Spotlight: Tricia Nixon’s 1969 Halloween Party

On October 31, 1969, approximately 250 children arrived at the White House for a Halloween Party that was hosted by First Daughter Tricia Nixon. According to the Nixon Foundation:

“Each room of the state floor held surprises for the guests. In the Green Room, there was a tarot card reader…In the Blue Room were large cardboard cut-outs of a pumpkin, witch, and skeleton….In the East Room, there were orange and white helium balloons bumping up against the stately ceiling, while a clown twisted other balloons into animals for the kids…there was a go-go girl puppet dancing in a marionette show staged by the Smithsonian Puppeteers…[and] Three magicians performed tricks continuously…”

–Halloween in the Nixon White House, written by Carl Sferrazza Anthony

In attendance at the party was actor Jonathan Frid, who played vampire Barnabas Collins on the popular television series Dark Shadows. Tricia Nixon, White House staff, and members of the Press also appeared in costume.

In celebration of the spooky season, the Still Picture Branch presents photographs from Tricia Nixon’s 1969 Halloween Party. The following photographs are part of 306-SSA: Photographs from Staff and Stringer Photographic Assignments Relating to U.S. Political Events and Social, Cultural, and Economic Life. Additional records pertaining to the party may be held at the Nixon Presidential Library.

_{Actor Jonathan Frid, in costume as Barnabas Collins. Date: October 31, 1969. Local photo ID: 306-SSA-69-6-26-7}

_{Left to right: Actor Jonathan Frid, First Daughter Tricia Nixon, and White House staff dressed as witches. Date: October 31, 1969. Local photo ID: 306-SSA-69-6-26-11}

_{Children in attendance at the White House Halloween party. Date: October 31, 1969.}

_{White House staff with guests. Date: October 31, 1969. Local photo IDs (left to right): 306-SSA-69-6-28-6; 306-SSA-69-6-29-2A; 306-SSA-69-6-29-17A; and 306-SSA-69-6-26-25}

There are no known copyright restrictions on the photographs included within this post. The following is our publication statement.

PUBLICATION OF PHOTOGRAPHS FURNISHED BY THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES STILL PICTURE BRANCH-RRSS

Generally, copies of photographic records held by the National Archives may be published without special permission or additional fees. The National Archives does not grant exclusive or non-exclusive publication privileges. Copies of Federal records, as part of the public domain, are equally available to all. A small percentage of photographs in our holdings are or may be subject to copyright restrictions. The National Archives does not confirm the copyright status of photographs but will provide any information known about said status. It is the user’s responsibility to obtain all necessary clearances. Any use of these items is made at the researcher’s or purchaser’s own risk.

Proper credit lines are encouraged in the interest of good documentation. They also help inform the public about government photographic resources that are available.

*Because so many of our requests for information cite credits and captions that appear in published works, the inclusion of a photo number in hard copy and electronic publications is of great assistance to both us and the public.

Examples of preferred credit lines are as follows:

• National Archives photo no. 80-G-32500
• Credit National Archives (photo no. 306-NT-186000)
• Courtesy National Archives, photo no. 26-G-3422
• National Archives (111-SC-202199)

If using a large number of our images, the National Archives will appreciate receiving copies of publications that contain our photographs. Such copies can be sent to the Still Picture Branch or the Library, National Archives and Records Administration.