Cranston, Alan, 1914-2000

Alan Cranston, born June 19, 1914 in Palo Alto, Calif., was a four term Senator for California from 1969 to 1993. His son Robin Cranston was killed in a car accident in May 1980. Cranston died on Dec. 31, 2000.

Biographical Information

Cranston, Alan, a Senator from California; born in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, Calif., June 19, 1914; attended the public schools in Los Altos, Calif., Pomona College, and the University of Mexico; graduated, Stanford University 1936; International News Service, covering England, Germany, Italy, and Ethiopia 1937-1938; chief, foreign language division, Office of War Information 1940-1944; enlisted in the United States Army in 1944 and served until the conclusion of the Second World War; national president, United World Federalists 1949-1952; elected State comptroller of California in 1958, and reelected in 1962; business career in land investment and home construction; elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1968 for the term commencing January 3, 1969; reelected in 1974, 1980, and again in 1986 and served from January 3, 1969 to January 3, 1993; was not a candidate for reelection in 1992; reprimanded by the Select Committee on Ethics for "improper conduct" on November 20, 1991; Democratic whip 1977-1991; chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs (Ninety-fifth, Ninety-sixth, One Hundredth through One Hundred Second Congresses); unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 1984; was a resident of Los Altos, Calif., until his death on December 31, 2000; remains were cremated.

--Taken from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000877