HYDE PARK, NY -- On Monday, July 3, 2017 at 2:30 p.m., the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum will present a discussion   HOLLYWOOD AND THE WHITE HOUSE: OF ANGELS AND DEMONS  in the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home. The program will feature "The West Wing" actor Richard Schiff (White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler) and "House of Cards" actor Boris McGiver (The Washington Herald Editor-In-Chief Tom Hammerschmidt)  in conversation with PBS host and journalist  Alexander Heffner . Registration is required for this free public program. Visit  www.fdrlibrary.org  to register.

The discussion will consider fictional roles and Washington D.C. portraits, the optimism and cynicism they inspire in American politics, and the future of the real-life presidency. In a rare meeting of the aspirations and ideals of "The West Wing" and its evil twin, the sinister and Machiavellian "House of Cards," Schiff, McGiver and Heffner will reflect on the imaginary and real-life American political process.

Richard Schiff is one of America's most prolific actors. Richard began his career as a director in New York City theater and Artistic Director of Manhattan Rep. He has starred on Broadway and in The West End, including Glengarry Glen Ross and Speed The Plow by David Mamet.  On TV he is best known for playing Toby Ziegler on the NBC television drama "The West Wing." An Emmy winner and three-time Nominee, Schiff has acted in over 80 films and co-stars in upcoming releases "Geostorm" and Rob Reiner's "Shock and Awe." He currently stars in "Ballers" on HBO, "Counterpart" for Starz as well as recently "The Affair" and "House of Lies" on Showtime and is starring in a new show "The Good Doctor" on ABC this fall. In the meantime, he has returned to roots directing Adam Rapp's "Nocturne" in Los Angeles this summer and is currently workshopping the new play, "The Great Leap," at New York Stage and Film. 

Boris McGiver  is a character actor who lent his imposing frame and working class visage to some of the most prestigious films and television series of the 21st century. Boris followed in the footsteps of his father, actor John McGiver. His first television appearance is about as hallowed as they come, playing Charles Marimow on the 2006 season of David Simon's highly acclaimed crime drama "The Wire" (HBO, 2002-08) and later Robert Goddard in the Revolutionary-era drama "John Adams" (HBO, 2008). In 2012, McGiver was in yet another prestigious period piece, portraying Democratic Senator Alexander Hamilton Coffroth in Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" (2012). McGiver went on to enjoy meaty roles in the likes of Beau Willimon's political drama series "House of Cards" (Netflix, 2013-), and Terence Winter's prohibition era gangster series, "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO, 2010-14).

Alexander Heffner is the host of "The Open Mind" on PBS. He has covered American politics, civic life and Millennials since the 2008 presidential campaign. His work has been profiled in  The Washington Post ,  The New York Times ,  The Christian Science Monitor ,  Los Angeles Times , and on  NBC News, MSNBC, C-SPAN, CNN , and  BBC , among other media outlets. His essays, reviews and op-eds have appeared in  TIME, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe  and  The Root , among other publications. He is a frequent lecturer and panel moderator at museums and institutions of learning. Heffner was the political director for WHRB 95.3 FM and host of "The Political Arena." A native New Yorker, he is a graduate of Andover and Harvard.