An Evening With Jack Valenti, 6 p.m., Tuesday, January 25, 2005, LBJ Auditorium
Hollywood and Washington: The Entertainment Capitals of the World
As a former political consultant, a one-time special assistant to Lyndon Johnson, and the former CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, where he advised government on media policy, Jack Valenti has been a consummate political insider for over five decades.
Valenti, whom Washingtonian magazine called “the most powerful association leader in Washington,” combines his unique knowledge of our nation's lawmakers and the entertainment industry for the Friends of the LBJ Library.
Born in Houston, Valenti was the youngest – at 15 years old – high school graduate in the city. In World War II, Lieutenant Valenti flew 51 combat missions as the pilot-commander of a B-25 attack bomber in Italy and received several commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross.
In 1952, Valenti co-founded the advertising/political consulting agency of Weekley & Valenti. Three years later, he met the man who would have the largest impact on his life, Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson. Valenti's agency was in charge of the press during the visit of President Kennedy and Vice President Johnson to Texas. Valenti was in the motorcade (six cars behind the President) in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Within an hour of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Valenti was aboard Air Force One flying back to Washington with the new President as the first newly hired special assistant to the President.
On June 1, 1966, Valenti resigned his White House post to become the third man in MPAA's history to become its leader. There he helped create the movie rating system and most recently battled video piracy and worked to protect copyrights for the film and entertainment industry.
France has conferred upon him its highly prized Legion d'Honneur, the French Legion of Honor. Valenti has been awarded his own star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. He has been named a Life Member of the Directors Guild of America.
Valenti has written four books: The Bitter Taste of Glory (1971); A Very Human President (1975); Speak Up With Confidence (1982) ; and the political novel, Protect and Defend (1992). His most recent book is an updated revision of Speak Up With Confidence (2002, Hyperion).
The LBJ Museum Store will be selling copies of Speak Up With Confidence. Mr. Valenti will be signing copies of his book from 5:15 to 5:45 p.m. in the Lobby of the LBJ Auditorium prior to his address. A reception will follow.