Barbara Walters

<< Back

Edit Mode: Barbara Walters

Email *

If we need to contact you, we will contact you on this email.

Full Name *

Your name please so that we can credit your work.

Main Text *

<h2>Early Life and Education</h2>

<p>Barbara Walters was born on September 25, 1929, to Dena Seletsky Walters and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Walters">Lou Walters</a>. Her father was a prominent nightclub impresario, which meant Barbara was surrounded by entertainers from an early age. She had a brother, Burton, who died of pneumonia complications in 1932—an event that deeply affected her and led her to care attentively for her sister Jacqueline, who was born with developmental disabilities.</p>

<p>Walters attended the Ethical Culture Fieldston School and the Birch Wathen School in New York City, although she spent portions of her childhood in Boston due to her father’s business ventures, which included a chain of nightclubs stretching from Boston, Massachusetts, to Miami Beach, Florida. She graduated from Miami Beach High School in 1947 before enrolling at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English in 1953.</p>

<h2>Early Career in Journalism</h2>

<p>After college, Walters initially worked as a secretary but soon transitioned into broadcasting. She secured a position as an assistant to the publicity director at WRCA-TV (an NBC affiliate), where she refined her writing and producing skills. She later joined CBS, contributing written material for the Morning Show. In 1955, Walters married business executive Robert Henry Katz. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1958.</p>

<p>In 1963, Walters married theatrical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Guber">producer</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Guber">Lee Guber</a>. The couple adopted a daughter, whom they named Jacqueline Dena, in honor of Walters’ mother and sister.</p>

<h2>Breakthrough at NBC’s Today Show</h2>

<p>Walters joined NBC’s Today Show in 1961 as a writer and researcher. Her big break came when she was selected to accompany <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Kennedy_Onassis">First Lady</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Kennedy_Onassis">Jacqueline Kennedy</a> on a goodwill trip to India and Pakistan. The success of her report led to an expanded role on the show, and by 1964, she had become a regular presence. Known as the "Today Girl," she appeared alongside hosts <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Downs">Hugh Downs</a> and later <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_McGee_(journalist)">Frank McGee</a>.</p>

<p>Despite her on-screen presence, Walters wasn't officially named co-host until 1974. During this time, she was frequently relegated to less serious content and was often restricted from questioning major guests until after her male counterparts had finished.</p>

<h2>Rising Influence and Signature Interview Style</h2>

<p>By 1972, Walters had gained national recognition for her personable but incisive interview style—often described as “probing-yet-casual.” She accompanied <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon">President</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon">Richard Nixon</a> on his historic 1972 trip to China as part of the press corps, a notable milestone in her journalism career. In 1975, she won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host.</p>

<p>The same year, she made history by becoming the first female co-anchor of a network evening news program. ABC News offered her a then-unprecedented $1 million annual salary. In 1976, Walters moderated the final presidential debate between <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Ford">President</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Ford">Gerald Ford</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter">challenger</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter">Jimmy Carter</a>. That year, she also debuted her Barbara Walters Specials, the first of which featured interviews with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter">President</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter">Carter</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalynn_Carter">First Lady</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalynn_Carter">Rosalynn Carter</a>. In 1977, she conducted the first joint interview with Israeli <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menachem_Begin">Prime Minister</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menachem_Begin">Menachem Begin</a> and Egyptian <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anwar_Sadat">President</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anwar_Sadat">Anwar Sadat</a>.</p>

[page-break]

<h2>The Barbara Walters Specials and Industry Challenges</h2>

<p>During the early years of the Barbara Walters Specials, Walters became known for her ability to gain unexpectedly candid responses from interviewees. Her persistence in securing high-profile interviews and asking difficult yet thoughtful questions contributed significantly to her reputation in journalism. Her approach balanced assertiveness with tact, rarely alienating her subjects.</p>

<p>Despite her accomplishments, many of Walters’ male colleagues responded critically—some visibly uncomfortable with her rapid ascent. ABC <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reasoner">co-anchor</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reasoner">Harry Reasoner</a>, in particular, was known for his on-air condescension toward her. Walters' slight speech impediment was famously spoofed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilda_Radner">comedian</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilda_Radner">Gilda Radner</a> on <em>Saturday Night Live</em>, but it did not hinder her success.</p>

<h2>Legacy with 20/20</h2>

<p>In 1979, Walters joined ABC’s news magazine program <em>20/20</em> as a part-time correspondent. One of her most significant moments came in 1980, when she conducted former President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon">Richard Nixon</a>’s first television interview since his resignation in 1974. She became a full-time co-host of <em>20/20</em> in 1984, reuniting with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Downs">Hugh Downs</a>. After <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Downs">Downs</a> retired in 1999, he was succeeded by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Miller_(police_official)">John Miller</a> and later <a href="/biography/john-stossel">John Stossel</a>.</p>

<h2>The View and Later Achievements</h2>

<p>In August 1997, Walters launched <em>The View</em>, a daytime talk show that she co-executive produced and co-hosted. The program became known for its rotating panel of diverse female co-hosts, which included <a href="/biography/whoopi-goldberg">Whoopi Goldberg</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosie_O'Donnell">Rosie O'Donnell</a>, <a href="/biography/star-jones">Star Jones</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Ling">Lisa Ling</a>, <a href="/biography/meredith-vieira">Meredith Vieira</a>, <a href="/biography/joy-behar">Joy Behar</a>, <a href="/biography/sherri-shepherd">Sherri Shepherd</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Matenopoulos">Debbie Matenopoulos</a>, and <a href="/biography/elisa-beth-hasselbeck">Elisabeth Hasselbeck</a>. The show focused on news, current events, and lifestyle topics and became a cultural touchstone.</p>

<p>Walters signed a five-year contract extension with ABC in 2000, making her the highest-paid news host at the time, with an annual salary of $12 million. In 2004, at the age of 73, she stepped down as co-host of <em>20/20</em>. Her farewell broadcast featured a retrospective of her most iconic interviews with political leaders, celebrities, and other influential figures.</p>

<h2>Retirement and Lasting Recognition</h2>

<p>Barbara Walters officially announced her retirement from television journalism in May 2013. Over the course of her career, she received numerous accolades, including the prestigious President’s Award in 1988 and induction into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1990. She was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 and won a total of 34 Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards.</p>

<p>Her educational honors include honorary doctoral degrees from Sarah Lawrence College, Ohio State University, Hofstra University, Temple University, Marymount College, Wheaton College, and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Through her groundbreaking work and enduring impact, Barbara Walters remains one of the most influential figures in the history of broadcast journalism.</p>

Source *

Source you received the information from. eg. personal experiences, acquaintances, web-links, etc

Comment *

Briefly describe the changes you made.

Warning! All fields are required. Empty fields won't allow the form to be submitted and your changes will be lost.
Once the changes are submitted they cannot be edited again until your submission is reviewed.