Governor Gatling

*"Why couldn't I be governor of Idaho? Kill a few potatoes, who'd care?" - Governor Eugene Xavier Gatling*

## Governor Gatling

### Aliases

Governor
The Governor

Gene

Gene Gatling

Mean Gene

Eugene

Goofy

### Relatives

Katie Gatling (Daughter)
Gibson Gatling (Father)

Jack Gatling (Brother)

Harvey Gatling (Brother)

Libby Gatling (Sister)

Jessica Tate (Cousin)

Ralph (Cousin)

Laura (Niece)

Al (Uncle)

Murray (Uncle)

### Occupation

Governor
Formerly:

Bloopo the Clown

## Biographical information

### Marital status

Widowed:Olivia Barnett-Gatling (Deceased)

## Appearances

### Debut

Benson - "Change"

**'Governor' Eugene Xavier Gatling** (played by James Noble) is the governor of the state and is one of the main characters on the ABC sitcom, *Benson*.

Prior to becoming Governor, Eugene used to run the Gatling Lumber Mill. His open, and often ditzy, personality helped him win over the people of the state, becoming a successful two-term candidate.

## About Governor Gatling

### Childhood

Eugene Xavier Gatling was born to Gibson Gatling and Mrs. Gatling in a small town, growing up through country life in the family's lumber mill. Within the household, Gene was one of many other brothers and sisters raised by a strict controlling father who didn't believe in his children's independence. Gene and his sister, Libby Gatling, would both be assigned to military school at a young age, with Gene stating that he never learned much from the experience.

Gene would later be enrolled into Crandle High School, a traditional public school, where he'd extraordinarily participate on the basketball team, football team, and the school swim team throughout his four year enrollment. Gene, at one point, even considered being a professional dancer, entering a 39 hour dance marathon to reach his dream.

During his Senior year at Crandle, Gene would work at a local FDR Drug store everyday following school, where he would be first taught into politics by the store's owner following an attempted run for Senior Class President.

### Adult Life

Following his graduation from Crandle High, Eugene would serve in the US Navy in combat during WWII. Gene would leave the Navy in 1957, when he would then enroll in college, graduating with two degrees in Business Administration and Economics.

Gene would later return home, taking over the Gatling Lumber Mill for a full time job. At 37 he proposed to a long time childhood friend of his, Olivia Barnett, after her photographer ex husband passed away in Africa from getting crushed by an Elephant. The two got married on a Saturday night and had a private wedding with no pictures, eventually birthing a daughter, Katherine Olivia Gatling, in 1970.

### Transition to Politics

While running the Gatling Lumbermill/paper mill in 1979, the people suggested that Gene should begin running for governor. According to Gene, the state hadn't had an honest governor in years and he felt it was his duty to run. Gene gave the lumber mill over to his cousin, Ralph, and began a campaign. To his surprise, he won, with the campaign succeeding on the promises to cut taxes, and reduce waste.

His wife, Olivia, would unfortunately pass away shortly after his election when she was eaten by horses at a Country Club costume prior to Gene's move into the state's Governor's Mansion.

### Political Career

During his first week in office, Gatling put through a proposal that prevented the deportation of the beavers from the state and inhibited the building of a multi-billion dollar industry. Throughout the rest of his first term, Gatling helped strengthen a relationship with a newly formed African nation, Zamundi, and prevented a potential war threat from the Soviet Union. Gatling also built an unorthodox up close relationship with the people of the state.

Governor Gatling was also involved in several controversies during his first term, once being quoted in saying, "If Senator Englehart's brain were put into a bird, it would fly backwards." In 1981 Gatling would notably have a disastrous live televised presentation, featuring various technical difficulties, and a mention of the presentation's network opposition, *The Muppets*. The presentation ironically extracted positive results, as most viewers respected Gatling's honesty.

After Gatling's first term, the party offered him an ambassadorship. The party wasn't fond of the lack of control they owned over Gene and preferred a more subservient candidate.

### Re-Election

In 1982, Gatling turned down the ambassadorship and ran for Governor for a second term without the party's support. Gatling lost the race for re-election to candidate and state senator, Bud Resnick; temporarily returning back to his lumber mill before re-entering as an independent candidate with the money that he mortgaged from the mill.

Initially, Bud Resnick was projected the winner of the election over Senator Ernest Chapman. Chapman, displeased with the results, insisted a recount. A special report, that aired during a rerun of *Gilligan's Island* however, revealed that the recounted votes of Daily County were in favor of Gene Gatling; causing him to serve four more years in office.

### Second Term in Office

During his second term, Gatling would, once again, find himself caught up in various controversies. One incident included an alleged encounter with a UFO that apparently resembled a flying fudgesicle the size of a school bus in 1983.

In 1984, Gatling's date at a cocktail party, local telephone repair woman Betty Braxton, poured two drinks on Senator Leonard Tyler's face. This came about after Tyler had made sexist statements towards women in the workforce. The incident was nicknamed 'Betty Gate.'

In 1985 he was involved with an incident with the President over a statement made by the lt. Governor, Benson DuBois.

### Third Term Run as an Independent

In 1986 Governor Gatling ran for re-election for a third term due to the fact that he only served one term as a party candidate; making him technically eligible for another term under a party or as an independent.

Gatling would run against the former budget director, and current Lt. Governor, Benson DuBois.

    While running for his third term, Gatling would reverse his previous position on a water bill. He also faced slanderous comments made by his rival's running mate, Leonard Tyler; with Gatling being referred to as a 'blood sucking pirate'.

Gatling later addressed his position switch on the water bill live on the program, '*Prove It!'.* Gatling stated that he felt it was time to expand the financial base of the state to create more jobs. DuBois and Gatling found out they agreed with each other more than they had thought and would close out the program shaking hands and making up with one another.

## Relationships

### Benson

Benson was sent to the mansion through Gene's cousin, Jessica Tate. Trusting his cousin's word on Benson's abilities, the governor opens up his inner fears and insecurities to Benson about the shift of responsibilities from being at a lumber mill to becoming governor of the state.

While the governor and Benson form a trusting relationship, the Governor doesn't like when Benson directly disobeys his orders.

Over the years Gene and Benson bump heads more and more, yet still respect one another for what they're attempting to accomplish for the people of the state.

### Katie

As Katie's father, Gene and Katie have a loving father-daughter relationship. Due to having to be two parents, as well as a governor, Gene often struggled with finding time to spend with Katie; even sending her to boarding school before regretting the decision. When Katie was younger, Gene tried his best to explain his time-to-time absences being involved in politics, though Katie didn't always understand.

As Katie got older, Gene, in a typical fatherly fashion, didn't want to see her grow up.

Gene was very protective of Katie and was never fond of any of his staff getting involved in any of their father-daughter issues.

### Kraus

Staring out as the maid, Kraus and the Governor have kept a close relationship from the start. Considering that the two live with each other, they both had to develop an open relationship in the mansion. The two bonded off of the relationship they have with Katie. Gene seems to appreciate Kraus' time spent with his daughter due to the death of her biological mother. Kraus also cooked dinner, and occasionally breakfast for governor.

### Clayton

The Governor kept Clayton around for both of his terms in office, and understands his mindset for achieving political success. The two carried a mixed relationship, with the more experience Gene has being Governor, the more Clayton's advice begins to annoy him; at one point, referring to him as a 'bonehead'. On one hand, the Governor doesn't seem to mind taking Clayton's advice on certain political issues. On the other hand, Clayton's snobbery and 'know it all' attitude can really get on his nerves.

### Others

Gene ran the office on trust within his staff. Whether it was some of the wackier ideas of his press secretary, Pete Downey, or some of the personal spouts of his first secretary, Marcy Hill, Gene treated all of his staff with equality and value to his administration.

The people of the state however, along with rest of the rest of the government, and even the staff themselves, saw Gatling as a little loopy and spaced out. His niche for telling stories from his lifetime often annoyed those around him, while causing great confusion to others. Gene's personality worked to his advantage as well; allowing the state to see the humanity in the two term, four year, politician.

## Trivia

* He stated that when he was a kid he once met Eleanor Roosevelt in the same year that Count Fleet won the derby; that year being 1943.
* Following playing center in Basketball, end on the Football team, and participating on the school swim team in High School, Gene would go on to play Basketball in the Navy
* The Governor appears to have a talent in playing musical instruments.
	+ In the episode "Sit-In", he's seen playing Katie's cello.
	+ He plays a ukulele in "Down the Drain".
	+ He state once that he played saxophone in band class.
* The Governor owns albums by the Doobie Brothers and all albums by Gladys Knight and the Pips.
* It was once stated that he's a Sagittarius
* He's a long time fisher.
* He believes in the existence of aliens along with Kraus and Denise.
* Instead of being buried, he stated he wanted to be cremated with his ashes scattered across the lumber mill.
* He used to have braces in high school.
* In the episode, "Jessica", it was implied that Gene and his cousin, Jessica Tate, once went to school together.
	+ Jessica states that in Chemistry class, Gene was voted most likely to dissolve.

* Gene once stated that not all of his stories are true.
* During his time in the Navy, Gene would earn a Purple Heart for stubbing his toe in battle.
* He was an avid watcher of the ABC action series, *The Fall Guy* and considered himself the "number one fan" of actor Lee Majors.
* He has an allergy to chlorine.
* Gene is prone to signing in his sleep.

## Quotes

* "Just because I'm governor doesn't mean that I can't get down."
* "Why couldn't I be governor of Idaho? Kill a few potatoes, who'd care?"
* "If you don't let her go, you may lose her all together"
* "Sometimes it isn't lonely enough at the top."
* "Marriage is a lot like a bottle of ketchup. It may seem full from the outside, but it takes a lot to get anything out of it."
* "It's harder to be a father than it is to be a governor."