The former actor had a request.

"Do you know the theme song from my TV show Death Valley Days'?" he asked.

Pianist Roger Williams replied, "Mr. President, I have no idea what that is."

"I'm only kidding," Ronald Reagan replied. "Play The Impossible Dream.' That song says everything I'm trying to do for this great, great country of ours."

Williams is still taking requests for the late president, in a way.

On Monday, the legendary pianist will celebrate his 83rd birthday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley with a concert much longer than the average solo gig: 14 1/2 hours. The marathon recital is Williams' attempt to break his previous personal record of 14 hours.

Williams, who has recorded 116 albums and still tours around the country, will take requests from the audience throughout the entire concert. No sheet music required: The music is in his head and heart.

He knows more than 10,000 songs — pop, jazz, classical, whatever. Just don't trip him up with any current Top 40 tunes.

"People don't stump me too often unless it's today's music," Williams said during an interview at his Encino home.

Yes, he's done this before. Williams, who's performed for eight U.S. presidents, has started a tradition of all-day piano marathons at presidential libraries. He's making his second trip to the Reagan Museum.

In 2001, Williams entertained more than 2,000 people there for 12 hours, then donated one of his Steinway pianos, worth $100,000, to the museum.

@TO 1-Text Ragged Right no indent:Lazy' beginnings

Williams started playing piano at age 3 — precociously. Although he took lessons, Williams infuriated teachers because "they'd play a piece and I could play it back to them. They wanted me to study and do it the legitimate way," he said, laughing, "which I was probably just too lazy to do."

"Lazy" doesn't mean untalented, however.

By the time he was a teen he played 13 instruments, had a radio show and started performing for cash ($6 per night) at a local restaurant. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he earned a master's degree in music at Drake University in Iowa, then studied at the Juilliard School in New York City in 1952.

David Kapp of Kapp Records signed Williams after hearing him perform on Arthur Godfrey's "Talent Scouts" TV show and Dennis James' "Chance of a Lifetime."

Williams' breakout year was 1955, when his version of composer Joseph Kosma's "Autumn Leaves" reached No. 1 on the popular music charts — the only piano instrumental recording to attain that honor.

Other hits include his renditions of "Born Free," "The Impossible Dream" (from "Man of La Mancha"), "Maria" (from "West Side Story"), "Lara's Theme" (from "Dr. Zhivago) and "Almost Paradise."

@TO 1-Text Ragged Right no indent:Political playing

Williams, nicknamed "Pianist to the Presidents," has performed for U.S. chief executives from Harry Truman through the first George Bush.

He met Reagan long before the former president was a politician, however.

Williams said he and Reagan "go clear back" to Des Moines, Iowa, where they worked at the same radio station. "He was Dutch' Reagan, the big sports announcer, and I was the 12-year-old prodigy; they gave me my own radio show," Williams said. "We started at the same time and became good friends."

Reagan then headed for Hollywood, and "I didn't see him again until he was governor (of California). He invited me so many times to play for him as governor, and then as president. He was a good friend, and a wonderful man. I really miss his sense of optimism."

But Williams, who is mentioned in the recently published "Reagan Diaries," was not completely star-struck.

"The bad part was that (as governor) Reagan was the first to take music out of schools," Williams said. At that time (the late '60s), "we were competing very seriously with the Russians. Reagan felt science was more important. He had a point there. But when we did get peace, the schools never got back music."

Williams, a doting grandfather of five, has made music education his mission, performing for kids and advocating for arts programs in schools. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger named him a Champion of Youth in 2004 for his efforts. Williams hopes each marathon concert raises public awareness about the cause.

@TO 1-Text Ragged Right no indent:For the record

The "record" Williams will try to break Monday is his own. The world record for keyboard playing by an individual, according to Guinness World Records, is 64 hours, set by Charles Brunner in December. Williams won't technically be playing nonstop because he'll take 10-minute breaks each hour, but his fingers will still be working overtime. He'll get an energetic dose of glucose when complimentary birthday cake is served at noon.

The museum might want to stock up on Oreos instead.

Williams has been known to play for cookies and milk, but we can't vouch for cake.

"As a kid I never wanted to practice; I just wanted to play," he recalled. "My mother would always put a big pitcher of milk on the piano when I got home from school and a plate of cookies. I would practice until the cookies ran out, then I'd run out."

On Monday, with or without baked goods, he doesn't plan on running out before 10 p.m.

On the Net: www.mrpianotoday.com.