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Barbara Walters Information

Barbara Jill Walters[1] (born September 25, 1929) is an American broadcast journalist and author, who has hosted morning television shows (Today and The View), the television newsmagazine (20/20), and co-anchor of the ABC Evening News and correspondent on ABC World News (then ABC Evening News).

Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news anchor for over 10 years on NBC's Today, where she worked with Hugh Downs and later hosts Frank McGee and Jim Hartz. Walters later spent 25 years as co-host of ABC's newsmagazine 20/20. She was the first female co-anchor of network evening news, working with Harry Reasoner on the ABC Evening News and was later a correspondent for ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson.

Contents

Early life

Walters was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Louis "Lou" Walters and his wife, Dena Seletsky, both of whom were Jewish[2] and descendants of refugees from the former Russian Empire, now Eastern Europe.[3] Walters' paternal grandfather, Isaac Abrahams, was from what is now Łódź, Poland, and first immigrated to England, changing his name to Abraham Walters.[3] Walters' father was born there c. 1896, and moved to the United States with his family in 1900.[4] In 1937, her father opened the New York version of the Latin Quarter; he also was a Broadway producer (he produced the Ziegfeld Follies of 1943).[5][6] He also was the Entertainment Director for the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he imported the "Folies Bergere" stage show from Paris to the resort's main showroom.[7] Walters' brother, Burton, died in 1932 of pneumonia.[8] Walters' elder sister, Jacqueline, was born mentally disabled[9] and died of ovarian cancer in 1985. Barbara has another half sister, Walda Walters Anderson born to a different mother and Barbara's father, Lou Walters. Walda is now a communications executive.

According to Walters, being surrounded by celebrities when she was young kept her from being "in awe" of them.[9] When she was a young woman, Walters' father lost his nightclubs and the family's penthouse on Central Park West. As Walters recalled, "He had a breakdown. He went down to live in our house in Florida, and then the Government took the house, and they took the car, and they took the furniture." Of her mother, she said, "My mother should have married the way her friends did, to a man who was a doctor or who was in the dress business."[10]

After attending Ethical Culture Fieldston School and Birch Wathen Lenox School[11][12] private schools in New York City,[8] Walters graduated from Miami Beach High School in 1947. In 1951 she received a B.A. in English from Sarah Lawrence College.[13]

Career and accolades

After a brief period as a publicist with Tex McCrary Inc. and a job as a writer at CBS News, Walters joined NBC's The Today Show as a writer and researcher in 1961.[9] She moved up to become that show's regular "Today Girl," handling lighter assignments and the weather. In her autobiography, she describes this era before the Women's Movement as a time when it was believed that nobody would take a woman seriously reporting "hard news". Previous "Today Girls" (whom Walters called "tea pourers") included Florence Henderson, Helen O'Connell, Estelle Parsons and Lee Meriwether.[14] Within a year she had become a reporter-at-large developing, writing, and editing her own reports and interviews.[9] When Frank McGee was named host, he refused to do joint interviews with Walters unless he was given the first four questions. She was not named co-host of the show until McGee's death in 1974, when NBC officially designated Walters as the program's first female co-host.

Walters has seldom minced words when describing the visible, on-the-air disdain her co-anchor, Harry Reasoner, displayed for her when she was teamed up with him on the ABC Evening News in 1976-78. Reasoner had a difficult relationship with Walters because he disliked having a co-anchor, even though he worked with former CBS colleague Howard K. Smith nightly on ABC for several years. In 1981, five years after the start of their short-lived ABC partnership and well after Reasoner returned to CBS News, Walters and her former co-anchor had a memorable (and cordial) 20/20 interview on the occasion of Reasoner's new book release.[citation needed]

Walters is also known for her years on the ABC newsmagazine 20/20 where she joined host Hugh Downs in 1979.[9] Throughout her career at ABC, Walters has appeared on ABC news specials as a commentator, including presidential inaugurations and the coverage of 9/11. She was also chosen to be the moderator for the third and final debate between candidates Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford, held at Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall in Williamsburg, Virginia, during the 1976 Presidential Election.[15] In 1984, she moderated a Presidential debate held at the Dana Center for the Humanities at Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire.[16] Many of her regular and special programs are syndicated around the world. As of 2004, she is in semi-retirement as a broadcast journalist, but remains a correspondent for ABC News as well as a host of ABC's special programs.

On June 14, 2007, Walters received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has won Daytime and Prime Time Emmy Awards, a Women in Film Lucy Award, and a GLAAD Excellence in Media award. Her impact on the popular culture is illustrated by Gilda Radner's "Baba Wawa" impersonation of her on Saturday Night Live,[9] featuring her idiosyncratic speech with its rounded "R."

In the fall of 2008, she was honored with the Disney Legends award, an award given to those who made an outstanding contribution to The Walt Disney Company, which owns the network ABC. That same year, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York Women's Agenda.

On September 21, 2009, Walters was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 30th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards at New York City's Lincoln Center.

Interviews

Walters interviewing President Gerald Ford and Betty Ford in 1976. Vladimir Putin giving an interview to Walters in 2001 at the Kremlin.

On March 7, 2010, Barbara Walters announced she would no longer hold Oscar interviews, but will still be working with ABC and on her show, The View.[17]

In a November 2010 episode of The View, while interviewing Larry King on his retirement from CNN, Walters alluded to her impending retirement, stating, "I know when my time's coming."

Walters is known for "personality journalism" and her "scoop" interviews.[9] In November 1977, she achieved a joint interview with Egypt's President, Anwar Al Sadat, and Israel's Prime Minister, Menachem Begin. Her interviews with world leaders from all walks of life are a chronicle of the latter part of the 20th century.[9] They include the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his wife the Empress Farah Pahlavi; Russia's Boris Yeltsin; China's Jiang Zemin; the UK's Margaret Thatcher; Cuba's Fidel Castro, as well as India's Indira Gandhi, Václav Havel, Muammar al-Gaddafi, King Hussein of Jordan, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez among many others. Other interviews with influential people include pop icon Michael Jackson, Katharine Hepburn, Anna Wintour and in 1980 Lord Olivier. Walters considered Dr. Robert Smithdas, a deaf-blind man who spent his life improving the life of other individuals who are deaf-blind, as her most inspirational interview.

Walters was widely lampooned in 1981 (and often since) for having posed the question, during an interview with actress Katharine Hepburn: "If you were a tree, what kind would you be?" But as she has often pointed out (and the video clips confirm) Hepburn initiated the discussion by saying that she would like to be a tree, and Walters merely followed up with the question, "What kind of a tree?"[9][18]

During a story about Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Walters claimed that "for Castro, freedom begins with education." Some critics[who?] point to her characterization of Castro as freedom-loving and argue that it painted an inaccurate picture of his government.[citation needed]

On March 3, 1999, her interview of Monica Lewinsky was seen by a record 74 million viewers, the highest rating ever for a journalist's interview. Walters asked Lewinsky, "What will you tell your children about this matter?" and Lewinsky replied, "I guess Mommy made some mistakes," at which point Walters brought the program to a dramatic conclusion, turning to the viewers, saying, "And that is the understatement of the century."

The View

Main article: The View (U.S. TV series)

Walters is a part-time host of the daytime talk show The View, of which she is also co-creator and co-executive producer with her business partner Bill Geddie.[9][19] Walters described the show in its original opening credits as a forum for women of "different generations, backgrounds, and views." She added, "Be careful what you wish for..." The show's current co-hosts are Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd. Previous co-hosts include Meredith Vieira, Lisa Ling, Rosie O'Donnell, Star Jones, and Debbie Matenopoulos.

In 2007 Barbara defended co-host O'Donnell about remarks the latter made against Donald Trump and the winner of the Miss USA pageant. Trump firmly responded by saying, "Barbara is off the list..."[20]

Personal life

Walters has been married three times. "I'm convinced that you stay married when the sex is bad, only because you really want to be," she told The New York Times in 1996. "But I always had an out. I had this job, and this life and enough money. I didn't have to fight the bad days."[10] Her husbands were:

She dated lawyer Roy Cohn in college, and the lawyer said that he proposed marriage to Walters the night before her wedding to Lee Guber, but Walters has denied this claim.[8] She explained her lifelong devotion to Cohn as gratitude for his help in her adoption of her daughter, Jacqueline.[22] In her autobiography, Walters says that Cohn got her father's warrant for "failure to appear" dismissed.[23]

Walters, who dated former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan in the 1970s,[24] was linked romantically to United States Senator John Warner in the 1990s.[25]

In Walters's autobiography Audition she claimed that she had an affair in the 1970s with Edward Brooke, then a married United States Senator from Massachusetts. It is not clear whether Walters also was married at the time. Walters said that the affair ended to protect their careers from scandal.[26]

She announced on the May 10, 2010 episode of her show The View, that she would be undergoing open heart surgery to replace a faulty heart valve; the aortic valve, which pumps blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Walters added that she knew for quite a while that she was suffering from aortic valve stenosis, even though she was symptom-free.[27][28]

The procedure to fix the faulty heart valve "went well, and the doctors are very pleased with the outcome," Walters' spokeswoman, Cindi Berger, said in a statement on May 14, 2010.[29]

On July 9, 2010, it was announced that Barbara Walters would return to The View and her Sirius XM satellite show Here's Barbara in September 2010.[30][31]

Walters has been close friends with Fox News head Roger Ailes since the late 1960s.[32]

Books

In the late 1960s, Walters wrote a magazine article, How to Talk to Practically Anyone About Practically Anything, which drew upon the kinds of things people said to her, which were often mistakes.[33] Shortly after the article appeared, she received a letter from Doubleday expressing interest in expanding it into a book. Walters felt that it would help "tongue-tied, socially awkward people — the many people who worry that they can't think of the right thing to say to start a conversation."[33] She published the book in 1970, with the assistance of ghostwriter June Callwood.[34] To Walters' great surprise, the book was a phenomenon. As of 2008, it had gone through eight printings, sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide, and had been translated into at least 6 different languages.[33]

In 2008, she published her autobiography, Audition: A Memoir.

Reaction to Gilda Radner's caricature of her

In her memoir, Walters wrote that although audiences found Gilda Radner's caricature of her as "Baba Wawa" on Saturday Night Live "hysterically funny," Walters at first found the send-up "extremely upsetting."[35] Radner exaggerated Walters's partially rhotacistic speech impediment (not a geographical accent) wherein she pronounced l and r like w. She remembered seeing a sketch during the time she was leaving NBC to join ABC News with Harry Reasoner, and Radner as "Baba Wawa" said: "This is my wast moment on NBC and I want to wemind you to wook fow me awong with Hawwy Weasoneh weeknights at seven o'cwock ... anotheh netwohk wecognizes in me a gweat tawent for dewivering wewevant news stowies with cwystal cwahity."[35]

One time Walters's daughter Jackie was watching the characterization and laughing, much to Walters's dismay. She said her daughter "set her straight" by saying, "Oh, Mom--lighten UP!" Walters wrote in her memoir: "Hearing that from Jackie made me realize that I was losing all perspective. Where was my sense of humor?" Walters later met Gilda Radner and told her that she thought the caricature was funny. When Gilda Radner died of ovarian cancer at age forty-two, Walters sent a short, simple note to her husband, Gene Wilder, and said: "She made me laugh. I will miss her. Baba Wawa."[35] In an audio recording she made of her own memoir, Walters even mimicked Radner's caricature.

Awards and nominations

Daytime Emmy Awards

NAACP Image Award

Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Award

See also

Biography portal
Journalism portal

Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People

References

  1. ^ a b "Miss Walters engaged". The New York Times: pp. 96. 1955-05-01.
  2. ^ Quinn, Sally (2006-12-22). "Television Personality Looks Anew At Religion". Washington Post/Newsweek. http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2006/12/television_personality_looks_a.html. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
  3. ^ a b Walters, Barbara (2008). Audition: A Memoir. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 7–13. ISBN 978-0-307-26646-0.
  4. ^ Genealogy.com: Ancestry of Barbara Walters
  5. ^ "Lou Walters, Nightclub Impresario and Founder of Latin Quarter, Dies". The New York Times. 1977-08-16. pp. 36.
  6. ^ Lou Walters at Internet Broadway Database
  7. ^ Tropicana - Las Vegas Strip
  8. ^ a b c James Conaway, "How to talk with Barbara Walters about practically anything," The New York Times, 10 September 1972, page SM40, 43-44
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Stated in interview at Inside the Actors Studio
  10. ^ a b Elisabeth Bumiller, "So Famous, Such Clout, She Could Interview Herself", The New York Times, 21 April 1996, page H1
  11. ^ Can Barbara Walters's Career Survive Rosie and Donald's War?- New York Magazine
  12. ^ Dowd, Maureen (1990-03-25). "And Now Back To You, Barbara". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2D71531F936A15750C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
  13. ^ "WALTERS, BARBARA: U.S. Broadcast Journalist". museum.tv. http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/W/htmlW/waltersbarb/waltersbarb.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-09
  14. ^ Audition, pp. 107-114
  15. ^ CNN: 1976 Presidential Debates. Retrieved on June 14, 2008.
  16. ^ Herald-Journal - Google News Archive Search
  17. ^ Allen, Nick (2010-03-07). "Barbara Walters to host last Oscars special amid 'overexposure' of stars". Telegraph (London: Telegraph Media Group Limited 2010). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/7393741/Barbara-Walters-to-host-last-Oscars-special-amid-overexposure-of-stars.html. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
  18. ^ Kate the Great, The Katharine Hepburn Forum - The Barbara Walters Interview Retrieved 2008-05-10[unreliable source?]
  19. ^ "BARBARA WALTERS—HOUSE MOM TO BIGOTS". Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. February 7, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-05-15. http://web.archive.org/web/20070515004046/http://www.catholicleague.org/07press_releases/quarter_1/070207_barbarawalters.htm.
  20. ^ "Trump Says Barbara's Off "The List"". CBS News. 2007-03-27.
  21. ^ "Katz—Walters", The New York Times, June 21, 1955, page 36
  22. ^ Jerry Oppenheimer (1990), Barbara Walters: An Unauthorized Biography, St. Martin's Press
  23. ^ Wiegand, David (2008-05-05). "Barbara Walters gets personal. This time, she's candid about her own life.". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/05/DDTU10H1P9.DTL .
  24. ^ Terry Keenan (2007-09-23). "LISTEN TO SHILLER, NOT THE TV SHILLS". The New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/seven/09232007/business/listen_to_shiller__not_the_tv_.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-13.
  25. ^ "Barbara Walters". NNDB. 2007\accessdate=2007-10-13. http://www.nndb.com/people/440/000023371/.
  26. ^ Barbara Walters: I had affair with U.S. senator, Associated Press, May 1, 2008
  27. ^ Marikar, Sheila (10 May 2010). "Barbara Walters to Undergo Heart Surgery". ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/barbara-walters-announces-heart-valve-surgery-abcs-view/story?id=10604315. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  28. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUzOC35-j_8
  29. ^ [1]
  30. ^ "Making Moves: Thursday, July 8, 2010". Radio-Info.com. July 8, 2010. http://www.radio-info.com/news/making-moves-thursday-july-8-2010.
  31. ^ "Barbara Walters Returns to Media Hosting Her Weekly SIRIUS XM Radio Show on July 12". Yahoo! Finance. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Barbara-Walters-Returns-to-prnews-1477182584.html?x=0&.v=1.
  32. ^ Fehrman, Craig (2011-01-21) When Roger Ailes was honest about what he does, Salon.com
  33. ^ a b c Audition: A Memoir, pp. 186-189
  34. ^ June Callwood interview by Patrick Watson, Sept. 21, 1979 Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  35. ^ a b c Audition: A Memoir, pp. 299-300
  36. ^ http://wif.org/past-recipients

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Preceded by Maureen O'Sullivan Today Girl 1964 Succeeded by Position abolished Female co-host precedent set by Barbara Walters
Preceded by John Chancellor Today Show Host June 13, 1966–June 4, 1976 Hugh Downs and herself 1966–1971 Frank McGee and herself 1971 - 1974 Jim Hartz and herself 1974–1976 Succeeded by Tom Brokaw and Jane Pauley
Preceded by Harry Reasoner ABC Evening News Anchor Co-anchor with Harry Reasoner 1976–1978 Succeeded by Frank Reynolds, Max Robinson, and Peter Jennings
Preceded by Hugh Downs As sole host 20/20 Host 1979–2004 Hugh Downs and herself 1979–1999 Solo 1999–2002 John Miller and herself 1/2002–1/2003 John Stossel and herself 2002–2004 Succeeded by Elizabeth Vargas and John Stossel
Preceded by None The View co-host 1997–present Incumbent
· · Anchors of ABC World News

H. R. Baukhage · Jim Gibbons · Bryson Rash · Pauline Frederick · Gordon Fraser · Leo Cherne · John Daly · Don Goddard · John Daly · Bill Shadel · Bill Lawrence · Al Mann · John Cameron Swayze · Ron Cochran · Peter Jennings · Bob Young · Frank Reynolds · Howard K. Smith · Harry Reasoner · Barbara Walters · Frank Reynolds · Max Robinson · Peter Jennings · Bob Woodruff · Elizabeth Vargas · Charles Gibson · Diane Sawyer
· · Anchors of 20/20
Current: Elizabeth Vargas • Chris Cuomo
Past: Harold Hayes • Robert Hughes • Hugh Downs • Barbara Walters • John Miller • John Stossel
· · Hosts of The View
Current Whoopi Goldberg · Joy Behar · Elisabeth Hasselbeck · Sherri Shepherd · Barbara Walters
Former Debbie Matenopoulos · Lisa Ling · Meredith Vieira · Star Jones · Rosie O'Donnell
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Name Walters, Barbara
Alternative names
Short description Journalist, Television Talk Show Host
Date of birth 1929-09-25
Place of birth Brookline, Massachusetts, United States of America
Date of death
Place of death

Categories: 1929 births | Living people | People from Brookline, Massachusetts | ABC News personalities | Alumni of women's universities and colleges | American Jews | American memoirists | American television news anchors | American television personalities | American television reporters and correspondents | Emmy Award winners | Ethical Culture Fieldston School alumni | Miami Beach Senior High School alumni | NBC News | People from Miami, Florida | People from New York | Sarah Lawrence College alumni | American women journalists

 

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