"The West Wing" The State Dinner (1999)

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Director:

Thomas Schlamme

Writers:

Aaron Sorkin (creator)
Aaron Sorkin (writer) ...

TV Series:

"The West Wing" (1999)

Original Air Date:

10 November 1999 (Season 1, Episode 7)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

While preparing for (and enduring) a state dinner for the newly-elected president of Indonesia, staff...

Plot Keywords:

President | Political | Secretary | White House | First Lady

Cast

Rob Lowe	...	Sam Seaborn
Moira Kelly	...	Mandy Hampton
Dulé Hill	...	Charlie Young
Allison Janney	...	Claudia Jean 'C.J.' Cregg
Richard Schiff	...	Toby Ziegler
John Spencer	...	Leo McGarry
Bradley Whitford	...	Josh Lyman
Martin Sheen	...	President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet
Stockard Channing	...	Abbey Bartlet
Lisa Edelstein	...	Brittany 'Laurie' Rollins
Timothy Busfield	...	Danny Concannon
Janel Moloney	...	Donna Moss
David Rasche	...	Carl
Dennis Cockrum
John Kapelos	...	Seymour Little

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

thinkfilm

Trivia:

Stockard Channing had only just met Martin Sheen and established that their two characters had three daughters when she shot her first scene with him.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Laurie, Sam's friend who is a call girl, is brought to the White House State Dinner by a major contributor. While the fact that he is a major contributor would help, the Secret Service would have run background checks on anyone who was invited to the White House and would potentially meet the President. Laurie was introduced as "Brittany" by the contributor, but would not have been admitted into the White House under a pseudonym. Additionally, Laurie says that she is told by the contributor what to wear but does not know where she's going until the "date". However, with the background check, Laurie would have had to provide certain information (likely birth date and social security number) in advance, something that her client would likely *not* have available for her.

Quotes:

Abbey Bartlet: You have a big brain, a good heart and an ego the size of Montana. You do, Jed.

Movie Connections:

References First Blood (1982)

Soundtrack:

Hail to the Chief