(1914–1988), said that he had no knowledge of an affair between Rutherfurd and his father, while Rutherfurd's daughter Barbara flatly denied that any such romance had occurred. Well-known historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. (1917–2007) stated of the affair that if Rutherfurd "in any way helped Franklin Roosevelt sustain the frightful burdens of leadership in the second world war, the nation has good reason to be grateful to her." Popular culture Mercer's friendship with Franklin Roosevelt was portrayed in the well-regarded TV mini-series Eleanor and Franklin, with Mercer portrayed by actress Linda Kelsey in the 1976 telecast, based on the best-selling biography of the same name by Eleanor's personal friend Joseph P. Lash, published in 1971. In addition, the relationship was covered in an episode of The Presidents documentaries for the PBS American Experience series on American history, as well as in the 2014 PBS miniseries The Roosevelts, directed by noted documentary film-maker Ken Burns, with an accompanying companion pictorial book by Geoffrey Perrett. Furthermore, Eleanor's discovery of the relationship and subsequent discussion of divorce with Franklin's mother are portrayed in the fourth episode of the Showtime series "The First Lady." Rutherfurd is portrayed by Maria Dizzia. References Bibliography 1891 births 1948 deaths Rutherfurd family Burials in New Jersey Deaths from leukemia Franklin D. Roosevelt Military personnel from Washington, D.C. Mistresses of United States presidents People_from_Warren_County,_New_Jersey People from Aiken, South Carolina Catholics from New Jersey Catholics from South Carolina Deaths from cancer in the United States