Martin Sheen, Aaron Sorkin Among ‘The West Wing’ Stars and Producers to Be Honored by First Lady Jill Biden at White House Event
Fresh off their reunion on Sunday night’s 76th Emmys, some of the key stars and producers from “The West Wing” are off to the White House for a celebration being thrown by First Lady Jill Biden.
In honor of the 25th anniversary of Warner Bros. TV’s “The West Wing” (which premiered on September 22, 1999, on NBC), the Office of the First Lady will hold a White House event this Friday marking the occasion. Set to join the festivities are creator/executive producer Aaron Sorkin and director/exec producer Thomas Schlamme, as well as stars Martin Sheen, Richard Schiff, Dulé Hill, Janel Moloney, Emily Procter, Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack.
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“Twenty-five years ago this week we were wondering if NBC would give us a full season,” Sorkin said in a statement. “Speaking for John [Wells] and Tommy [Schlamme], the cast, the crew, and the producers, we’re enormously honored to be invited to the White House.
Also joining “The West Wing” team will be Warner Bros. Television Group chairman/CEO Channing Dungey and Warner Bros. Television president Brett Paul.
‘The impact of ‘The West Wing’ is still strongly felt 25 years after its premiere,” Dungey said. “The show has inspired countless numbers of people to take up careers in public service and to become involved in their communities. It is a true testament to ‘The West Wing’s’ legacy that it continues to motivate new viewers and fans to action after more than two decades. We’re thrilled and honored to see the show recognized by President Biden and Dr. Biden.”
President Biden will not be able to make the ceremony and celebration, but Dr. Biden will give her remarks as part of the event.
At the Emmys, Sheen, Hill, Moloney, Schiff and Allison Janney appeared on a replica of “The West Wing” oval office set and presented the award for best drama series. They also poked fun at the modern political climate.
“It’s hard to believe that just 25 years ago, Aaron and the writers actually had to use their imaginations to create interesting plotlines for ‘The West Wing,’” Janney quipped. Added Schiff: “Unlike today, where storylines could be plucked right off the news — storylines that writers would have deemed a bit far-fetched, if not utterly ridiculous, 25 years ago.”
“The West Wing” starred Sheen as President Josiah “Jed” Bartlet, Hill as Bartlett’s personal aide Charlie Young, Moloney as senior assistant Donna Moss, Schiff as communications director Toby Ziegler, Procter as associate White House counsel Ainsley Hayes, Fitzgerald as Carol Fitzpatrick (assistant to press secretary C.J. Cregg) and McCormack as deputy national security advisor and ex-CIA officer Kate Harper.
Other stars unable to make the White House event included Janney as press secretary C.J. Cregg, Bradley Whitford, as deputy chief of stuff Josh Lyman, the late John Spencer as White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry and Rob Lowe as Samuel Seaborn, deputy communications director.
“It has been more than two decades since the first episode of ‘The West Wing’ hit our television screens, and I cannot tell you how many people, to this day, continue to quote this legendary series to me,” Dungey added. “That is due to the power of storytellers like Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme, John Wells, and so many others behind the scenes who brought the Bartlet administration into our homes week after week.
“The West Wing,” from John Wells Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. During its run, “The West Wing” won 27 Emmy awards out of 98 nominations. It also picked up six Screen Actors Guild awards and 20 nods; two Golden Globes out of 20 noms; three Directors Guild Awards, four Producers Guild Awards; five Television Critics Association awards and many, many more. It ran for seven seasons between 1999 and 2006, peaking with Season 3 which drew an average of 17.2 million viewers.
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