Delores Landingham

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Delores Landingham
Kathryn Joosten as Delores Landingham
First appearance	Pilot
Last appearance	Debate Camp (flashback) spoilers below
Cause/Reason	death
Statistics
Occupation	White House Presidential Secretary (Seasons 1-2)
Spouse	Henry Landingham (deceased)
Children	two sons (deceased)
Portrayed by	Kathryn Joosten Kirsten Nelson ("Two Cathedrals" flashbacks)
Created by	Aaron Sorkin

Delores Landingham was a regular supporting character in the first two seasons of the NBC television series The West Wing.

Mrs. Landingham (portrayed primarily by actress Kathryn Joosten, and Kirsten Nelson in a flashback episode) was President Josiah Bartlet's secretary. She was an older, matronly woman who could address the President in a very direct (almost abrupt), maternal way that would have been inappropriate and impermissible by other members of the White House staff. She was the only White House staffer whom the president always addressed formally — he called her "Mrs. Landingham," only twice calling her "Delores." In flashbacks it was revealed that she had known the President since he was a teenager in his native New Hampshire where his formidable father served as headmaster of a private school. Mrs. Landingham was then the senior Bartlet's secretary. Mrs. Landingham later worked as Jed Bartlet's secretary during his tenure as Governor and President (and presumedly during his other offices as well). She described herself as a surrogate big sister to President Bartlet.

Originally married to Air Force Major Henry Landingham, who served in the Korean War, Mrs. Landingham was a widow by the time she worked in the White House, and her twin sons had been killed in the Vietnam War on Christmas Eve. Their lottery number came up while in medical school and despite their parents begging them not to go, they decided not to get a deferment, wanting to "go where doctors were needed" (as was learned in the first season episode "In Exelcias Deo"). That would put Mrs. Landingham's age at around 70, or even more than that (Joosten herself was 60 at the time).

She was killed in a traffic accident after purchasing her first new car at the end of the second season (in the episode "18th and Potomac", which was the site of the accident). The character's death prompted the issuance of memorials by several real-life newspapers and on the floor of the California State Assembly by Assemblyman Kevin Shelley. (See Memorials to Delores Landingham).^[1]

The Bartlet Administration
The President: Josiah Bartlet First Lady: Abigail Bartlet
The Vice President John Hoynes (Seasons 1–4) Bob Russell (Seasons 5–7) Chief of Staff to the Vice President Will Bailey (Seasons 5–7) National Security Advisor Nancy McNally (Seasons 2–7) Deputy National Security Advisor Kate Harper (Seasons 5–7) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Percy Fitzwallace (Seasons 1–5) General Nicholas Alexander (Seasons 6–7)	White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (Seasons 1–5) C.J. Cregg (Seasons 6–7) Assistant to the Chief of Staff Margaret Hooper (Seasons 1–7) Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Seasons 1–6) Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff Donna Moss (Seasons 1–6) Presidential Secretary Delores Landingham (Seasons 1–2) Deborah Fiderer (Seasons 4–7) Personal Aide to the President Charlie Young (Seasons 1–6) Chief of Staff to the First Lady Amy Gardner (Seasons 4–5)	White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler (Seasons 1–7) Will Bailey (Season 7) Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn (Seasons 1–4) Will Bailey (Seasons 4–5) White House Press Secretary C.J. Cregg (Seasons 1–5) Deputy Press Secretary Annabeth Schott (Season 6) Media Director Mandy Hampton (Season 1)
These are the main characters on The West Wing. For a longer and more complete list of characters, see List of characters on The West Wing.

[edit] See also

• The West Wing
• List of characters on The West Wing
• List of politicians on The West Wing
• List of The West Wing episodes

[edit] References