Summary
- Lewis Strauss's controversial denial of Oppenheimer's security clearance haunted him, leading to the failure of his nomination for U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
- After retiring from the government, Strauss lived on his farm in Virginia, but his tainted legacy and the rejection of his nomination continued to plague him.
- Despite his retirement, Strauss remained active in public service and philanthropy until his death in 1974, while Oppenheimer had ed away seven years earlier.
Lewis Strauss continued to live his life involved in politics after the events of Oppenheimer. Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer may be centered on Cillian Murphy's J. Robert Oppenheimer, dubbed the "father of the atomic bomb." That being said, the epic biological movie based on the 2005 biography written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, American Prometheus, is stacked with a star-studded cast, which brings to life the story of Oppenheimer's time working on the Manhattan Project and his conflicting views on his biggest legacy. Nolan's Oppenheimer also tackles the titular character's life beyond that, including the scrutiny of his contentious relationship with Strauss.
Robert Downey Jr. plays Strauss in Oppenheimer, marking the actor's first high-profile role since wrapping up his more than decade-long stint playing Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Downey Jr. isn't new to playing real-life people on the big screen. In 1992, he earned his first Academy Award nomination for playing the titular character in Richard Attenborough's Chaplin. This time in Oppenheimer, however, he plays the foil to the movie's protagonist. Oppenheimer continued to live an interesting life, but so did Strauss.
Lewis Strauss Lost A Senate Nomination After Oppenheimer Hearings
After the then-AEC (United States Atomic Energy Commission) chairman Strauss denied Oppenheimer's security clearance, he and his cohorts were haunted by the controversial move. After his stint with the agency ended in June 1958, President Dwight Eisenhower nominated him to become the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. By November 1958, Strauss took office via a recess appointment, however, it was met with staunch opposition from the Senate. Ultimately, Strauss' nomination failed, which marked only the 18th time in US history that a Cabinet appointee was refused by the Senate. The bitter and public conflict was the last straw that ended Strauss' time in the government.
Lewis Strauss' Life After Politics & Retirement
After Strauss retired from working for the government, he lived on his farm, the Brandy Rock Farm, in Brandy Station, Virginia. Despite walking away from serving in the government, the rejection of his Commerce nomination by the Senate plagued Strauss' final days. In his downfall, however, his many adversaries celebrated. He attempted to remind the public of his service before he was embroiled in the complicated world of politics by releasing his memoir, Men and Decisions in 1962. Despite his tainted legacy, Strauss maintained a good relationship with Eisenhower and Herbert Hoover, the latter of whom he wrote a book on but never completed.
Lewis Strauss Died In 1974, 7 Years After Oppenheimer
Despite developing a penchant for farming activities such as cattle breeding in his retirement, Strauss still remained active in public service during his final years. He devoted his time to various philanthropic endeavors, including the American Jewish Committee. Just around a decade and a half after being rejected by the Senate to become the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Strauss died in 1974, losing a battle with lymphosarcoma after three years. Oppenheimer died 7 years prior, in 1967, despite being eight years younger than Strauss.
Are Any Of Lewis Strauss' Family Still Alive?
Strauss married Alice Hanauer in 1903, whom he had two sons with. Sadly, one of the children did not survive early childhood. Strauss' mother and father both died of cancer in 1935 and 1937, respectively. Strauss started the Lewis and Rosa Strauss Memorial Fund in their honor with an emphasis on education in physics research that could improve treatment for cancer patients. Alice Hanauer lived to the age of 101, dying in December 2004. At the time of her death, her one surviving son she had with Lewis Strauss, also named Lewis, was still living.
