WASHINGTON, DC.- The National Portrait Gallery marks the centennial of the 40th Presidents birth with an exhibition chronicling Ronald Reagans early years in Illinois, his acting and political career and presidency from 1981 to 1989. Reagans warm manner and cheerful smile were hallmarks of a personality that fascinated Americans, but it was his steadfastness to the ideas of a limited government and a free-market economy that won him votes. One Life: Ronald Reagan is open July 1 through May 28, 2012. This One Life exhibition acknowledges the long and remarkable career of an American leader whose life spanned nearly the entire 20th-century, said Martin Sullivan, director of the National Portrait Gallery. Ronald Reagan played a key role in many aspects of American public life.