Neil Reagan

John Neil "Moon" Reagan (September 16, 1908 – December 11, 1996) was an American advertising executive, radio broadcaster, and television producer, most notably recognized as the older brother and only sibling of U.S. President Ronald Reagan.^[1]^[2] Born in Tampico, Illinois, to parents Nelle and John Edward Reagan, he grew up alongside his younger brother in a modest household before the family relocated to Dixon, Illinois.^[3] Nicknamed "Moon" by family and friends due to his jovial personality, Reagan pursued a career in media after graduating from Eureka College.^[2]^[3] Reagan's professional life spanned radio announcing, advertising, and production roles, including early work as a newscaster and sportscaster at KFWB in Los Angeles and later as a senior vice president at the advertising firm McCann Erickson.^[3]^[1] He directed episodes of the Western television series Death Valley Days, for which his brother Ronald served as host in the mid-1960s, contributing to Ronald's rising public profile ahead of his political career.^[2] Additionally, Neil Reagan leveraged his media expertise to support Ronald's 1966 gubernatorial campaign in California, handling advertising and promotion strategies.^[4] Known for his outgoing demeanor contrasting his brother's more reserved style, he maintained a low public profile despite familial ties to the presidency.^[3] Reagan resided in California for much of his adult life, engaging in Republican politics aligned with his brother's conservative principles, though he avoided the political spotlight himself.^[1] He passed away from heart failure in San Diego at age 88, predeceasing his brother by nearly eight years.^[2]^[5]

Early Life

Birth and Childhood

John Neil Reagan was born on September 16, 1908, in Tampico, Illinois, to parents John Edward "Jack" Reagan, a traveling shoe salesman of Irish Catholic descent, and Nelle Clyde Wilson Reagan, a Scottish-English Protestant who worked as a seamstress and dressmaker.^[6]^[7] As the firstborn son, he received the nickname "Moon," derived from the popular comic strip character Moon Mullins.^[1] Reagan's younger brother, Ronald Wilson Reagan, was born on February 6, 1911, in the same small town of Tampico, a rural community in Whiteside County with a population of around 800 at the time.^[6]^[7] The brothers' early years were marked by frequent relocations driven by their father's unstable employment, including stints in Monmouth and Galesburg, Illinois, amid the economic challenges of the early 20th century.^[8] In 1920, when Neil was 12 years old, the family settled in Dixon, Illinois, where they resided for the remainder of his childhood; Dixon provided a more stable environment, with Neil attending local schools alongside his brother.^[7]^[9] The Reagan household faced financial hardships, exacerbated by Jack's struggles with alcoholism, though Nelle's religious faith and homemaking efforts offered structure to the boys' upbringing in these Midwestern towns.^[8]

Education

Neil Reagan attended Dixon High School in Dixon, Illinois, where he grew up after his family relocated from Tampico.^[7] He subsequently enrolled at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois, a small liberal arts institution affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), following in the footsteps of his younger brother Ronald, who graduated a year earlier.^[2]^[10] Reagan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Eureka College in 1933.^[1]^[10] In 1937, after beginning his broadcasting career, he briefly attended Columbia Technical Drafting School in Washington, D.C., though this short-term program did not lead to a formal degree or alter his primary professional trajectory in media and advertising.^[1]

Career

Early Radio Work

Following his graduation from Northwestern University in 1933 with a degree in economics, Neil Reagan entered the radio industry in Iowa, initially working at WOC in Davenport, where he advanced to program director.^[11]^[12] When his brother Ronald joined WHO Radio in Des Moines after the 1933 merger of WOC with WHO, Neil followed as a staff announcer.^[1] In 1939, after Ronald's relocation to Hollywood, Neil moved to California and took his first position there as an announcer at KFWB in Los Angeles.^[3]^[2] From KFWB, he transitioned to CBS, where he worked as a producer and director, overseeing programs including the medical drama Dr. Christian starring Jean Hersholt, which he directed for nearly 20 years beginning in the late 1930s.^[3]^[1] The series aired from 1937 to 1954, emphasizing ethical dilemmas faced by a small-town physician and reaching national audiences on CBS and later the Mutual network.

Advertising and Management Roles

In 1945, Neil Reagan joined McCann-Erickson, one of the world's largest advertising agencies at the time, marking the beginning of his prominent career in the field.^[13] By 1948, he had been promoted to manager of the agency's key Hollywood office, leveraging his media experience to handle advertising for the entertainment industry.^[13] In this role, he directed radio programs, including guiding actor Jean Hersholt's portrayal of Dr. Paul Christian.^[1] Reagan advanced to senior vice president of McCann-Erickson and head of its Los Angeles operations, positions he held until his retirement in 1973 after more than 40 years in advertising and broadcasting.^[3]^[2] His expertise earned him leadership roles in industry groups; peers elected him president of several advertising associations, including a notable position in 1951.^[13] In management capacities tied to advertising, Reagan contributed to political campaigns, including directing McCann-Erickson's advertising efforts for his brother Ronald Reagan's 1970 gubernatorial reelection in California.^[4] Earlier, in 1962, he secured Ronald Reagan a hosting contract for the television series Death Valley Days, drawing on his advertising connections.^[8] These roles highlighted his ability to bridge commercial advertising with talent management in Hollywood and beyond.

Film, Television, and Production Involvement

Neil Reagan appeared in minor acting roles in three films and one television program during the early 1940s. His screen debut was as an uncredited reporter in the 1940 comedy Tugboat Annie Sails Again, followed by a credited role as a sergeant in the 1943 wartime comedy Doughboys in Ireland. He also made a brief appearance on the 1950 episode of the anthology series This Is Your Life dedicated to his brother Ronald Reagan. These roles marked the extent of his on-screen career, which remained limited despite his relocation to Hollywood in the late 1930s to join Ronald in the entertainment industry.^[13] Transitioning from acting, Reagan established himself as a producer and director in radio and television, leveraging his advertising background at agencies like McCann Erickson. In the 1930s and 1940s, he produced and directed the popular radio series Dr. Christian, starring Jean Hersholt, which aired nationwide and focused on small-town medical dramas.^[13] By the 1950s, he advanced to senior producer at CBS, overseeing television content amid the medium's expansion.^[2] His most notable television production work came with Death Valley Days, a long-running Western anthology series sponsored by 20 Mule Team Borax; as producer and director, he managed episodes from the late 1950s onward and played a key role in 1964 in selecting Ronald Reagan to succeed Stanley Andrews as the on-air host, a position Ronald held for three seasons starting that year.^[4]^[2] This involvement intertwined family ties with professional duties, as Neil directed his brother's hosting segments.^[2] Reagan's production efforts extended into advertising-integrated content, reflecting his dual roles in entertainment and marketing; he rose to senior vice president at McCann Erickson, where he headed the Los Angeles office and produced promotional television spots until his retirement in 1973.^[3]^[1] His career emphasized behind-the-scenes contributions over performing, contributing to the commercialization of broadcast media during radio's decline and television's ascent.^[13]

Family and Relationships

Marriage and Children

Neil Reagan married Ruth Elizabeth Hoffman, commonly known as Bess, in 1935.^[14]^[15] The couple wed on August 31 in Adel, Iowa, and remained married until Neil's death in 1996.^[16] Hoffman, born in 1908 in Des Moines, Iowa, outlived her husband by over a decade, passing away on October 22, 2010, at the age of 102.^[17] The Reagans had no children.^[14]^[15]^[18]

Brotherhood with Ronald Reagan

Neil Reagan, nicknamed "Moon," maintained a close and supportive relationship with his younger brother Ronald Reagan, known as "Dutch," from childhood through adulthood. Born on September 16, 1908, in Tampico, Illinois, Neil was three years older than Ronald, born February 6, 1911, and the brothers grew up together after their family relocated to Dixon, Illinois, in 1920.^[6] Their shared upbringing in a modest household, marked by their father Jack Reagan's struggles with alcoholism and shoe salesmanship, fostered a strong sibling bond.^[8] Both attended Dixon High School and later Eureka College, where Neil earned a B.A. in economics in the early 1930s.^[6] In their professional lives, the brothers' paths intersected in broadcasting and advertising. During the 1930s, both worked in Des Moines, Iowa; Ronald as a sports announcer at WHO radio, while Neil handled advertising and sales for the station's parent company.^[8] Neil's career in advertising later provided direct assistance to Ronald: in 1939, Ronald, then an emerging Hollywood actor, invited Neil to visit and tour Warner Bros. studios, helping launch Neil's West Coast connections.^[13] Conversely, in 1962, Neil, as an advertising executive, negotiated Ronald's contract to host the television series Death Valley Days, which sustained Ronald's public profile amid his shift from acting to politics.^[8]^[4] Politically, the brothers aligned as Republicans in the early 1960s, with Neil preceding Ronald in the switch from Democratic affiliation. Neil actively supported Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign, efforts in which Ronald also participated prominently through his televised speech "A Time for Choosing."^[13] Described in obituaries as Ronald's "jovial brother," Neil complemented Ronald's more reserved demeanor, and their lifelong correspondence and mutual encouragement underscored a fraternal dynamic rooted in shared Midwestern values and ambition.^[3] Neil's death on December 11, 1996, from heart failure at age 88, occurred as Ronald contended with advancing Alzheimer's disease, preventing direct attendance at the funeral but not diminishing the enduring nature of their brotherhood.^[2]^[3]

Later Life and Death

Retirement and Final Years

Neil Reagan retired in 1973 as senior vice president and head of the Los Angeles office at the McCann-Erickson advertising agency, concluding over 40 years in radio, television production, and advertising.^[3]^[19] He and his wife, Bess, resided in Rancho Mirage, California, where he led a low-profile life focused on family ties rather than professional pursuits.^[19] Known for his jovial personality—earning him the lifelong nickname "Moon" from the comic strip character—Reagan remained close to his brother Ronald, supporting his political campaigns earlier in life but stepping back after his own retirement.^[3]^[1] In his final years, Reagan's health deteriorated, particularly in 1996, amid ongoing contact with Ronald Reagan, who maintained communication during this period of illness.^[4] His retirement allowed reflection on a career that paralleled yet diverged from his brother's path in entertainment and politics, emphasizing personal loyalty over public prominence.^[20]

Death and Tributes

Neil Reagan died of heart failure on December 11, 1996, at Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego, California, at the age of 88.^[2]^[21]^[3] He had resided in Rancho Santa Fe, California.^[19] Former President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy Reagan, issued a family statement announcing the death and expressing grief, stating, "We will miss him terribly" and noting their recent constant contact with Neil's wife, Bess.^[21]^[1]^[12] The Reagans' message highlighted the close sibling bond, with Ronald, then battling Alzheimer's disease at age 85, unable to attend public events.^[1] Public tributes were limited, reflecting Neil Reagan's lower public profile compared to his brother, though obituaries in major outlets such as The New York Times and Los Angeles Times portrayed him as a jovial advertising executive and loyal sibling who supported Ronald's early career.^[3]^[2] He was interred at Highland Memorial Gardens in Des Moines, Iowa.^[22]