Vaughn Meader's 'First Family:' The JFK Comedy Album That Disappeared

By | April 15, 2019

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Left: cover of 'The First Family," from 1962; right: President Kennedy laughing (at his children, not the comedy album) in the Oval Office. Source: discogs.com; U.s. National Archives

In 1962, comedian Vaughn Meader satirized John F. Kennedy on The First Family, a live comedy album that both lampooned and celebrated the Kennedy family. At the time, the Kennedys were an American obsession -- like a cool and attractive version of the British Royal Family. They shaped national and global events, and their presence was something that inspired awe among even their detractors. The White House during the Kennedy years would later be remembered as "Camelot" (a nickname inspired by the Broadway musical), an idyllic and noble paradise.

The First Family was an absolute phenomenon. People had never heard their political leaders made fun of this way, but within a year of the album’s release, President Kennedy had been assassinated and the record had completely disappeared from existence. After the destruction of every unsold copy, the album wasn’t commercially available until 1999. This is the story of an American phenomenon. 

The First Family Was Recorded In Front Of A Live Theatrical Audience

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Billboard Magazine had never seen a success quite like that of 'The First Family.' Source: Google Books

Recorded on October 22, 1962, The First Family was a live recording by Vaughn Meader, a comic who had a spectacular Kennedy impression. Not only did his northeastern accent match that of the president, but he was adept at writing twists on popular phrases for which JFK was known. To round out the cast Meader brought in mid-century comedy and stage heavyweights like Norma MacMillan and Chuck McCann.

Meader revealed that the album was recorded on the precipice of a new era for Kennedy’s presidency:

A lot of people don't know this, but we recorded The First Family on the night of October 22, 1962, the same night as John F. Kennedy's Cuban Missile Crisis Speech. The audience was in the studio and had no idea of the drama that was taking place. But the cast had heard the speech and our throats almost dropped to our toes, because if the audience had heard the Cuban Missile Speech, we would not have received the reaction we did.