Barbara Jill Walters (1929–2022) was an American broadcast journalist and television personality. She was the host of numerous television programs, including Today, the ABC Evening News, 20/20, and The View. She earned 12 Emmy awards In her five-decade career and was popular for her highly effective technique in celebrity interviews and news specials.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Walters graduated in 1951 from Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York. After a brief stint in advertising, she was a publicity assistant for New York City’s NBC television station. Gaining experience in writing and producing for television, she became a news and public affairs producer and writer for the CBS television network.
In 1961, Walters became a writer for the popular NBC morning show Today, did occasional on-air feature stories, and joined the show’s panel of commentators and newsreaders. Walters broke many glass ceilings—she was the first female co-host of the Today show and the first female anchor of a network evening news program. She joined ABC News in 1976, became the host of 20/20 (1984–2004,) and launched the daytime talk show The View (1997–2014.)
Walters’s books include How to Talk With Practically Anybody about Practically Anything (1974) and the autobiography, Audition (2008.) Biographies include Mary Virginia Fox’s Barbara Walters: The News Her Way (1980,) Mary Malone’s Barbara Walters: TV Superstar (1990,) and Jerry Oppenheimer’s Barbara Walters, An Unauthorized Biography (1990.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Barbara Walters
Success can make you go one of two ways. It can make you a prima donna, or it can smooth the edges, take away the insecurities, let the nice things come out.
—Barbara Walters
Topics: Success, Success & Failure
I was the kind nobody thought could make it. I had a funny Boston accent. I couldn’t pronounce my R’s. I wasn’t a beauty.
—Barbara Walters
Topics: Success & Failure, Achievement
It’s a fact that it is much more comfortable to be in the position of the person who has been offended than to be the unfortunate cause of it.
—Barbara Walters
Topics: Injury
Show me someone who never gossips, and I’ll show you someone who isn’t interested in people.
—Barbara Walters
Topics: Gossip
To feel valued, to know, even if only once in a while, that you can do a job well is an absolutely marvelous feeling.
—Barbara Walters
Topics: Feelings
A great many people think that polysyllables are a sign of intelligence.
—Barbara Walters
Topics: Intelligence, Words
I can get a better grasp of what is going on in the world from one good Washington dinner party than from all the background information NBC piles on my desk.
—Barbara Walters
Topics: Media
Deep breaths are very helpful at shallow parties.
—Barbara Walters
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