Includes bibliographical references and index.

Ronald Wilson Reagan, the first and only actor to become president of the United States, wondered how anyone could do the job without such training. he saw the presidency as his greatest role, performed on a world stage. But was always more to Reagan than his resonant performances and his all-American smile. Although underestimated by friends and foes alike, Reagan proposed bold and controversial programs and dreamed of a prosperous America in a world at peace. in President Reagan, Lou Cannon explores and analyzes the subtleties and contradictions of the off-stage actor who sought to remake and rearm America and bring an end to the cold war.