MovieChat Forums > A Child Is Waiting (1963) Discussion > "It happened to a sister of the Presiden...

"It happened to a sister of the President of the United States"

posted 9 years ago by jarrodmcdonald-1
5 replies | jump to latest

During his heated conversation with the board of directors, Lancaster's character talks about how it's a sickness that can happen to anyone. He says it happened to a sister of the President of the United States.

Any idea which president he was referring to...?

[–] BrokenBadly 9 years ago

Probably JFK.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary_Kennedy

There's a thread about Rosemary Kennedy elsewhere on this board:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056930/board/thread/184197352?d=184197352#184197352

[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 9 years ago

Thanks. I appreciate your being on top of things. I thought I combed through all the threads here but apparently I missed that one!

[–] dfw364-1 8 years ago

JFK's sister (her name was Rosemary I believe) was developmentally disabled (the causes of her impairment I'll leave for another day). Whether conjecture or fact, the studios were probably persuaded to make this film to raise awareness in the general public. Judy Garland took this part as a favor to her friend, President Kennedy. Lancaster was another Hollywood actor who was sympathetic to causes pertinent in this film.

[–] matt72582 8 years ago

Joseph Kennedy thought the brain surgery would help her, and it only screwed her up for life.

[–] joeD234 (27) 3 years ago

To be more precise, it was a lobotomy.