Who was Ronald Reagan? Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981-1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967-1975). Born in Illin … ois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s, where he became a well-known actor in movies, starring in some 50 films.