A. Ronald Button was a U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 politician and California State Treasurer

California State Treasurer

The California State Treasurer is responsible for the state's investment and finance. The post has more narrow responsibilities and authority than the California State Controller...

.

Button was born in Plainview, Nebraska

Plainview, Nebraska

Plainview is a city in Pierce County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Norfolk, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,353 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Plainview is located at ....

 and graduated from Stanford University

Stanford University

The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...

 and Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...

. In 1928, he began to practice in Hollywood, where he had a number of celebrity clients, including Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress celebrated for her great beauty who was a major contract star of MGM's "Golden Age".Lamarr also co-invented – with composer George Antheil – an early technique for spread spectrum communications and frequency hopping, necessary to wireless...

 and Thelma Todd

Thelma Todd

Thelma Alice Todd was an American actress. Appearing in about 120 pictures between 1926 and 1935, she is best remembered for her comedic roles in films like Marx Brothers' Monkey Business and Horse Feathers, a number of Charley Chase's short comedies, and co-starring with Buster Keaton and Jimmy...

. He specialized in corporate and business law. In Sept. 1931, he married actress Gladys McConnell

Gladys McConnell

Gladys McConnell was a movie actress and aviatrix. She was born in Oklahoma City, Indian Territory . Some sources list her date of birth as October 22, 1906. She was the daughter of William Marshall McConnell and Harriet Sharp...

, and they had a daughter, Mary Barbara Button (b. 9 Feb. 1937, Los Angeles), now known as Barbara McAllister. During World War II, he was a major in the Army Signal Corps motion picture division, spending much of his duty time at Hal Roach

Hal Roach

Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach, Sr. was an American film and television producer and director, and from the 1910s to the 1990s.- Early life and career :Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York...

 Studios with actor Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

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Button was Republican State Central Committee chairman in 1953, when he was selected for the Republican National Committee

Republican National Committee

The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...

 in which he remained for three years. On Nov. 1, 1956, California Governor Goodwin Knight

Goodwin Knight

Goodwin Jess Knight , known as "Goodie Knight", was a U.S. politician who was the 31st Governor of California from 1953 until 1959.-Early life:...

 appointed him state treasurer, succeeding Charles G. Johnson

Charles G. Johnson

Charles Gus Johnson served as California State Treasurer, 1923-1956. He was the longest-serving state treasurer. He was forced to resign in 1956 after stories began to emerge over him funneling state funds into personal loans.-Sources:*...

, who retired after 34 years in office amid a dispute with Gov. Knight and allegations of funneling state funds for personal use.

After he left state government in 1959, Button was a key developer of Rancho Mirage near Palm Springs

Palm Springs, California

Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...

.

See also

• Glenn E. Coolidge
  Glenn E. Coolidge
  Glenn E. Coolidge was a California politician and member of the California State Assembly for the 27th District.-Early life:...