Is White House Plumbers Based on a True Story? Ending Explained

In this article, we will explore is White House Plumbers based on a true story, the historical accuracy of White House Plumbers, the real-life figures, and events that inspired the series.

by A Maria | Updated May 02, 2023

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White House Plumbers 

Premiered on May 1, 2023, White House Plumbers is an American satirical political drama miniseries created and written by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck. The show, which is based on the book Integrity by Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh, is directed by David Mandel and features a star-studded cast including Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Domhnall Gleeson, Kiernan Shipka, and Lena Headey.

With its satirical take on politics, the show promises to be an entertaining and thought-provoking look at the world of politics in America. The show will be airing on the HBO network. Principal photography for the series commenced on May 3, 2021, and wrapped up on October 21, 2021, with filming taking place at various locations, including Poughkeepsie, New York on Zack's Way, New York City, Albany, Washington, D.C., Charlotte Amalie in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Beverly Hills, and Redondo Beach in California.

However, production was temporarily halted on August 5, 2021, when the head of props was allegedly berated and threatened by Mandel, resulting in the props department walking off the set. Following the incident, filming resumed on August 12 with additional protocols in place.

Is White House Plumbers Based on a True Story? 

"White House Plumbers" is a television series that is based on a true story, which has been acknowledged by its creators, Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck. The two writers, who previously worked on "Late Show with David Letterman," were inspired by Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh's 2007 book "Integrity: Good People, Bad Choices, and Life Lessons from the White House."

The series begins with a message stating that it is based on true events, and no names have been changed to protect the innocent, as nearly everyone was found guilty. According to the creators, there are political scandals in modern times that make Watergate pale in comparison. Huyck explained that during the Watergate era, people were still shocked by the kind of behavior that went on in politics, but nowadays, such behavior would seem like small potatoes.

The series provides a glimpse into the infamous Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon, and the lengths his administration went to cover up their illegal activities. While some creative liberties have been taken to dramatize events, "White House Plumbers" is a compelling and thought-provoking retelling of one of the most significant political scandals in American history.

Cast of White House Plumbers

CAST 

CHARACTER 

Woody Harrelson

E. Howard Hunt

Justin Theroux

G. Gordon Liddy

Lena Headey 

Dorothy Hunt

Domhnall Gleeson 

John Dean

Judy Greer 

Fran Liddy

Kim Coates

Frank Sturgis

Gary Cole

Mark Felt

Toby Huss

James W. McCord Jr.

Liam James

Saint John Hunt

Tony Plana 

Eugenio "Muscolito" Martínez

Yul Vazquez 

Bernard "Macho" Barker

Zoe Levin

Lisa Hunt

Nelson Ascencio

Virgilio "Villo" Gonzalez

Rich Sommer 

Egil "Bud" Krogh

Tre Ryder

David Hunt

Alexis Valdés

Felipe De Diego

Jim Downey 

Spencer Oliver

Joel Van Liew

David Young

J. P. Manoux

Robert Mardian

White House Plumbers Episode 1 Recap 

The upcoming series "White House Plumbers" starts with a sneak peek into the future, showing the Watergate burglars attempting to break into the building once again. However, the story then flashes back to a year earlier, focusing on E. Howard Hunt, who is now working for a CIA front organization after being fired from the agency.

The Nixon administration recruits him after the release of the Pentagon Papers and pairs him with G. Gordon Liddy, a former FBI agent. Together, they work under Egil "Bud" Krogh, the head of the Special Intelligence Unit. Their mission is to break into the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist to find evidence that he is a foreign agent.

Despite recruiting three men from his Cuban invasion days for the mission, Howard's plan turns into a disaster as they find the office closed and discover that there isn't any file on Ellsberg in the office. The three men have trashed the place and left pills scattered on the floor, posing as addicts. Howard and Liddy are left to pick up the pieces and move forward with their mission, setting the stage for the rest of the series.

White House Plumbers Plot

Welcome to the wild and wacky world of "White House Plumbers"! Meet E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy, two sneaky political operatives working for President Richard Nixon. Their job is to stop those pesky press leaks from happening, and they'll do whatever it takes to get the job done. But when these two cunning masterminds accidentally turn the tables on themselves, things get a little crazy.

Instead of protecting the Presidency, they end up toppling it! The series starts with a flash forward to the infamous Watergate burglary, where our favorite duo attempted to break into the building not once, not twice, but FOUR times! We join the story on their second attempt and quickly realize that these guys are pros at breaking and entering.

Fast forward a year earlier and we see Howard working for the Robert R. Mullen Company, a CIA front organization. After a blunder during the Bay of Pigs invasion, he finds himself out of a job and curses former US President Kennedy. But never fear, because Nixon is here! Howard's former boss gives him a call, letting him know that the President is in need of a man just like him.

And so, Howard and Giddy team up under the leadership of Egil "Bud" Krogh, the head of the Special Intelligence Unit. Their mission? To stop any and all leaks from happening. And when the FBI refuses to polygraph test 500 people in relation to the leak of the Pentagon Papers, Howard comes up with a brilliant plan. Break into the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist, Lewis J.

Fielding, and take photographic evidence to prove he's a foreign agent. Things don't go quite as planned, of course. Their radios are terrible, Fielding's office is closed, and Howard gets a little distracted. But never fear, because the Plumbers have a backup plan! And when they find out there's no file on Ellsberg in Fielding's office, they decide to celebrate. Little did they know that their actions would lead to the downfall of the Nixon Presidency. Get ready for a wild ride with the "White House Plumbers" as they accidentally turn the political world on its head!

About White House Plumbers 

SPECIFICATIONS 

DETAILS 

Genre

  • Political drama
  • Satire

Created by

  • Alex Gregory
  • Peter Huyck

Based on

Integrity: Good People, Bad Choices, and Life Lessons from the White House by 

  • Egil "Bud" Krogh
  • Matthew Krogh

Written by

  • Alex Gregory
  • Peter Huyck

Directed by

David Mandel

Country of origin

United States

Original language

English

No. of episodes

1

Original network

HBO

Original release

May 1, 2023 

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Is White House Plumbers Based on a True Story - FAQs

1. What is White House Plumbers?

White House Plumbers is an American satirical political drama miniseries created and written by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck. The show is based on the book Integrity by Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh and is directed by David Mandel. It features a star-studded cast including Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Domhnall Gleeson, Kiernan Shipka, and Lena Headey.

2. When does the show premiere?

White House Plumbers premieres on May 1, 2023.

3. What network will the show air on?

The show will be airing on the HBO network.

4. What can we expect from the show?

With its satirical take on politics, White House Plumbers promises to be an entertaining and thought-provoking look at the world of politics in America. The show is likely to use humor and irony to comment on contemporary political issues and may also explore historical events like the Watergate scandal.

5. Who is involved in making the show?

The show is created and written by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck and directed by David Mandel. The cast includes Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Domhnall Gleeson, Kiernan Shipka, and Lena Headey.

6. What is the source material for the show?

White House Plumbers is based on the book Integrity by Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh.