Alphonzo E. Bell Jr.
Alphonzo E. Bell Jr. | |
|---|---|
U.S. House of Representatives from California | |
| In office January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1977 | |
| Preceded by | Donald L. Jackson |
| Succeeded by | Bob Dornan |
| Constituency | 16th district (1961–63) 28th district (1963–75) 27th district (1975–77) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alphonzo Edward Bell Jr. September 19, 1914 Santa Fe Springs, California, U.S. |
| Died | April 25, 2004 (aged 89) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 10 |
| Parent | Alphonzo E. Bell Sr. |
| Relatives | James George Bell (grandfather) Elliott Roosevelt (brother-in-law) |
| Alma mater | Occidental College |
| Occupation | Elected official, businessman, cattleman, rancher |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Alphonzo Edward Bell Jr.
Family background and early life
Al Bell, as he was known to his friends, was a scion of the pioneering
The younger Bell grew up on his father's estate and ranch just north of Los Angeles, a vast and sprawling acreage encompassing the areas that are now known as Bel Air and Pacific Palisades. Numbering among his closest childhood friends and frequent horseback riding companions was Will Rogers Jr., whose famous father owned a large ranch just north of that of the Bell family.
Bell began his education at the
Political career and public service
California Republican Party
Bell first entered politics in the mid-1950s, holding several Republican Party positions.
He served as chairman of the Republican Central Committee of Los Angeles County, chairman of the Republican State Central Committee of California, and as a member of the Republican National Committee.
Although Bell's political idol, and his original inspiration to enter public service, had been President Franklin Roosevelt, Bell said he switched from the Young Democrats while a college student to later registering as a Republican, and actively supported General Dwight D. Eisenhower for president in 1952.[3] Bell served as chairman of the Republican State Central Committee of California from 1956 to 1959, and as a member of the Republican National Committee from 1956 to 1959.
United States Congress
In 1960, Bell was elected as a Republican to the Eighty-seventh Congress, and won re-election to the seven succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1977.[4]
While in Congress, Bell represented a vast Congressional District — the 28th and, after re-districting, the 27th — running along the California coast from
In Congress, Bell became known as tending toward conservative positions on foreign policy and defense — he backed the Vietnam War through three presidential administrations — but often took more moderate to liberal positions on domestic issues, including open housing laws and other civil rights legislation, as well as on environmental and preservation issues, and on education policy and reform.[citation needed]
Some called Congressman Al Bell a political conservative, others a moderate. A Ralph Nader study on Bell's voting record in 1972 said: "It's hard to say exactly what he is. He leans in many areas, especially those concerning economic regulation, toward the conservatives. When it comes to the people issues, especially those concerning the downtrodden in American society, Bell is a liberal."[5]
The congressman once described himself as "middle-ground" and said he voted according to principle and on an issue's merits, rather than political expediency. "A moderate", he told a Los Angeles Times columnist in 1970, "has to study harder. The extremist at either end doesn't have to do most of the work or most of the thinking – he knows what he's for and against beforehand. A moderate has to decide each question on its own merits."[6]
As a ranking member of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, and on the Committee on Education and Labor, he earned bi-partisan approval for his work on such diverse bills as the Older Americans Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as well as laws improving labor standards, workers' safety, veterans' benefits and environmental protection and ecosystem and wildlife preservation programs.[7]
Bell also supported every major piece of Civil Rights legislation considered in the Congress during his tenure, often working at odds with his own party, which frequently opposed these bills, and became a tireless advocate early on for the legislation which eventually became the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As the bill needed substantial bi-partisan support from Republicans to gain approval to counter-act the opposition of Democrats, Bell contributed significantly to passage of the Civil Rights Act in the House by helping to round up the necessary Republican votes. In this effort, he worked closely with and became close personal friends with
Writing later about passage of the historic 1964 legislation, Bell said: "I am proud to have supported the Civil Rights Act from the first. It was a bill that embraced the goal of equal opportunity for all people. A coalition of law-makers forged a consensus on the meaning of justice and equality in American life. This was a consensus based on the compelling principle of non-discrimination for all individuals, no matter what their race, religion ethnicity, or sex."[citation needed]
Popularity at home in California
Wealthy, easy-going, friendly, handsome, and mild-mannered, Bell had no trouble appealing to voters in both parties, and won his first primary race for Congress by a margin of 50% to 12% over his opponent. He consistently enjoyed a wide spectrum of diverse political endorsements in elections, having been, for example, endorsed in his initial run for Congress by both former First Lady
Congressman Bell was never able, however, to transfer his popularity and long record of public service to winning higher office. He had attempted to do so on two occasions — running for the
The mayoral race against Yorty had illustrated Bell's independence and determination to do what he believed in, even though it could harm him politically. After losing the primary, Bell actively campaigned for Yorty's general election opponent,
In a tribute to retired Congressman Bell in 1998, former President George H. W. Bush said of Bell's career of public service: "He served and he served with honor. For sixteen years he served in Congress, always voting his conscience, but always serving the people of his district, never forgetting who sent him to Washington. We need more Al Bell's, with his flawless service in the U.S. Congress. He showed his state and nation a lot of class."[citation needed]
Personal life and family
In 1940, Bell married Elizabeth Jane Helms, daughter of Paul Hoy Helms, American executive in the baking industry, and sports philanthropist. He founded the Helms Bakery in 1931 at Venice and Washington in Los Angeles, and the Helms Athletic Foundation with Bill Schroeder in 1936. Bell and Helms were later divorced. [citation needed]
In 1970, Bell married television/movie actress, and former tennis champion and Wightman Cup winner, Marian McCargo, whom he described in his autobiography as the love of his life. They had met when she was starring in the film, The Undefeated, with his long-time close friend, actor John Wayne.[9]
Bell died of complications of pneumonia in 2004, just eighteen days after the death of his wife Marian from pancreatic cancer.
Once divorced and twice widowed, Bell had one daughter, Fonza, and nine sons: Stephen, Matthew, Phonzo, Robert, and Tony Bell; and Rick, Graham, Harry, and
See also
- Alphonzo Bell, Bell's father
- James George Bell, Bell's grandfather
- Marian McCargo Bell, Bell's spouse
- William R. Moses, Bell's stepson
- Kathy Coleman, Bell's daughter-in-law; Land of the Lost cast member, television actor[10]
References
- ^ "Finding Aid for the Alphonzo Bell papers 0215". Online Archive of California. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
- ISBN 978-1-55369-378-9
- ISBN 978-1-55369-378-9
- ^ Congressional Directory, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., 1975.
- ^ Nader, Ralph – "In the Public Interest", Voting Record Study, Washington, D. C. - October 1972.
- ^ Los Angeles Times, January 22, 1970 – p. A3.
- ^ "BELL, Alphonzo – Biographical Information". Congressional Biographical Directory (CLERKWEB).
- ]
- ^ Bell, Wayne & another friend even owned a vacation beach house together in Baja California in Mexico, where they enjoyed many, relaxing good times together for a number of years away from the crowds of the rapidly growing greater Los Angeles area. (cf. "The Bel-Air Kid")
- IMDb
External links
- United States Congress. "Alphonzo E. Bell Jr. (id: B000330)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Autobiography. "The Bel Air Kid" 2002 Trafford Publishing—order on-line or through a bookstore.
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