10 Presidents and Their Famous Hollywood Pals

Lyndon Johnson, Carol Channing

Suffering from Kennedy envy, President Johnson was delighted when he got his own campaign tune thanks to Channing, who sang "Hello, Lyndon!" to the tune of "Hello, Dolly!" at the 1964 Democratic convention. To thank her, in 1967 he invited her to perform at the White House, where the two took a turn on the dance floor.

STORY: From Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson: How Hollywood Has Played a Key Role in the U.S. Presidency

Gerald Ford, Chevy Chase

Although Chase's pratfalling impersonation on Saturday Night Live popularized the image of President Ford as a clumsy bumbler -- and might even have contributed to his 1976 electoral defeat -- the two, seen here at the Radio/TV Correspondents Dinner in 1976, became genuine friends.

Calvin Coolidge, Louis B. Mayer

Currying favor with Washington, in 1930, studio mogul Mayer (center) invited President Coolidge (left) to visit MGM, where the former president watched the filming of the musical The March of Time. Actress Mary Pickford (far right) also was on hand.

George Bush, Dana Carvey

In 1992, President Bush (right) watched as the comedian -- then starring on Saturday Night Live -- did his Bush impersonation. Carvey and his wife, Paula, spent the night at the White House as guests of the president and First Lady Barbara Bush.

John F. Kennedy, Frank Sinatra

In 1960, the presidential candidate (right) visited Sinatra at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas to watch the Rat Pack perform. The two became so tight, Sinatra recorded a special version of "High Hopes" as a JFK campaign jingle. But the relationship soured in 1962, when, visiting Palm Springs, the president -- on the advice of his brother Robert Kennedy -- steered clear of Sinatra because of his alleged mob connections and instead bunked at the home of rival crooner Bing Crosby.

Richard Nixon, Elvis Presley

In 1970, Presley showed up unannounced at the White House -- after writing a letter to President Nixon, saying, "I have done an in-depth study of drug abuse and communist brainwashing techniques, and I am right in the middle of the whole thing, where I can and will do the most good" -- asking to become a "Federal Agent at Large" in the war against drugs. While the men appeared equally ill at ease, the president later gave Presley a Bureau of Narcotics badge, calling him a "special assistant." 

Barack Obama, Jay Leno

Amid a heated race with Republican candidate Mitt Romney, the president made his fifth visit to The Tonight Show on Oct. 24, 2012, less than two weeks before election day. During his re-election campaign, Obama also appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman, The View and The Daily Show in addition to Nickelodeon and MTV specials. During his Tonight Show appearance, Obama blasted Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock's rape comments and poked fun at Donald Trump.

Ronald Reagan, Michael Jackson

Just as Nixon indulged Presley, President Reagan presented a military-dressed Jackson with an award on the South Lawn of the White House in 1984 in recognition of the performer's role in a national campaign against drunk driving.

Richard Nixon, Sammy Davis Jr.

Davis -- whom Sinatra removed from the list of performers at Kennedy's inauguration because of Davis' interracial marriage to actress May Britt -- threw his support behind Nixon in 1972, spontaneously hugging him at a youth rally shortly after the president was nominated for re-election.

George W. Bush, Martin Scorsese, Steve Martin

Director Scorsese and actor Martin sat next to President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush during the 30th Annual Kennedy Center Honors in 2007. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice can be seen sitting in the second row. During the event, Scorsese and Martin were honored for their contributions to the American arts, along with singer Diana Ross, pianist Leon Fleisher and musician Brian Wilson.

Bill Clinton, Steven Spielberg

It was at a White House dinner for Russian President Boris Yeltsin that President Clinton hosted in 1994 that Spielberg, David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg decided to form DreamWorks. Here, Spielberg returns for another visit with Clinton as they relax in 1998 at Maryland's Maple Run Golf Course.