Ronald Wilson Reagan ; February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981-89). Before his presidency he served as the 33rd Governor of California (1967-75) and was also an actor from 1937 to 1964.Born and raised in small towns in Illinois, Reagan graduated from Eureka College and then worked as a radio broadcaster. He moved to Hollywood in 1937, where he began a career as an actor, first in films and later in television. Reagan served as President of the Screen Actors Guild and later as a spokesman for General Electric (G.E.); his start in politics occurred during his work for G.E.

Originally, he was a member of the Democratic Party, but due to the parties' shifting platforms during the 1950s, he switched to the Republican Party in 1962.