Kennedy Center and proceed to Presidential Box, Opera House. Met by: Mr. and Mrs. James D. Wolfensohn (Elaine) Chairman, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts EVENT: ATTEND JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER HONORS TRAVEL POOL COVERAGE OFF-STAGE ANNOUNCEMENT BLACK TIE 7:40 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Wolfensohn, arrive Presidential Box, Opera House, are announced into Box, and begin viewing Performance. 7:41 pm National Anthem. 7:43 pm Performance begins. 9:00 pm Intermission. NOTE: John F. Kennedy Center Honorees will visit with THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush in Presidential Box during Intermission. 9:20 pm Performance resumes. 10:15 pm Performance ends. 10:17 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush conclude participation in John F. Kennedy Honors, depart Presidential Box and proceed to Motorcade. Page Two 10:20 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush board Motorcade and depart John F. Kennedy Center en route White House. MOTORCADE ASSIGNMENTS: Same as on Arrival. (Drive Time: 5 Minutes) 10:25 pm THE PRESIDENT and Mrs. Bush arrive White House. Page Three 290427 Document No. WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM 91 NOV 4 A8: 40 12/05/91 DATE: ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS/SUNDAY, DEC. 8 SUBJECT: (12/04 draft two) ACTION FYI ACTION FYI VICE PRESIDENT HORNER SUNUNU MCCLURE SCOWCROFT PETERSMEYER DARMAN PORTER BRADY ROGICH BROMLEY SMITH McBRIDE CARD DEMAREST FIRESTONE FITZWATER SNOW GRAY PORTER ROSE HOLIDAY REMARKS: The attached has been forwarded to the President. RESPONSE: PHILLIP D. BRADY Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary Ext. 2702 THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON C1 DEC 4 P6: 01 December 4, 1991 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT THROUGH: DAVID DEMAREST TONY SNOW TS FROM: JOSEPH P. DUGGAN 9PD SUBJECT: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS I. SUMMARY On Sunday, December 8, at 5:30 p.m., you will give brief remarks in the East Room about the winners of this year's Kennedy Center Honors. About 300 will attend. II. DISCUSSION The remarks (5 minutes, on cards) laud the seven winners and praise the Kennedy Center. Note that the first two paragraphs and the final paragraph will become a video insert into the program later that evening at the Kennedy Center. The taped program will be broadcast at a later date on network television. (Duggan/Simon) December 4, 1991 Draft Two KenCen PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 5:30 P.M. Barbara and I are delighted to take part in celebrating the achievement of seven outstanding Americans who have devoted their lives to the performing arts. Their work represents the carnival of creative diversity that makes America a nation like no other. They richly deserve their selection for the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center is truly our national center for performing arts. It plays a vital role in educating and nurturing young artists, helping ensure we will have exceptional performers and writers and composers to honor in decades to come. Barbara and I take great pleasure in attending performances of theater and music and dance at the center every season of the year. And now, let me recognize the honorees for 1991: Roy Acuff, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, is a minister's son. As a songwriter and singer he has that biblical genius for speaking straight to the heart. A prodigious publisher and impresario, he has created a following for America's country music in our cities and towns -- and even in places overseas. Like the Wabash Cannon Ball, Roy Acuff's music "glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore." 2 We honor this mighty man for giving us music that not only is popular but is timeless. Betty Comden and Adolph Green helped bring the American musical to full flower in the 1930s -- and their work is still flourishing in the 1990s, on Broadway and in Hollywood. In Peter Pan, their writing lifted Mary Martin to lyric heights no wires or pulleys could ever reach. In Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Applause -- and dozens more productions -- they put song and dance and love and laughter together in a combination unmistakeably American. For the creative melding of American dance forms, and for sheer acrobatic virtuosity on the stage, there has never been a match for the Nicholas Brothers. Fayard Nicholas and his brother Harold have captivated audiences around the globe with their combinations of tap dance, jazz ballet and acrobatics. From the stage of the fabled Cotton Club to the great song-and-dance spectaculars of the silver screen, the Nicholas Brothers have dazzled generations of Americans with the excitement and grace of their performances. During four decades as a film actor, Gregory Peck has embodied strength and dignity in his portrayals. For moviegoers, Gregory Peck represents the faith of Father Chisholm, the humanity and courage of General Frank Savage, and the incorruptible devotion to justice of Atticus Finch. Off the screen, Gregory Peck has devoted his talent to leadership of the American Film Institute and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts 3 and Sciences. He wins our laurels today not only as an actor's actor, but also as a leader in his profession. Robert Shaw has led the United States to unprecedented distinction in choral music. Robert Shaw is also a minister's son, and from the very beginning of his career he has harmonized the gift of song with his study of philosophy, theology and literature. Leading by example, he demands excellence from his students and his professional musicians and singers. He has given our nation a treasure of great performances, from the classical and sacred traditions as well as from the modern period and our own American folk idiom. I speak for a grateful nation in honoring these artists. To Roy Acuff; to Betty Comden and Adolph Green; to Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas; to Gregory Peck; and to Robert Shaw: Thank you for the wonders you have worked with your great talents. May God bless each of you, and God bless the United States of America. # # # 290427ss Document No. WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM 91 NOV 5 All: 40 DATE: 12/3/91 ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: WEDNESDAY, 12/4/91 4:00pm PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS SUBJECT: THE EAST ROOM - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 ACTION FYI ACTION FYI VICE PRESIDENT HORNER SUNUNU MCCLURE SCOWCROFT PETERSMEYER DARMAN PORTER BRADY ROGICH BROMLEY SMITH MCBRIDE CARD FIRESTONE DEMAREST SNOW FITZWATER GRAY HOLIDAY REMARKS: Please forward your comments directly to Tony Snow, Rm. 122, x2930, no later than 4:00 p.m., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, with a copy to this office. Thank you. RESPONSE: Slo comment PHILLIP D. BRADY Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary Ext. 2702 (Duggan/Simon) December 3, 1991 Draft One 31 DEC 3 P3: 09 KenCen PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 5:30 P.M. Barbara and I are delighted to take part in celebrating the achievement of seven outstanding Americans who have devoted their lives to the performing arts. Their work represents the carnival of creative diversity that makes America what it is. They richly deserve their selection for the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center is truly our national center for performing arts - - and Barbara and I take great pleasure in attending performances of theater and music and dance at the center every season of the year. Betty Comden and Adolph Green helped bring the American musical to full flower in the 1930s -- and they're still doing their bloomin' best in the 1990s, on Broadway and in Hollywood. In Peter Pan, their writing lifted Mary Martin to lyric heights no wires or pulleys could ever reach. In Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Applause -- and dozens more productions -- they put song and dance and love and laughter together in a combination unmistakeably American. For the creative melding of American dance forms, and for sheer acrobatic virtuosity on the stage, there has never been a match for the Nicholas Brothers. Fayard Nicholas and his brother Harold have captivated audiences around the globe with their 2 combinations of tap dance, jazz ballet and acrobatics. From the stage of the fabled Cotton Club to the great song-and-dance spectaculars of the silver screen, the Nicholas Brothers have dazzled generations of Americans with the excitement and grace of their performances. During four decades as a film actor, Gregory Peck has embodied strength and dignity in his portrayals. For moviegoers, Gregory Peck represents the faith of Father Chisholm, the humanity and courage of General Frank Savage, and the incorruptible devotion to justice of Atticus Finch. Off the screen, Gregory Peck has devoted his talent to leadership of the American Film Institute and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He wins our laurels today not only as an actor's actor, but also as a leader in his profession. Robert Shaw has led the United States to unprecedented distinction in choral music. Robert Shaw is a minister's son, and from the very beginning of his career he has harmonized the gift of song with his study of philosophy, theology and literature. Leading by example, he demands excellence from his students and his professional musicians and singers. He has given our nation a treasure of great performances, from the classical and sacred traditions as well as from the modern period and our own American folk idiom. Roy Acuff, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, is another minister's son. As a songwriter and singer he has that biblical genius for speaking straight to the heart. A prodigious 3 publisher and impresario, he has created a following for America's country music in our cities and towns -- and even in places overseas. Like the Wabash Cannon Ball, Roy Acuff's music "glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore. If We honor this mighty man for giving us music that not only is popular but is timeless. I speak for a grateful nation in honoring these great artists. To those wonderful librettists and lyricists, Betty Comden and Adolph Green; to Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas, the brothers who invented the "classical tap" dance; to Gregory Peck, who has projected such powerful humanity on the screen; to Robert Shaw, whose diligence has lifted American choral music to new heights; and to Roy Acuff, who has carried our hearts on the plain strong wings of country music: Thank you for the wonders you have worked with your great talents. May God bless each of you, and God bless the United States of America. # # # THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON December 4, 1991 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT THROUGH: DAVID DEMAREST TONY SNOW TS FROM: JOSEPH P. DUGGAN 9P5 SUBJECT: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS I. SUMMARY On Sunday, December 8, at 5:30 p.m., you will give brief remarks in the East Room about the winners of this year's Kennedy Center Honors. About 300 will attend. II. DISCUSSION The remarks (5 minutes, on cards) laud the seven winners and praise the Kennedy Center. Note that the first two paragraphs and the final paragraph will become a video insert into the program later that evening at the Kennedy Center. The taped program will be broadcast at a later date on network television. (Duggan/Simon) December 4, 1991 Draft Two KenCen PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 5:30 P.M. Barbara and I are delighted to take part in celebrating the achievement of seven outstanding Americans who have devoted their lives to the performing arts. Their work represents the carnival of creative diversity that makes America a nation like no other. They richly deserve their selection for the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center is truly our national center for performing arts. It plays a vital role in educating and nurturing young artists, helping ensure we will have exceptional performers and writers and composers to honor in decades to come. Barbara and I take great pleasure in attending performances of theater and music and dance at the center every season of the year. And now, let me recognize the honorees for 1991: Roy Acuff, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, is a minister's son. As a songwriter and singer he has that biblical genius for speaking straight to the heart. A prodigious publisher and impresario, he has created a following for America's country music in our cities and towns -- and even in places overseas. Like the Wabash Cannon Ball, Roy Acuff's music "glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore." 2 We honor this mighty man for giving us music that not only is popular but is timeless. Betty Comden and Adolph Green helped bring the American musical to full flower in the 1930s -- and their work is still flourishing in the 1990s, on Broadway and in Hollywood. In Peter Pan, their writing lifted Mary Martin to lyric heights no wires or pulleys could ever reach. In Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Applause -- and dozens more productions -- they put song and dance and love and laughter together in a combination unmistakeably American. For the creative melding of American dance forms, and for sheer acrobatic virtuosity on the stage, there has never been a match for the Nicholas Brothers. Fayard Nicholas and his brother Harold have captivated audiences around the globe with their combinations of tap dance, jazz ballet and acrobatics. From the stage of the fabled Cotton Club to the great song-and-dance spectaculars of the silver screen, the Nicholas Brothers have dazzled generations of Americans with the excitement and grace of their performances. During four decades as a film actor, Gregory Peck has embodied strength and dignity in his portrayals. For moviegoers, Gregory Peck represents the faith of Father Chisholm, the humanity and courage of General Frank Savage, and the incorruptible devotion to justice of Atticus Finch. Off the screen, Gregory Peck has devoted his talent to leadership of the American Film Institute and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts 3 and Sciences. He wins our laurels today not only as an actor's actor, but also as a leader in his profession. Robert Shaw has led the United States to unprecedented distinction in choral music. Robert Shaw is also a minister's son, and from the very beginning of his career he has harmonized the gift of song with his study of philosophy, theology and literature. Leading by example, he demands excellence from his students and his professional musicians and singers. He has given our nation a treasure of great performances, from the classical and sacred traditions as well as from the modern period and our own American folk idiom. I speak for a grateful nation in honoring these artists. To Roy Acuff; to Betty Comden and Adolph Green; to Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas; to Gregory Peck; and to Robert Shaw: Thank you for the wonders you have worked with your great talents. May God bless each of you, and God bless the United States of America. # # # 290427ss Document No. WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM II NOV 2 P4:10 DATE: 12/3/91 ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: WEDNESDAY, 12/4/91 4:00pm PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS SUBJECT: THE EAST ROOM - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 ACTION FYI ACTION FYI VICE PRESIDENT HORNER SUNUNU MCCLURE N/C SCOWCROFT PETERSMEYER DARMAN N/C PORTER BRADY ROGICH N/C BROMLEY SMITH N/C MCBRIDE CARD FIRESTONE DEMAREST SNOW FITZWATER GRAY N/C HOLIDAY N/C REMARKS: Please forward your comments directly to Tony Snow, Rm. 122, x2930, no later than 4:00 p.m., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, with a copy to this office. Thank you. RESPONSE: PHILLIP D. BRADY Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary Ext. 2702 (Duggan/Simon) December 3, 1991 Draft One 31 DEC 3 09 KenCen P3: PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 5:30 P.M. Barbara and I are delighted to take part in celebrating the achievement of seven outstanding Americans who have devoted their lives to the performing arts. Their work represents the carnival of creative diversity that makes America what it is. They richly deserve their selection for the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center is truly our national center for performing arts - - and Barbara and I take great pleasure in attending performances of theater and music and dance at the center every season of the year. Betty Comden and Adolph Green helped bring the American musical to full flower in the 1930s -- and they're still doing their bloomin' best in the 1990s, on Broadway and in Hollywood. In Peter Pan, their writing lifted Mary Martin to lyric heights no wires or pulleys could ever reach. In Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Applause -- and dozens more productions -- they put song and dance and love and laughter together in a combination unmistakeably American. For the creative melding of American dance forms, and for sheer acrobatic virtuosity on the stage, there has never been a match for the Nicholas Brothers. Fayard Nicholas and his brother Harold have captivated audiences around the globe with their 2 combinations of tap dance, jazz ballet and acrobatics. From the stage of the fabled Cotton Club to the great song-and-dance spectaculars of the silver screen, the Nicholas Brothers have dazzled generations of Americans with the excitement and grace of their performances. During four decades as a film actor, Gregory Peck has embodied strength and dignity in his portrayals. For moviegoers, Gregory Peck represents the faith of Father Chisholm, the humanity and courage of General Frank Savage, and the incorruptible devotion to justice of Atticus Finch. Off the screen, Gregory Peck has devoted his talent to leadership of the American Film Institute and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He wins our laurels today not only as an actor's actor, but also as a leader in his profession. Robert Shaw has led the United States to unprecedented distinction in choral music. Robert Shaw is a minister's son, and from the very beginning of his career he has harmonized the gift of song with his study of philosophy, theology and literature. Leading by example, he demands excellence from his students and his professional musicians and singers. He has given our nation a treasure of great performances, from the classical and sacred traditions as well as from the modern period and our own American folk idiom. Roy Acuff, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, is another minister's son. As a songwriter and singer he has that biblical genius for speaking straight to the heart. A prodigious 3 publisher and impresario, he has created a following for America's country music in our cities and towns -- and even in places overseas. Like the Wabash Cannon Ball, Roy Acuff's music "glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore.' " We honor this mighty man for giving us music that not only is popular but is timeless. I speak for a grateful nation in honoring these great artists. To those wonderful librettists and lyricists, Betty Comden and Adolph Green; to Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas, the brothers who invented the "classical tap" dance; to Gregory Peck, who has projected such powerful humanity on the screen; to Robert Shaw, whose diligence has lifted American choral music to new heights; and to Roy Acuff, who has carried our hearts on the plain strong wings of country music: Thank you for the wonders you have worked with your great talents. May God bless each of you, and God bless the United States of America. # # # THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON December 3, 1991 MEMORANDUM FOR TONY SNOW DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND DIRECTOR OF SPEECHWRITING FROM: CHESTER PAUL BEACH, JR. ChestuPaul Beauty. ASSOCIATE COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT SUBJECT: Presidential Remarks: Kennedy Center Honors; The East Room: Sunday, December 8, 1991 Counsel's Office has no legal objection to the proposed Presidential remarks referenced above. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Attachment CC: Phillip D. Brady Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary Document No. 290427ss WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM 4.199 DATE: 12/3/91 ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: WEDNESDAY, 12/4/91 4:00pm PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS SUBJECT: THE EAST ROOM - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 ACTION FYI ACTION FYI VICE PRESIDENT HORNER SUNUNU MCCLURE SCOWCROFT PETERSMEYER DARMAN PORTER BRADY ROGICH BROMLEY SMITH CARD MCBRIDE DEMAREST FIRESTONE SNOW FITZWATER GRAY HOLIDAY REMARKS: Please forward your comments directly to Tony Snow, Rm. 122, x2930, no later than 4:00 p.m., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, with a copy to this office. Thank you. RESPONSE: PHILLIP D. BRADY Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary Ext. 2702 (Duggan/Simon) December 3, 1991 Draft One 01 DEC 3 P3: 09 KenCen PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 5:30 P.M. Barbara and I are delighted to take part in celebrating the achievement of seven outstanding Americans who have devoted their lives to the performing arts. Their work represents the carnival of creative diversity that makes America what it is. They richly deserve their selection for the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center is truly our national center for performing arts - - and Barbara and I take great pleasure in attending performances of theater and music and dance at the center every season of the year. Betty Comden and Adolph Green helped bring the American musical to full flower in the 1930s -- and they're still doing their bloomin' best in the 1990s, on Broadway and in Hollywood. In Peter Pan, their writing lifted Mary Martin to lyric heights no wires or pulleys could ever reach. In Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Applause -- and dozens more productions -- they put song and dance and love and laughter together in a combination unmistakeably American. For the creative melding of American dance forms, and for sheer acrobatic virtuosity on the stage, there has never been a match for the Nicholas Brothers. Fayard Nicholas and his brother Harold have captivated audiences around the globe with their 2 combinations of tap dance, jazz ballet and acrobatics. From the stage of the fabled Cotton Club to the great song-and-dance spectaculars of the silver screen, the Nicholas Brothers have dazzled generations of Americans with the excitement and grace of their performances. During four decades as a film actor, Gregory Peck has embodied strength and dignity in his portrayals. For moviegoers, Gregory Peck represents the faith of Father Chisholm, the humanity and courage of General Frank Savage, and the incorruptible devotion to justice of Atticus Finch. Off the screen, Gregory Peck has devoted his talent to leadership of the American Film Institute and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He wins our laurels today not only as an actor's actor, but also as a leader in his profession. Robert Shaw has led the United States to unprecedented distinction in choral music. Robert Shaw is a minister's son, and from the very beginning of his career he has harmonized the gift of song with his study of philosophy, theology and literature. Leading by example, he demands excellence from his students and his professional musicians and singers. He has given our nation a treasure of great performances, from the classical and sacred traditions as well as from the modern period and our own American folk idiom. Roy Acuff, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, is another minister's son. As a songwriter and singer he has that biblical genius for speaking straight to the heart. A prodigious 3 publisher and impresario, he has created a following for America's country music in our cities and towns -- and even in places overseas. Like the Wabash Cannon Ball, Roy Acuff's music "glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore." " We honor this mighty man for giving us music that not only is popular but is timeless. I speak for a grateful nation in honoring these great artists. To those wonderful librettists and lyricists, Betty Comden and Adolph Green; to Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas, the brothers who invented the "classical tap" dance; to Gregory Peck, who has projected such powerful humanity on the screen; to Robert Shaw, whose diligence has lifted American choral music to new heights; and to Roy Acuff, who has carried our hearts on the plain strong wings of country music: Thank you for the wonders you have worked with your great talents. May God bless each of you, and God bless the United States of America. # # # 290427ss Document No. WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM NOV 3 P3:57 DATE: 12/3/91 ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: WEDNESDAY, 12/4/91 4:00pm PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS SUBJECT: THE EAST ROOM - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 ACTION FYI ACTION FYI VICE PRESIDENT HORNER SUNUNU MCCLURE SCOWCROFT PETERSMEYER DARMAN \ PORTER BRADY ROGICH BROMLEY SMITH MCBRIDE CARD \ FIRESTONE DEMAREST SNOW FITZWATER GRAY HOLIDAY REMARKS: Please forward your comments directly to Tony Snow, Rm. 122, x2930, no later than 4:00 p.m., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, with a copy to this office. Thank you. RESPONSE: No comment. Thanks. Paul Korfonta PC 12/04/91 PHILLIP D. BRADY Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary Ext. 2702 290427ss Document No. WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM 91 NOV 3 P3: : 31 DATE: 12/3/91 ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: WEDNESDAY, 12/4/91 4:00pm PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS SUBJECT: THE EAST ROOM - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 ACTION FYI ACTION FYI VICE PRESIDENT HORNER SUNUNU MCCLURE SCOWCROFT PETERSMEYER DARMAN \ PORTER BRADY ROGICH BROMLEY SMITH MCBRIDE CARD FIRESTONE DEMAREST SNOW FITZWATER GRAY HOLIDAY REMARKS: Please forward your comments directly to Tony Snow, Rm. 122, x2930, no later than 4:00 p.m., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, with a copy to this office. Thank you. RESPONSE: good- S.R PHILLIP D. BRADY Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary Ext. 2702 (Duggan/Simon) December 3, 1991 Draft One 31 DEC 3 P3: 09 KenCen PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 5:30 P.M. Barbara and I are delighted to take part in celebrating the achievement of seven outstanding Americans who have devoted their lives to the performing arts. Their work represents the carnival of creative diversity that makes America what it is. They richly deserve their selection for the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center is truly our national center for performing arts - - and Barbara and I take great pleasure in attending performances of theater and music and dance at the center every season of the year. Betty Comden and Adolph Green helped bring the American musical to full flower in the 1930s -- and they're still doing their bloomin' best in the 1990s, on Broadway and in Hollywood. In Peter Pan, their writing lifted Mary Martin to lyric heights no wires or pulleys could ever reach. In Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Applause -- and dozens more productions -- they put song and dance and love and laughter together in a combination unmistakeably American. For the creative melding of American dance forms, and for sheer acrobatic virtuosity on the stage, there has never been a match for the Nicholas Brothers. Fayard Nicholas and his brother Harold have captivated audiences around the globe with their 2 combinations of tap dance, jazz ballet and acrobatics. From the stage of the fabled Cotton Club to the great song-and-dance spectaculars of the silver screen, the Nicholas Brothers have dazzled generations of Americans with the excitement and grace of their performances. During four decades as a film actor, Gregory Peck has embodied strength and dignity in his portrayals. For moviegoers, Gregory Peck represents the faith of Father Chisholm, the humanity and courage of General Frank Savage, and the incorruptible devotion to justice of Atticus Finch. Off the screen, Gregory Peck has devoted his talent to leadership of the American Film Institute and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He wins our laurels today not only as an actor's actor, but also as a leader in his profession. Robert Shaw has led the United States to unprecedented distinction in choral music. Robert Shaw is a minister's son, and from the very beginning of his career he has harmonized the gift of song with his study of philosophy, theology and literature. Leading by example, he demands excellence from his students and his professional musicians and singers. He has given our nation a treasure of great performances, from the classical and sacred traditions as well as from the modern period and our own American folk idiom. Roy Acuff, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, is another minister's son. As a songwriter and singer he has that biblical genius for speaking straight to the heart. A prodigious 3 publisher and impresario, he has created a following for America's country music in our cities and towns -- and even in places overseas. Like the Wabash Cannon Ball, Roy Acuff's music "glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore. " We honor this mighty man for giving us music that not only is popular but is timeless. I speak for a grateful nation in honoring these great artists. To those wonderful librettists and lyricists, Betty Comden and Adolph Green; to Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas, the brothers who invented the "classical tap" dance; to Gregory Peck, who has projected such powerful humanity on the screen; to Robert Shaw, whose diligence has lifted American choral music to new heights; and to Roy Acuff, who has carried our hearts on the plain strong wings of country music: Thank you for the wonders you have worked with your great talents. May God bless each of you, and God bless the United States of America. # # # Document No. 290427ss WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM DATE: 12/3/91 ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: WEDNESDAY, 12/4/91 4:00pm PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS SUBJECT: THE EAST ROOM - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 ACTION FYI ACTION. FYI VICE PRESIDENT HORNER SUNUNU MCCLURE SCOWCROFT PETERSMEYER DARMAN PORTER BRADY ROGICH BROMLEY SMITH CARD MCBRIDE DEMAREST FIRESTONE SNOW FITZWATER GRAY HOLIDAY REMARKS: Please forward your comments directly to Tony Snow, Rm. 122, x2930, no later than 4:00 p.m., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, with a copy to this office. Thank you. RESPONSE: QUAL If PHILLIP D. BRADY Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary Ext. 2702 4.W (Duggan/Simon) December 3, 1991 Draft One KenCen PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 5:30 P.M. Barbara and I are delighted to take part in celebrating the achievement of seven outstanding Americans who have devoted their lives to the performing arts. Their work represents the carnival of creative diversity that makes America what it is. They richly deserve their selection for the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center is truly our national center for performing arts - - and Barbara and I take great pleasure in attending performances of theater and music and dance at the center every season of the year. Betty Comden and Adolph Green helped bring the American musical to full flower in the 1930s -- and they're still doing their bloomin' best in the 1990s, on Broadway and in Hollywood. In Peter Pan, their writing lifted Mary Martin to lyric heights no wires or pulleys could ever reach. In Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Applause -- and dozens more productions -- they put song and dance and love and laughter together in a combination unmistakeably American. For the creative melding of American dance forms, and for sheer acrobatic virtuosity on the stage, there has never been a match for the Nicholas Brothers. Fayard Nicholas and his brother Harold have captivated audiences around the globe with their 2 combinations of tap dance, jazz ballet and acrobatics. From the stage of the fabled Cotton Club to the great song-and-dance spectaculars of the silver screen, the Nicholas Brothers have dazzled generations of Americans with the excitement and grace of their performances. During four decades as a film actor, Gregory Peck has embodied strength and dignity in his portrayals. For moviegoers, Gregory Peck represents the faith of Father Chisholm, the humanity and courage of General Frank Savage, and the incorruptible devotion to justice of Atticus Finch. Off the screen, Gregory Peck has devoted his talent to leadership of the American Film Institute and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He wins our laurels today not only as an actor's actor, but also as a leader in his profession. Robert Shaw has led the United States to unprecedented distinction in choral music. Robert Shaw is a minister's son, and from the very beginning of his career he has harmonized the gift of song with his study of philosophy, theology and literature. Leading by example, he demands excellence from his students and his professional musicians and singers. He has given our nation a treasure of great performances, from the classical and sacred traditions as well as from the modern period and our own American folk idiom. Roy Acuff, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, is another minister's son. As a songwriter and singer he has that biblical genius for speaking straight to the heart. A prodigious 3 publisher and impresario, he has created a following for America's country music in our cities and towns -- and even in places overseas. Like the Wabash Cannon Ball, Roy Acuff's music "glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore." II We honor this mighty man for giving us music that not only is popular but is timeless. I speak for a grateful nation in honoring these great artists. To those wonderful librettists and lyricists, Betty Comden and Adolph Green; to Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas, the brothers who invented the "classical tap" dance; to Gregory Peck, who has projected such powerful humanity on the screen; to Robert Shaw, whose diligence has lifted American choral music to new heights; and to Roy Acuff, who has carried our hearts on the plain strong wings of country music: Thank you for the wonders you have worked with your great talents. May God bless each of you, and God bless the United States of America. # # # (Duggan/Simon) December 3, 1991 Draft One KenCen PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 5:30 P.M. Barbara and I are delighted to take part in celebrating the achievement of seven outstanding Americans who have devoted their lives to the performing arts. Their work represents the carnival of creative diversity that makes America what it is. They richly deserve their selection for the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center is truly our national center for performing arts - - and Barbara and I take great pleasure in attending performances of theater and music and dance at the center every season of the year. Betty Comden and Adolph Green helped bring the American musical to full flower in the 1930s -- and they're still doing their bloomin' best in the 1990s, on Broadway and in Hollywood. In Peter Pan, their writing lifted Mary Martin to lyric heights no wires or pulleys could ever reach. In Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Applause -- and dozens more productions -- they put song and dance and love and laughter together in a combination unmistakeably American. For the creative melding of American dance forms, and for sheer acrobatic virtuosity on the stage, there has never been a match for the Nicholas Brothers. Fayard Nicholas and his brother Harold have captivated audiences around the globe with their 2 combinations of tap dance, jazz ballet and acrobatics. From the stage of the fabled Cotton Club to the great song-and-dance spectaculars of the silver screen, the Nicholas Brothers have dazzled generations of Americans with the excitement and grace of their performances. During four decades as a film actor, Gregory Peck has embodied strength and dignity in his portrayals. For moviegoers, Gregory Peck represents the faith of Father Chisholm, the humanity and courage of General Frank Savage, and the incorruptible devotion to justice of Atticus Finch. Off the screen, Gregory Peck has devoted his talent to leadership of the American Film Institute and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He wins our laurels today not only as an actor's actor, but also as a leader in his profession. Robert Shaw has led the United States to unprecedented distinction in choral music. Robert Shaw is a minister's son, and from the very beginning of his career he has harmonized the gift of song with his study of philosophy, theology and literature. Leading by example, he demands excellence from his students and his professional musicians and singers. He has given our nation a treasure of great performances, from the classical and sacred traditions as well as from the modern period and our own American folk idiom. Roy Acuff, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, is another minister's son. As a songwriter and singer he has that biblical genius for speaking straight to the heart. A prodigious 3 publisher and impresario, he has created a following for America's country music in our cities and towns -- and even in places overseas. Like the Wabash Cannon Ball, Roy Acuff's music "glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore." We honor this mighty man for giving us music that not only is popular but is timeless. I speak for a grateful nation in honoring these great artists. To those wonderful librettists and lyricists, Betty Comden and Adolph Green; to Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas, the brothers who invented the "classical tap" dance; to Gregory Peck, who has projected such powerful humanity on the screen; to Robert Shaw, whose diligence has lifted American choral music to new heights; and to Roy Acuff, who has carried our hearts on the plain strong wings of country music: Thank you for the wonders you have worked with your great talents. May God bless each of you, and God bless the United States of America. # # # SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7020 :12- 5-91 ; 9:14AM ; 4562983- 6218;# 1 WHITE HOUSE COMMCTR TUE 03 DEC 91 21:31 PG.07 Document No. 29042788 91 NOV 4 A8: 40 WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM DATE: 12/3/91 ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: WEDNESDAY, 12/4/91 4:00pm pm PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS SUBJECT: THE EAST ROOM - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 ACTION FYI ACTION FYI VICE PRESIDENT HORNER SUNUNU MCCLURE SCOWCROFT PETERSMEYER DARMAN \ PORTER BRADY ROGICH BROMLEY SMITH CARD MCBRIDE DEMAREST FIRESTONE SNOW FITZWATER GRAY HOLIDAY REMARKS: Please forward your comments directly to Tony Snow, Rm. 122, x2930, no later than 4:00 p.m., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, with a copy to this office. Thank you. RESPONSE: NC XP PHILLIP D. BRADY Assistant to the President SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7020 ;12- 5-91 ; 9:15AM ; 4562983- 6218:# 2 WHITE HOUSE COMMCTR TUE 03 DEC 91 21:32 PG.08 (Duggan/Simon) December 3, 1991 Draft One 31 DEC 3 P3: 09 KenCen PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: KENNEDY CENTER HONORS THE EAST ROOM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1991 5:30 P.M. Barbara and I are delighted to take part in celebrating the achievement of seven outstanding Americans who have devoted their lives to the performing arts. Their work represents the carnival of creative diversity that makes America what it is. They richly deserve their selection for the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center is truly our national center for performing arts - - and Barbara and I take great pleasure in attending performances of theater and music and dance at the center every season of the year. Betty Comden and Adolph Green helped bring the American musical to full flower in the 1930s -- and they're still doing their bloomin' best in the 1990s, on Broadway and in Hollywood. In Peter Pan, their writing lifted Mary Martin to lyric heights no wires or pulleys could ever reach. In Singin' in the Rain, on the Town, Applause -- and dozens more productions -- they put song and dance and love and laughter together in a combination unmistakeably American. For the creative melding of American dance forms, and for sheer acrobatic virtuosity on the stage, there has never been a match for the Nicholas Brothers. Fayard Nicholas and his brother Harold have captivated audiences around the globe with their SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7020 :12- 5-91 ; 9:15AM ; 4562983-> 6218;# 3 2 combinations of tap dance, jazz ballet and acrobatics. From the stage of the fabled Cotton Club to the great song-and-dance spectaculars of the silver screen, the Nicholas Brothers have dazzled generations of Americans with the excitement and grace of their performances. During four decades as a film actor, Gregory Peck has embodied strength and dignity in his portrayals. For moviegoers, Gregory Peck represents the faith of Father Chisholm, the humanity and courage of General Frank Savage, and the incorruptible devotion to justice of Atticus Finch. Off the screen, Gregory Peck has devoted his talent to leadership of the American Film Institute and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He wins our laurels today not only as an actor's actor, but also as a leader in his profession. Robert Shaw has led the United States to unprecedented distinction in choral music. Robert Shaw is a minister's son, and from the very beginning of his career he has harmonized the gift of song with his study of philosophy, theology and literature. Leading by example, he demands excellence from his students and his professional musicians and singers. He has given our nation a treasure of great performances, from the classical and sacred traditions as well as from the modern period and our own American folk idiom. Roy Acuff, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, is another minister's son. As a songwriter and singer he has that biblical genius for speaking straight to the heart. A prodigious 4562983- 6218;# 4 SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7020 :12- 5-91 ; 9:16AM ; TUE 03 DEC 91 21:33 PG.09 WHITE HOUSE COMMCTR 3 publisher and impresario, he has created a following for America's country music in our cities and towns -- and even in places overseas. Like the Wabash Cannon Ball, Roy Acuff's music "glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore." We honor this mighty man for giving us music that not only is popular but is timeless. I speak for a grateful nation in honoring these great artists. To those wonderful librettists and lyricists, Betty Comden and Adolph Green; to Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas, the brothers who invented the "classical tap" dance; to Gregory Pack, who has projected such powerful humanity on the screen; to Robert Shaw, whose diligence has lifted American choral music to new heights; and to Roy Acuff, who has carried our hearts on the plain strong wings of country music: Thank you for the wonders you have worked with your great talents. May God bless each of you, and God bless the United States of America. #