Allan Shivers

Robert Allan Shivers, known as Allan Shivers, was the 37th Governor of Texas.

Shivers' political career began in the Texas Senate, when in 1934 he became the youngest person ever elected to that body. He served until 1946 (missing two years due to World War II service).

His popularity statewide began when he ran for Lieutenant Governor in 1946, winning over 90% of the vote. His successful re-election in 1948 was only slightly less successful with almost 87.5% of the vote.

After the unexpected death of Governor Beauford Jester in 1949, Shivers became the only Lieutenant Governor to date to ascend to Governor upon the death of the incumbent (Rick Perry ascended to the Governor's office upon the resignation of George W. Bush when he became President of the United States). Shivers would win in his own right in 1950 (nearly 90%), again in 1952 (his popularity was such that he was the nominee of both the Democratic and Republican parties; Democrat Shivers easily beat Republican Shivers but between both parties garnered over 98% of the vote with "No Preference" the runner-up, after which the Legislature abolished the ability of a candidate to be the nominee for more than one party as well as the No Preference option) and set a precedent with his third two-year term in 1954 (almost 89.5%). His overall gubernatorial tenure of 7.5 years (all of which was consecutive) was the longest in Texas history until Bill Clements broke it with his two, non-consecutive four-year terms; Perry would break both the consecutive and total tenure records afterwards.

Shivers was anti-integration, leading the Texas Rangers police force to prohibit the Mansfield school district from integrating.

Shivers had a small part playing himself in the 1955 film Lucy Gallant which starred Jane Wyman and Charlton Heston.