W. Lee O'Daniel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wilbert Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel (March 11, 1890 - May 11, 1969) was a radio personality and a Democratic Party politician from Texas.
O'Daniel was born in Malta, Ohio. As a young child, he moved to Reno County, Kansas. O'Daniel worked in the flour milling business and moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 1925 to work for the Burrus Mills. O'Daniel soon took over their radio advertising, wrote songs and hired a group of musicians. His band was originally called the Light Crust Doughboys. Notable musicians such as Bob Wills got their start with O'Daniel. After the Doughboys split up, O'Daniel formed the Western Swing band "Pappy O'Daniel and his Hillbilly Boys." The new group was named after O'Daniel's Hillbilly Flour Company.
In 1938, he ran for Governor of Texas as a Democrat. O'Daniel's campaign hailed his flour and the need for pensions and tax cuts. O'Daniel promised to block a sales tax and raise pensions. O'Daniel won the Democratic party primary election easily with 51% of the vote. O'Daniel proposed a new sales tax, which was voted down by the Texas Legislature. He easily won re-election in 1940.
In 1941, O'Daniel ran for the United States Senate in a special election. He defeated Lyndon Johnson by 1,306 votes in one of the more controversial elections in state history. His victory made him the only person to ever defeat Johnson for elected office. As a Senator, O'Daniel was ineffective, and most of his legislation was defeated. He endorsed the Texas Regulars in 1944 presidential election. O'Daniel refused to run for another term in 1948. He ran for governor of Texas in 1956 and 1958 and claimed that the Brown v. Board of Education decision was part of a communist conspiracy. He finished third in the Democratic primaries both times.
The film O Brother, Where Art Thou? featured a character named "Pappy" O'Daniel, loosely based on the real O'Daniel. The film's character was played by Charles Durning.
| Preceded by James V. Allred |
Governor of Texas 1939-1941 |
Succeeded by Coke R. Stevenson |
| Preceded by Andrew J. Houston |
U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Texas 1941—1949 |
Succeeded by Lyndon B. Johnson |
[edit] External links
- W. Lee O'Daniel from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Photos of W. Lee O'Daniel, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
- Congressional Biographical Directory
- Light Crust Doughboys from the Handbook of Texas Online
| Governors of Texas |  |
|---|---|
| J.P. Henderson • Wood • Bell • J.W. Henderson • Pease • Runnels • Houston • Clark • Lubbock • Murrah • Stockdale • Hamilton • Throckmorton • Pease • Davis • Coke • Hubbard • Roberts • Ireland • Ross • Hogg • Culberson • Sayers • Lanham • Campbell • Colquitt • J. Ferguson • Hobby • Neff • M. Ferguson • Moody • Sterling • M. Ferguson • Allred • O'Daniel • Stevenson • Jester • Shivers • Daniel • Connally • Smith • Briscoe • Clements • White • Clements • Richards • Bush • Perry |
