path: Home / Characters / Mrs. (Delores) Landingham

Kathryn Joosten as Mrs. Landingham Warner Bros. Photo

Position: President's Secretary
Age:

Played By: Kathryn Joosten
(footnote: played in flashbacks in #44 circa 1960 by Kirsten Nelson)

Relationships/Threads:

• The President and Mrs. Landingham
• Memorials to Mrs. Landingham

Family:

Spouse: Henry [#43] There is mention of a husband, but in the early episodes it was difficult to tell whether he was still alive. But in "18th and Potomac" he was either dead or disabled because Mrs. L was buying a car for the first time (Henry use to do that). And then both their names were on the tombstone Bartlet visits later. (pointed out by Yonah Sudwerts) [#110]

Children: Twin sons, Andrew and Simon, who attended medical school together. Then when their lottery number came up, they went to Vietnam where they served as medics. On Christmas Eve 1970, they were pinned down in a fight in Da Nang and killed. [#110]

Background:

Work History: "...hasn't missed a day's work in 14 years." [#5]

Personality Traits: Seems hard as nails but sometimes plays a maternal role with her cookie jar --- cookies are only offered to those in her good graces and no one would dare just take a cookie without permission.

What She Says About Herself:

• "I have never been camping." [#44]
• "I work next door to the Oval Office: Ceasar's wife must be above reproach." [#44]

What Others Say About Her:

• "She lost two sons in Vietnam. What would make her want to serve her country is beyond me, but she hasn't missed a day of work in 14 years." --- the President [#5]
• "There's something abnormal about you." --- the President [#44]

Time Line of Her Life

1929(ish)	Born
1946	Married
1947	Twin Sons Born
School Year 1959-1960	Becomes Secretary to Dr. Bartlet, the headmaster of a Prep School, age 30-31 (ish)
September 1964-June 1968	Sons go to College
September1968	Sons start Medical School
January 1970	Sons join the army,. Then train as Medics, and go to Vietnam
December 24, 1970	Sons killed in Da Nang
1986	She is working for Dr. Josiah Bartlet as his secretary (she may have started before this but from this year to 2000, we know she never missed a day of work).
Mid-May 2001	Killed when her brand new car was hit by a car with a driver under the influence, age (approximately) 71
May 10-12, 2001	notices in the Press of the Nation
Mid-May 2001	Memorial Service in the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
She will be missed

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