Hail to the Chief...Cowboy!: For 100th Birthday, Ronald Reagan to be Immortalized in Wax at Madame Tussauds

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Next February is the centennial of Ronald Reagan and the whole world will celebrate, including Madame Tussauds.

To commemorate the occasion, Madame Tussauds Hollywood, which rarely announces such plans so far in advance, acknowledged today that it will honor the late 40th President of the United States with a special commemorative figure, created at a cost of over $300,000 and crafted over a five month period.

Scheduled to go on display Oct. 1, the Ronald Reagan figure will be on exhibit for six months only.

After much internal debate, Madame Tussauds Hollywood has revealed that the Reagan figure will be dressed in a cowboy motif, reflecting the late president's love of ranching, riding and the American west.

During his long life, Reagan enjoyed many incarnations.

He was a successful radio announcer turned Hollywood actor.

He was the president of S.A.G., the Screen Actors Guild.

Prior to running for public office, Reagan, nicknamed "Dutch," was, starting in the late 1950s, the longtime host and star of the popular TV series, "General Electric Theater."

In 1967, he was elected two-term Governor of California and in 1981 he was sworn in as the 40th President of the United States.

Born in Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles in the 1930s, appeared in 52 films and died in 2004 at the age of 93 years-old.

"As a movie star, rancher, Governor and President, I can't think of another American figure more closely associated with the history and culture of California than Ronald Reagan," says Adrian Jones, General Manager of Madame Tussauds Hollywood.

In addition to life like figures of Bruce Willis, Elizabeth Taylor, Justin Timberlake and Penelope Cruz, among some 100+ featured figures, Madame Tussauds Hollywood takes visitors on an interactive journey unlike any other Madame Tussauds experience.

About Merlin Entertainments Group, Ltd  MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS GROUP is the leading name in location based, family entertainment, and has seen the most successful and dynamic growth of any company in the sector over the last five years.  The world's second largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin has 59 attractions and six hotels/ 2 holiday villages in 13 countries and across 3 continents.  The company aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 35 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 13,500 employees.  Merlin Entertainments operates the following attractions – SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND, The Merlin Entertainments London Eye, Dungeons, Gardaland, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, Alton Towers Resort, Warwick Castle, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures and Zoo, Underwater Adventures, Heide Park and Earth Explorer. For more information, please visit www.merlinentertainments.biz

SOURCE Madame Tussauds Hollywood