Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 881 › Conversation 881-006
Nixon, Farrell & Dahl on Cultural values and Broadway
Friday, March 16, 1973 · 12:20 PM–12:31 PM ET · Oval Office · 10 min
AI Summary
President Nixon met with Arlene Dahl, Michael J. Farrell, and members of the Schaum family for a social visit in the Oval Office. The discussion centered on cultural topics, including theater and film, with the group sharing perspectives on the perceived decline in moral standards within modern entertainment. Nixon emphasized his preference for family-friendly media and discussed obtaining copies of films for his personal viewing.
- Cultural values
- Broadway
- Film ratings
- Entertainment industry
- Family
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On March 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Michael J. Farrell, Arlene Dahl, Rounseville ("Skip") Schaum, Lorenzo Shaum, and Carole Schaum met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:20 pm to 12:31 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 881-006 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 881-6
Date: March 16, 1973
Time: 12:20 pm -12:31 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Arlene Dahl, Rounseville "Skip" Schaum, Lorenzo Schaum, Carole
Schaum and Michael J. Farrell. The White House photographer was present at the beginning of the
meeting.
Introductions
Children
-School
-President’s birthday
-Dahl’s father
-Age
Dahl’s family
-Move to New York
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
-Effect of church services characterized
-New Jersey
Debbie Reynolds
-President's meeting
-Irene
-Plot
-Reviewers
-Wholesomeness
-Out-of-towners
-New York
-New York Post
-Tony Award
-Voice
-Ailment
-Changes
-22-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 881-6 (cont’d)
Musical show
-Applause
Broadway
-Changes
-Cultural values
-Decline in quality
-Marlon Brando
-Cover of Time, Newsweek
-Playboy
-Family theater
Movies
-Parental Guidance [PG] rating
-Suitability
-Restricted [R] rating
-Camp David
Photographs
-Arrangements
-Atkins
-Beijing
-Moscow
-PRC
Henry A. Kissinger
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Trade fair
Last meeting with President
-Church
-Metro Goldwyn meter [MGM]
Movie
-Three Little Words
-Debbie Reynolds
-Helen Kane character
-Richard (“Red”) Skelton
-Format
-23-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 881-6 (cont’d)
Photographs
-Copies
Tour of White House
Julie Nixon Eisenhower's crewel work
Dahl, et al., left at 12:31 pm.Also recorded on March 16, 1973
- 881-004 11:10 AM · 54 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:10 am to 12:06 pm.
- 881-005 12:06 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Wallace H. Johnson, Stephen B. Bull, Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins, Peter V. Domenici, Nancy [Burk] (Burk) Domenici, Lisa Domenici, Peter Domenici, Jr., Nella Domenici, Claire Domenici, David Domenici, Nanette Domenici, Paula Domenici, and Helen Domenici met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:06 pm to 12:19 pm.
- 881-007 12:31 PM · 1 hr 37 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:31 pm to 1:36 pm.
- 037-127 1:38 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 2:45 pm.
- 420-001 1:38 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 2:45 pm.
- 420-002 1:38 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 2:45 pm.
- 420-003 1:38 PM · 56 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 2:45 pm.
- 420-004 1:38 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 2:45 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 881-006, March 16, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/881-006 (accessed October 12, 2026).