Reagan Gets Surprise Party for 77th Birthday
WASHINGTON — With a song commissioned in his honor, President Reagan celebrated his birthday to the cheers of Cabinet members and friends on Friday at a surprise party thrown by his wife a day before he turns 77.
“We really did pull it off. He was surprised,” Nancy Reagan told the 70 people in the State Dining Room.
Dessert at the birthday luncheon was a two-tiered lemon cake decorated with chocolate horseshoes, wafers with Reagan’s profile, miniature horses, a tiny pair of boots and a small cowboy hat. Helium-filled red and white balloons hovered over each table.
Mrs. Reagan had composer Marvin Hamlisch, a frequent guest at the White House, write a birthday song, titled “He’s Our Man, the Ronald Reagan March.”
Elaine Crispen, the First Lady’s press secretary, said the Reagans planned to have a quiet day today at Camp David, Md., watching movies. No guests were expected.
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