--- title: Nancy Reagan: See Her Star-Studded Career as First Lady description: The former first lady and her husband were both actors, and had connections with many of Hollywood's most famous stars canonical: https://time.com/4248962/nancy-reagan-first-lady-death-celebrities/ author: TIME Photo article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-03-06T23:46:15.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:00:18.643Z article:section: U.S. og:title: Look Back at Nancy Reagan’s Star-Studded Career as First Lady og:description: She had connections with many of Hollywood's most famous stars og:url: https://time.com/4248962/nancy-reagan-first-lady-death-celebrities/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0b1a34343e3468ac/6988806d0b72e310f06e86df/nancy-reagan-dead-ronald-reagan-frank-sinatra.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 2500 og:image:height: 1675 og:image:alt: REAGAN CUTS IN og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Look Back at Nancy Reagan’s Star-Studded Career as First Lady twitter:description: She had connections with many of Hollywood's most famous stars twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0b1a34343e3468ac/6988806d0b72e310f06e86df/nancy-reagan-dead-ronald-reagan-frank-sinatra.jpg?branch=production ---  # Look Back at Nancy Reagan’s Star-Studded Career as First Lady by [TIME Photo](/author/time-photo/) ## TIME Photo Mar 6, 2016 11:46 PM CUT  Michael Jackson stands with former President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan on the south lawn of the White House prior to receiving an award from the president for his contribution to the drunk driving awareness program in Washington, D.C. on May 14, 1984. Michael Jackson stands with former President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan on the south lawn of the White House prior to receiving an award from the president for his contribution to the drunk driving awareness program in Washington, D.C. on May 14, 1984.Scott Stewart—AP by [TIME Photo](/author/time-photo/) ## TIME Photo Mar 6, 2016 11:46 PM CUT  John Wayne, Nancy Reagan, Gina Lollobrigida and Ronald Reagan during the National Headliner Awards in in June 1970. Frank Carroll—NBC/NBCU/Getty Images  Nancy Reagan and Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" on May 1, 1972. Frank Carroll—NBCU/Getty Images  Ronald Reagan cuts in on singer Frank Sinatra, dancing with former first lady Nancy Reagan during a party in the East Room of the White House on Feb. 6, 1981. Mike Evans—AP  Queen Elizabeth II with Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan in February of 1983. Express Newspapers/AP  Nancy Reagan gets a laugh with Ray Charles and Willie Nelson and other entertainers at a salute to country music at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. on March 16, 1983. Ira Schwarz—AP  Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan pose with American models Christie Brinkley, Cheryl Tiegs and Brooke Shields backstage at the Bob Hope USO show on May 20, 1983. Ronald Reagan Library/Getty Images  Michael Jackson stands with former President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan on the south lawn of the White House prior to receiving an award from the president for his contribution to the drunk driving awareness program in Washington, D.C. on May 14, 1984. Scott Stewart—AP  Nancy Reagan poses with celebrity recipients of the Outstanding Learning Disabled Achiever Award, Chris Anderson, Tom Cruise, Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce Jenner), Cher, Richard C. Strauss, and Robert Rauchenberg, at the White House in Washington, D.C. in October 1985. Pictorial Parade/Getty Images  Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan welcoming to the White House Princess Diana and her husband Prince Charles on Nov. 9, 1985. Don Rypka—AFP/Getty Images  Nancy Reagan sings a song along with Marvin Hamlisch, Vic Damone and Liza Minnelli during a rehearsal at the White House in Washington, D.C. on March 8, 1987. Chrales Tasnadi—AP  Nancy Reagan dances on the stage at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. with ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov June 21, 1987. Chrales Tasnadi—AP  Oscar de la Renta and Barbara Walters posing with former first lady Nancy Reagan at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where Reagan was awarded the Council of Fashion Designers of America's Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to fashion on Jan. 10, 1989. Ed Bailey—AP  Nancy Reagan and Sophia Loren attend Valentine's Day Luncheon Honoring Sophia Loren at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Feb. 10, 1993. Ron Galella—WireImage  President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush greet former first lady Nancy Reagan at Blair House in Washington on June 10, 2004. Reuters  President Barack Obama escorts former first lady Nancy Reagan after signing the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act, during a ceremony in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on June 2, 2009. Haraz N. 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