History UsefulNotes / MillardFillmore

President Fillmore was not elected: He ascended from the vice presidency to the presidency upon the death of President Zachary Taylor, making him the fourth president from the Whig Party (third if you exclude UsefulNotes/JohnTyler, who was expelled from the party while in office). A few months into his term, he helped create the "Compromise of 1850," an agreement that was widely considered to have staved off Civil War at the time. In the agreement, California was added as a free state, the slave trade was banned in the District of Columbia (which, not being a state, could still legally trade slaves), and the federal government became required to find and return escaped slaves to their owners (that part was very controversial). Ultimately, though, it may have done more harm than good, as many felt that it legitimized the slave states and allowed them time to build up their militaries (although it should be noted that the northern states ''also'' gained more army-building time from Fillmore's compromise, so it might have cancelled out the south's efforts, but then again that could just mean it guaranteed the Civil War would be bigger and bloodier for both sides).

After that, the only really notable thing about Fillmore was that he was the one who sent Matthew Perry ([[Series/{{Friends}} not that one]]) ([[Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei yes, that one]]) to open Japan to trade with threats of violence, though Perry didn't actually arrive there until after Fillmore was out of office. So you have Millard to thank for the entirety of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' and that one episode of ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'' if nothing else. Other than that, he basically kept the seat warm in the White House while the country shuddered closer to [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar civil war]]. While getting the Compromise of 1850 passed ''at all'' in the face of such a hostile political environment was arguably the biggest single achievement of any Whig President (though credit is usually given to Senator UsefulNotes/HenryClay for pushing the compromise through), Fillmore is generally regarded as a worse President than Taylor, since today Fillmore's compromise is largely seen as an act of appeasement to the South while Taylor wanted to prevent slavery from expanding. He ultimately proved to be the last President from his party, and is (arguably) considered to be the worst of them.

Fillmore died in 1874, and his alleged final words, ""The nourishment is palatable," have become infamous for their banality.

Fillmore was not the first president with a running water bathtub, contrary to popular legend. [[HLMencken H.L. Mencken]] made that up for a lark and people believed him.

* During the run-up to the 2008 election, he was among those [[http://mightygodking.com/2008/05/19/vice-presidential-prognosticatin/ suggested]] as Obama's running mate. Pros: Overcomes weakness among white males by appealing to slaveholders, adds crossover appeal to Whigs and Know-Nothings, name makes "BarackObama" sound normal. Cons: Has been dead for 134 years, probably smells pretty bad by now.

* In the movie ''KickAss'' the high school seen is Millard Fillmore H.S. (what about the comic, anyone know?)

Fillmore Street in UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco was named after him, which in turn gave name to the Fillmore Auditorium (one of the incubators of the PsychedelicRock movement of TheSixties) and the early 2000s Creator/{{ABC}} animated series ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}'' Both of these things [[TheFutureIsShocking would undoubtedly have confused the former President to no end]]).

Fillmore Street in UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco was named after him, which in turn gave name to the Fillmore Auditorium (one of the incubators of the PsychedelicRock movement of TheSixties) and the early 2000s Creator/{{ABC}} animated series ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}'' Both of these things [[TheFutureIsShocking would undoubtedly have confused the former President to no end]]).

Fillmore Street in UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco was named after him, which in turn gave name to the Fillmore Auditorium (one of the incubators of the PsychedelicRock movement of TheSixties) and the early 2000s [[Creator/ABC]] animated series ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}'' Both of these things [[TheFutureIsShocking would undoubtedly have confused the former President to no end]]).

Fillmore Street in UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco was named after him, which in turn gave name to the Fillmore Auditorium (one of the incubators of the PsychedelicRock movement of TheSixties) and the early 2000s Creator/ABC animated series ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}'' Both of these things [[TheFutureIsShocking would undoubtedly have confused the former President to no end]]).

Fillmore Street in UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco was named after him, which in turn gave name to the Fillmore Auditorium (one of the incubators of the PsychedelicRock movement of TheSixties) and the early 2000's animated series ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}'' Both of these things [[TheFutureIsShocking would undoubtedly have confused the former President to no end]]).

Fillmore Street in UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco was named after him, which in turn gave name to the Fillmore Auditorium (one of the incubators of the PsychedelicRock movement of TheSixties) and the early 2000's animated series ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}'' (both of which [[TheFutureIsShocking would undoubtedly have confused the former President to no end]]).

Travel writer Creator/BillBryson did at one stage bemoan the fact that Fillmore had "[[MainstreamObscurity become so celebrated for his obscurity that he is no longer actually ''obscure'']]".

* In LouisSachar's book ''Chicken Trek'', one of the main characters listens to a band called "Millard Fillmore and the Dead Presidents", whose music is implied to be terrible.
* Since Fillmore's life and presidency were so spectacularly unimpressive, it is far more interesting to present creative interpretations of history (i.e. lies) to spice up the story. George Pendle's book ''The Remarkable Millard Fillmore'' sets the record straight: did you know that Millard Fillmore was friends with EdgarAllanPoe, Alexis de Tocqueville, DavyCrockett, Samuel Morse, Creator/RalphWaldoEmerson, and Dorothea Dix? Or that he was present at the battle of the Alamo (in drag) and the assassination of [[UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln Lincoln]] (in [[DragQueen drag]])? Or how about the time he traveled to Japan and defeated the emperor's champion sumo wrestler, discovered the source of the Nile, began the legend of Zorro, or waged a one-man campaign to rescue fugitive slaves? All this while unraveling a Freemason conspiracy with the help of space-faring American Indians.

* He is mentioned in the song-and-dance-number "mediocre Presidents" that was performed in ''[[TheSimpsons Springfield Elementary School]]''

* One ''VideoGame/YouDontKnowJack'' game included a question on Millard Fillmore, calling him the most boring subject they had available. (Apparently his last words were "The nourishment is palatable".)

* The play ''PacificOvertures'' is about the forcible opening of isolationist Edo era Japan to trade in the 1850s (during Fillmore's presidency) by a small fleet of America ships and the after effects. During the scene of negotiation between the Japanese and Americans, the Americans pompously announce that they are there by order of their great leader, President Millard Fillmore, then (at least in the version I saw), pause and slowly [[AsideGlance turn towards the audience]] for just a second in an obvious LampshadeHanging.

* Likewise in the "shares a name" department: ''{{Fillmore}}''.

* ''ComicStrip/MallardFillmore'' is a much-panned political comic strip pitting a reporter duck against [[StrawmanPolitical Strawman Liberal]] version of major politicians despite that fact that he's ''supposed'' to be a local reporter. It has nothing to do with Millard Fillmore except for the name and total lack of amusement.
** A different (and older) Mallard Fillmore was [[ThePresidents the President of the United Species of America]] in the short-lived but fondly-remembered '80s [[AnimalSuperheroes animal superhero]] series ''ComicBook/CaptainCarrotAndHisAmazingZooCrew'' from [[TheDCU DC Comics]]. When the Zoo Crew got a revival in 2007, DC apparently didn't want to do the legal tango with the above comic strip, so Mallard was replaced by an {{Expy}}: Beneduck Arnold.
** Likewise in the "shares a name" department: ''{{Fillmore}}''.

--''Literature/DaveBarrySleptHere''

->''"[[AC:Highlights of the Fillmore administration]]''\\
''1. The Earth did not crash into the Sun."''\\

->''"Put another brick in my hookah, Chow Ming, and fresh me fresh silks, I've soiled myself again."''\\
--'''''Literature/AmericaTheBook'''''

->''"Millard Fillmore... [[BlatantLies invented the appetizer!]]"''
--Sal Vulcano, ''Series/ImpracticalJokers''

--''Sal Vulcano,'' ''Series/ImpracticalJokers''

* Since Fillmore's life and presidency were so spectacularly unimpressive, it is far more interesting to present creative interpretations of history (i.e. lies) to spice up the story. George Pendle's book ''The Remarkable Millard Fillmore'' sets the record straight: did you know that Millard Fillmore was friends with EdgarAllanPoe, Alexis de Tocqueville, DavyCrockett, Samuel Morse, Creator/RalphWaldoEmerson, and Dorothea Dix? Or that he was present at the battle of the Alamo (in drag) and the assassination of [[AbrahamLincoln Lincoln]] (in [[DragQueen drag]])? Or how about the time he traveled to Japan and defeated the emperor's champion sumo wrestler, discovered the source of the Nile, began the legend of Zorro, or waged a one-man campaign to rescue fugitive slaves? All this while unraveling a Freemason conspiracy with the help of space-faring American Indians.

Not many Americans know much about '''Millard Fillmore''' (1800-1874) except that he was [[ThirteenIsUnlucky the 13th]] President of the United States ([[TheWildWest 1850-1853]]), came after UsefulNotes/ZacharyTaylor and before UsefulNotes/FranklinPierce, and that he had a [[InherentlyFunnyWords ridiculous name]]. Lots of jokes have been made about this.

Tropes Fillmore embodies:

* CelebrityResemblance: Looks remarkably like Creator/AlecBaldwin.
* LastOfHisKind: The last Whig president.
* MainstreamObscurity: Fillmore is mostly remembered for being the least remembered president.
* OvershadowedByAwesome: Part of the reason that he's forgotten is because he, Pierce, and Buchanan were succeeded by [[UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln a guy you've probably heard a lot more about.]]
----
!!Examples:

After that, the only really notable thing about Fillmore was that he was the one who sent Matthew Perry ([[{{Friends}} not that one]]) ([[SayonaraZetsubouSensei yes, that one]]) to open Japan to trade with threats of violence, though Perry didn't actually arrive there until after Fillmore was out of office. So you have Millard to thank for the entirety of ''RurouniKenshin'' and that one episode of ''SamuraiChamploo'' if nothing else. Other than that, he basically kept the seat warm in the White House while the country shuddered closer to the [[AmericanCivilWar Civil War]]. While getting the Compromise of 1850 passed ''at all'' in the face of such a hostile political environment was arguably the biggest single achievement of any Whig President (though credit is usually given to Senator HenryClay for pushing the compromise through), Fillmore is generally regarded as a worse President than Taylor, since today Fillmore's compromise is largely seen as an act of appeasement to the South while Taylor wanted to prevent slavery from expanding. He ultimately proved to be the last President from his party, and is (arguably) considered to be the worst of them.

--''DaveBarry Slept Here''

* CelebrityResemblance: Looks remarkably like AlecBaldwin.

After leaving office, Fillmore tried again for the Presidency in his own right in 1856 as part of the "Know Nothing" party. While he did put in one of the best ever performances for a third-party presidential candidate (second only to TheodoreRoosevelt in 1912, in fact), he split the vote and helped ensure the election of JamesBuchanan, under whose watch the country fractured and Civil War became inevitable. In retrospect, that was probably a case of [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Nice Job Breaking It, Mr. President]]. Also, his wife died mere weeks after he left office in 1853. Fillmore remarried five years later.

* OvershadowedByAwesome: Part of the reason that he's forgotten is because he, Pierce, and Buchanan were succeeded by [[AbrahamLincoln a guy you've probably heard a lot more about.]]

Not many Americans know much about '''Millard Fillmore''' (1800-1874) except that he was [[ThirteenIsUnlucky the 13th]] President of the United States ([[TheWildWest 1850-1853]]), came after UsefulNotes/ZacharyTaylor and before FranklinPierce, and that he had a [[InherentlyFunnyWords ridiculous name]]. Lots of jokes have been made about this.