History UsefulNotes / HueyLong

from Louisiana from 1932 to 1935. He was considered a hero and a champion of the common man by his supporters, and a power-hungry, autocratic bumpkin by detractors. Long is known for creating the "Share Our Wealth" movement, a series of reforms that heavily taxed the rich, gave a monthly allowance to the poor, and established other government programs. It has been frequently argued that Long's politics can be best described as having been social democratic in nature, but very light on the "democrat" part, although Long himself would probably have rejected that description.

from Louisiana from 1932 to 1935. He was considered a hero and a champion of the common man by his supporters, and a power-hungry, autocratic bumpkin by detractors. He created the "Share Our Wealth" movement: a series of reforms that heavily taxed the rich, gave a monthly allowance to the poor, and established other government programs. It has been frequently argued that Long's politics can be best described as having been social democratic in nature, but very light on the "democrat" part, although Long himself would probably have rejected that description.

Ling intended to challenge President UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt for the Democratic Party nomination in 1936, but was assassinated by physician Carl Weiss [[note]]Weiss had a definitive motive in that Long had gerrymandered his father-in-law, Benjamin Pavy, out of office. There were also rumors that Long had said, or was planning to say, the Pavy family had "negro blood", but whether this actually happened is unclear.[[/note]] a year before the election (though the exact circumstances regarding how Long died are contentious to say the least, with quite a few alternate theories surrounding the event, some being more plausible and others being of a more conspiratorial nature). Many of his economic policies and ideas were subsequently implemented into the New Deal, albeit in a very watered-down form. These ideas also served as an major influence to a young congressional aide named UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson, who was reportedly "entranced" by the man.

[[quoteright:220:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Huey_Long_pic_4208.jpg]]

->''"They don't know Huey Long. They never saw him and would not know him if he stepped off the train at our station. But they know him in name and you can't make them believe he is not their defender."''
-->-- A local south Louisiana politician to New Orleans States reporter on Long's reputation

-->-- A slogan often used by Long

'''Huey Pierce Long Jr.''' (August 30, 1893 -- September 10, 1935), known as [[RedBaron "The Kingfish"]], was the 40th governor of [[DeepSouth Louisiana]] from 1928 to 1932, then a United States Senator
from Louisiana from 1932 to 1935. He was considered a hero and a champion of the common man by his supporters, and a power-hungry, autocratic bumpkin by detractors. He created the "Share Our Wealth" movement: a series of reforms that heavily taxed the rich, gave a monthly allowance to the poor, and established other government programs. It has been frequently argued that Long's politics can be best described as having been social democratic in nature, except very light on the "democrat" part. Long himself would probably have rejected that label though.

He planned to take the 1936 Democratic ticket from UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt, but Long was assassinated by the physician Carl Weiss [[note]]Weiss had a definitive motive in that Long had gerrymandered his father-in-law, Benjamin Pavy, out of office. There were also rumors that Long had said, or was planning to say, the Pavy family had "negro blood", but whether this actually happened is unclear.[[/note]] a year before the election (though the exact circumstances regarding how Long died are contentious to say the least, with quite a few alternate theories surrounding the event, some being more plausible and others being of a more conspiratorial nature). Many of his economic policies and ideas were subsequently implemented into the New Deal, albeit in a very watered-down form. These ideas also served as an major influence to a young congressional aide named UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson, who was reportedly "entranced" by the man.

* In ''Literature/TheFireNeverDies'', Long is arrested at the start of the Second American Revolution in 1917 as a suspected socialist sympathizer (on account of him being [[TruthInTelevision an attorney who specializes in worker's compensation cases]]). He and his fellow detainees are soon broken out of jail and join a Red partisan group.

from Louisiana from 1932 to 1935. He was considered a hero and a champion of the common man by his supporters, and a power-hungry, autocratic bumpkin by detractors. He created the "Share Our Wealth" movement: a series of reforms that basically heavily taxed the rich and gave monthly allowance to the poor, with other tasks as well. It has been frequently argued that Long's politics can be best described as having been social democratic in nature, except very light on the "democrat" part. Long himself would probably have rejected that label though.

He planned to take the 1936 Democratic ticket from UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt, but Long was assassinated by the physician Carl Weiss (Long had previously publicly insulted Weiss' father-in-law, Benjamin Pavy, by claiming he had "Negro blood") a year before the election (though the exact circumstances regarding how Long died are contentious to say the least, with quite a few alternate theories surrounding the event, some being more plausible and others being of a more conspiratorial nature). Many of his economic policies and ideas were subsequently implemented into the New Deal, albeit in a very watered-down form. These ideas also served as an major influence to a young congressional aide named UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson, who was reportedly "entranced" by the man.

* He is referenced in ''Theatre/AStreetcarNamedDesire'', and not in an especially positive manner, either:

He planned to take the 1936 Democratic ticket from UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt, but Long was assassinated by the physician Carl Weiss (Long had previously publicly insulted Weiss' father-in-law, Benjamin Pavy, by claiming he had "Negro blood") a year before the election (though the exact circumstances regarding how Long died are contentious to say the least, with quite a few alternate theories surrounding the event, some being more plausible and others being of a more conspiratorial nature). Many of his economic policies and ideas were subsequently implemented into the New Deal, albeit in a very watered-down form.

His younger brother, Earl Long, would later serve three nonconsecutive terms as governor of Louisiana, and would by and large continue to enact policies similar to those of his brother. His son, Russell B. Long, would serve as US Senator between 1948 and 1987.

He planned to take the 1936 Democratic ticket from UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt, but Long was assassinated by the physician Carl Weiss (Long had previously publicly insulted Weiss' father-in-law, Benjamin Pavy, by claiming he had "Negro blood") a year before the election (though the exact circumstances regarding how Long died is contentious to say the least, with quite a few alternate theories surrounding the event, some being more plausible and others being of a more conspiratorial nature). Many of his economic policies and ideas were subsequently implemented into the New Deal, albeit in a very watered-down form.

* Appears in ''Literature/{{Reds}}'' as a populist, left-leaning Democratic presidential nominee. [[spoiler:He is killed off, together with most of the Louisiana State Government, after protesting [=MacArthur=] and Longworth suspending the Constitution to prevent the communists from taking office.]]

'''Huey Pierce Long Jr.''' (August 30, 1893 -- September 10, 1935), known as [[RedBaron "The Kingfish"]], was the 40th governor of [[DeepSouth Louisiana]]. He was considered a hero and a champion of the common man by his supporters, and a power-hungry, autocratic bumpkin by detractors. He created the "Share Our Wealth" movement: a series of reforms that basically heavily taxed the rich and gave monthly allowance to the poor, with other tasks as well. It has been frequently argued that Long's politics can be best described as having been social democratic in nature, except very light on the "democrat" part. Long himself would probably have rejected that label though.

He planned to take the 1936 Democratic ticket from UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt, but Long was assassinated by the physician Carl Weiss a year before the election (though the exact circumstances regarding how Long died is contentious to say the least, with quite a few alternate theories surrounding the event, some being more plausible and others being of a more conspiratorial nature). Many of his economic policies and ideas were subsequently implemented into the New Deal, albeit in a very watered-down form.

His younger brother, Earl Long, would later serve three nonconsecutive terms as governor of Louisiana, and would by and large continue to enact policies similair to those of his brother.

'''Huey Pierce Long Jr.''' (August 30, 1893 -- September 10, 1935), known as [[RedBaron "The Kingfish"]], was the 40th governor of [[DeepSouth Louisiana]]. He was considered a hero by his supporters, and a power-hungry, autocratic bumpkin by detractors. He created the "Share Our Wealth" movement: a series of reforms that basically heavily taxed the rich and gave monthly allowance to the poor, with other tasks as well. It has been frequently argued that Long's politics can be best described as having been social democratic in nature, except very light on the "democrat" part. Long himself would probably have rejected that label though.

* In ''Literature/TheRuinsOfAnAmericanPartySystem'', he founds the populist Commonwealth Party in the 1930s following the collapse of the Democrats, which grows to become the dominant party of the South. Using the influence he has as this party's leader and the guise of friendship, he's able to get President Floyd Olsen to make him Attorney General, a position from which he effectively asks as TheManBehindTheMan for the administration and sets up a personal empire with his political and criminal contacts. [[spoiler: Eventually, his crimes are exposed, and he commits suicide rather than face imprisonment.]]

*** In ''VideoGame/ImperialDusk'', he is a moderate syndicalist (having grown up in a socialist America), and a major rival of William Z. Foster for leadership of both the Socialist Labor Party and the Democratic Union of America itself.

* In Creator/SinclairLewis' 1935 novel ''Literature/ItCantHappenHere'', Buzz Windrip, an obvious NoHistoricalFiguresWereharmed version of Huey Long, becomes President in 1936 and establishes a fascist dictatorship in America. Lewis wrote the novel partially to harm Long's chances at the 1936 elections, but Long was killed before the book was published.

* Appears in ''Literature/{{Timeline 191}}'' as [[spoiler: a Louisiana politician who is assassinated by Featherston's government for being too much of an independent threat to the Confederates]].

* In Creator/SinclairLewis' 1935 novel ''Literature/ItCantHappenHere'', Buzz Windrip, an obvious NoCelebritiesWereHarmed version of Huey Long, becomes President in 1936 and establishes a fascist dictatorship in America. Lewis wrote the novel partially to harm Long's chances at the 1936 elections, but Long was killed before the book was published.

He planned to take the 1936 Democratic ticket from UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt, but Long was assassinated by the physician Carl Weiss a year before the election (though the exact circumstances regarding how Long died is contentious to say the least, with few quite a alternate theories surrounding the event, some being more plausible and others being of a more conspiratorial nature). Many of his economic policies and ideas were subsequently implemented into the New Deal, albeit in a very watered-down form.

Long's life has been the subject of two {{Biopic}}s: ''The Life and Assassination of the Kingfish'' (1977), starring Creator/EdwardAsner, and ''Kingfish'' (1995), starring John Goodman.

'''Huey Pierce Long Jr.''' (August 30, 1893 – September 10, 1935), known as [[RedBaron "The Kingfish"]], was the 40th governor of [[DeepSouth Louisiana]]. He was considered a hero by his supporters, and a power-hungry, autocratic bumpkin by detractors. He created the "Share Our Wealth" movement: a series of reforms that basically heavily taxed the rich and gave monthly allowance to the poor, with other tasks as well. It has been frequently argued that Long's politics can be best described as having been social democratic in nature, except very light on the "democrat" part. Long himself would probably have rejected that label though.

He planned to take the 1936 Democratic ticket from UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt, but Long was assassinated by the physician Carl Weiss a year before the election. Many of his economic policies and ideas were subsequently implemented into the New Deal, albeit in a very watered-down form.