Ronald Reagan had at least six presidents before, one of whom was Dwight D. Eisenhower and he was the first since Eisenhower to serve two terms.
Dwight David `` Ike '' Eisenhower ( [ ˈaɪzənˌhaʊ.ər ] ; October 14 , 1890 -- March 28 , 1969 ) was an American politician and Army general who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 . Ronald Wilson Reagan ( [ ˈrɒnəld_ˈwɪlsən_ˈreɪɡən ] ) ( February 6 , 1911 -- June 5 , 2004 ) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 . He was the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve two full terms , after a succession of five prior presidents failed to do so .