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Walter Annenberg

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His Excellency
Walter Annenberg
KSGKBE
Annenberg in 1982
United States Ambassador tothe United Kingdom
In office
April 29, 1969 – October 30, 1974
PresidentRichard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Preceded byDavid K. E. Bruce
Succeeded byElliot Richardson
Personal details
Born(1908-03-13)March 13, 1908
Milwaukee,Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedOctober 1, 2002(2002-10-01)(aged 94)
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania,U.S.
Resting placeSunnylands,Rancho Mirage, California[1]
33°46′34″N116°24′43″W/ 33.776°N 116.412°W/33.776; -116.412
Spouses
  • Veronica Dunkelman
    ​
    ​
    (m.1938;div.1950)​
  • ​
    (m.1951)​
Children2, includingWallis
Parents
Relatives
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania
AwardsOfficier ofLegion of Honour
Presidential Medal of Freedom(1986)
Knight Commander of theOrder of the British Empire(1976)
Knight ofOrder of St. Gregory the Great
Eisenhower Medal for Leadership and Service(1988)
Linus Pauling Medal for Humanitarianism
Websiteannenberg.org

Walter Hubert AnnenbergKSGKBE(March 13, 1908 – October 1, 2002) was an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, and diplomat. Annenberg owned and operatedTriangle Publications,which included ownership ofThe Philadelphia Inquirer,TV Guide,theDaily Racing FormandSeventeenmagazine. A loud supporter of theVietnam War,he was appointed by PresidentRichard NixonasUnited States Ambassador to the United Kingdom,where he served from 1969 to 1974.

During his tenure as U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, he developed a close friendship withQueen Elizabeth IIand other members of the royal family. After initial perceived missteps,[2]he came to be admired for his dedicated work ethic, his wife's lavish entertaining, and personal gifts to support patriotic British causes, such as the restoration ofSt. Paul's Cathedralin London. He also paid for the renovation ofWinfield House,the American ambassador's residence.

In his later years, Annenberg became one of the most prominent philanthropists in the United States.[3]He established theAnnenberg Foundationin 1988, and gave over $2 billion to educational establishments and art galleries, including both theAnnenberg School for Communication at the University of PennsylvaniaandUSC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalismin Los Angeles. AtSunnylands,his 220-acre (89 ha) estate nearPalm Springs, California,he entertained royalty, presidents and other celebrities; it is now a museum and retreat center dedicated to furthering the Annenbergs' legacies.

Early life and education

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Walter Annenberg was born to aJewishfamily inMilwaukee,Wisconsin, on March 13, 1908. He was the only son of Sadie Cecelia (néeFriedman; 1879–1965) andMoses Annenberg,who published theDaily Racing Formand purchasedThe Philadelphia Inquirerin 1936.[4]Annenberg was astutterersince childhood.[5][6][7][8][9]

He had seven sisters: Diana Annenberg (1900–1905), Esther Annenberg Simon Levee (1901–1992),Janet Annenberg Hooker(1904–1997),Enid Annenberg Bensinger Haupt(1906–2005), Lita Annenberg Hazen (1909–1995), Evelyn Annenberg Jaffe Hall (1911–2005), and Harriet Beatrice Annenberg Ames Aronson (1914–1969).

The Annenberg family moved toLong Island,New York, in 1920.[10]Walter attendedPeddie SchoolinHightstown, New Jersey,where he graduated in 1927.[10]He was admitted to theWharton Schoolat theUniversity of PennsylvaniainPhiladelphia,but dropped out without attaining a degree.[11]While in college, he was a member ofZeta Beta Tau,a traditionally Jewishfraternity.[12]

Annenberg was greatly impacted by thetax evasioncharges and other scandals involving his father in the 1930s. A significant part of his adult life was dedicated to rehabilitating the family's name through philanthropy and public service.

Business career

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The Annenbergs withQueen Elizabeth IIandPrince Philipat their home,Sunnylands,inRancho Mirage, California,in 1983
Leonoreand Walter Annenberg with PresidentRonald ReaganandMrs. Reaganin 1988

After his father's death in 1942, Annenberg took over the family businesses, making successes out of some that had been failing. He bought additional print media as well as radio and television stations, resulting in great success. One of his most prominent successes was the creation ofTV Guidein 1952, which he started against the advice of his financial advisors. He also createdSeventeenmagazine. During the 1970s,TV Guidewas making profits in the range of $600,000 to $1,000,000 per week.

While Annenberg ran his publishing empire as a business, he was not afraid to use it for his political purposes. One of his publications,The Philadelphia Inquirer,was influential in riddingPhiladelphiaof its largely corrupt city government in 1949. It campaigned for theMarshall PlanfollowingWorld War II[13]and attackedMcCarthyismin the 1950s.[14]

In 1966, Annenberg used theInquirerto cast doubt on the candidacy of DemocratMilton Shappforgovernor of Pennsylvania.Shapp was highly critical of the proposed merger of thePennsylvania Railroadwith theNew York Central Railroadand was pushing the USInterstate Commerce Commissionto prevent it from occurring. Annenberg, who was the biggest individual stockholder of the Pennsylvania Railroad, wanted to see the merger succeed (which it did) and he was frustrated with Shapp's opposition.[15]During a press conference, anInquirerreporter asked Shapp if he had ever been a patient in a mental hospital. Never having been in one, Shapp simply said "no." The next day, a five-column front pageInquirerheadline read, "Shapp Denies Mental Institution Stay". Shapp and others have attributed his loss of the election to Annenberg's newspaper.[13][16]

At a time when Annenberg was seeking appointment as U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, aTV Guide"special editorial" of April 14, 1969, suddenly reversed what had been the publication's support of theSmothers Brothersin the duo's content fight with their network, CBS. The editorial, "Smothers Out: A Wise Decision," praised the network cancellation ofThe Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,rhetorically asking "Where does satire end -- and sacrilege begin?" Annenberg received the ambassadorship from President Richard Nixon, who at the time was a frequent target of Smothers Brothers on-air barbs and was pressing for more control over television network content.[17]

Even while an active businessman, Annenberg had an interest in public service. In 1953 he became one of the founding trustees ofEisenhower Fellowships.AfterRichard M. Nixonwas elected president, he appointed Annenberg as ambassador to theCourt of St James'sin the UK. In 1969, under pressure after the Shapp controversy, Annenberg soldThe Inquirerand thePhiladelphia Daily News,which he bought in 1957, toKnight Newspapersfor $55 million. After being appointed as ambassador, he became quite popular[clarification needed]in Britain, being made an Honorary Bencher of theMiddle Templeon 26 November 1969[18]and an honorary Knight Commander of theOrder of the British Empire(KBE) in 1976.[19]

Annenberg led a lavish lifestyle. HisSunnylandswinter estate inRancho Mirage,California (nearPalm Springs), hosted gatherings with such people as PresidentRonald Reaganand First LadyNancy Reagan,QueenElizabeth II,Frank Sinatra,Bob Hope,Bing Crosby,Charles, Prince of Wales,and the family ofMohammad Reza Pahlavi.Annenberg introduced President Reagan to British Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher,and the Reagans often celebratedNew Year's Evewith the Annenbergs. President Ronald Reagan named Leonore Annenberg theState Department'sChief of Protocolin early 1981.[20]Sunnylands covers 400 acres (1.6 km2), guard-gated on a 650-acre (2.6 km2) parcel surrounded by a stucco wall at the northwest corner of Frank Sinatra Drive and Bob Hope Drive; the property includes a golf course.[21]The estate continues to be used for meetings and retreats by prominent people.

Annenberg established theAnnenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvaniaand theAnnenberg School for Communication and Journalismat theUniversity of Southern California.In 1993, he donated 100 million dollars to The Peddie School, the largest donation ever to a school when accounting for inflation.[22]Annenberg served on the advisory board ofU.S. English,an organization that supports making English the official language of the United States.[23]He became a champion ofpublic television,receiving many awards, including the Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievementin 1985,[24]thePresidential Medal of Freedomfrom President Reagan in 1986,[25]the Linus Pauling Medal for Humanitarianism[citation needed],the 1988 Eisenhower Medal for Leadership and Service,[26]was made a Knight of theOrder of St. Gregory the Greatin 1998,[25]and was named an Officer of the FrenchLegion of Honor.[27][citation needed]

In the early 1980s, Annenberg also founded the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences at Eisenhower in Rancho Mirage, California. In the mid-1980s, he established the Annenberg Fellowship toEton College,a one-year fellowship for one US graduating college senior (chosen from a rotating list of US universities including Duke, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Yale, and others) to spend a year teaching and serving as a cultural ambassador to the famous British boys' school.[28]In 1989, he established theAnnenberg Foundation,and 1993, created the Annenberg Challenge, a US$500 million, five-year reform effort and the largest single gift ever made to American public education. In 1993 he and his wifeLeonorewere awarded theNational Medal of Arts.[29]He was elected a member of theAmerican Philosophical Societyin 1990[30]and a Fellow of theAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciencesin 1995.[31]

He soldTriangle Publications(TV Guide,Daily Racing Formand a few other publications) to Australian publishing magnateRupert Murdochin 1988 for $3 billion (a record media price at the time), announcing that he would devote his life to philanthropy.

During his lifetime, it is estimated that Annenberg donated over $2 billion. He once said that "education... holds civilization together".[32]Many school buildings, libraries, theaters, hospitals, and museums across the United States now bear his name. His collection of Frenchimpressionist artwas valued at approximately US$1 billion in 1991 and was donated to theMetropolitan Museum of Artin New York City upon his death in 2002. In 1990, he donated $50 million to theUnited Negro College Fundwhich was the largest amount ever contributed to the organization.[33]He was also a member of the Founding Council of theRothermere American InstituteatOxford University,helping to raise funds for the institute's building and library.[34]

Annenberg was namedBroadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia's Person of the Year in 1983 and was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 1992.[35]

In 1995, he received the S. Roger Horchow Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen, one of theJefferson Awards for Public Service,given out annually by theAmerican Institute for Public Service.[36]

The Annenberg Space for Photography,dedicated to both digital images and print photography was opened in Los Angeles'Century Cityin 2009 by the Annenberg Foundation and its trustees. The first exhibit featured the work ofJohn Baldessari,Catherine Opie,Douglas Kirkland,Julius Shulman,Lauren Greenfield,andCarolyn Cole.[citation needed]

Personal life

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In 1939, Annenberg married Bernice Veronica Dunkelman. Bernice was raised in a Jewish family in Canada, the daughter of Canadian businessman David Dunkelman who was known for mass-producing low-cost suits and selling them at a single price of $14 at his chain of 65 retail stores.[37]They divorced in 1950 after eleven years together. While married, Dunkelman and Annenberg had two children: a daughter,Wallis,and son, Roger. Roger died by suicide in 1962; to commemorate his death,Harvard University,where Roger was a student at the time, now has a Roger Annenberg Hall named in his honor.

In 1951, Annenberg marriedLeonore "Lee" Cohn.Lee was a niece ofHarry Cohn,the founder and president ofColumbia Pictures.Although of Jewish ethnicity, she was raised aChristian Scientistby her uncle's wife. Despite being born to Jewish families, the Annenbergs were not practitioners of Judaism; they regularly celebrated Easter and Christmas with family and friends.[38]

Death

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Annenberg died at his home inWynnewood,Pennsylvania, on October 1, 2002, from complications ofpneumonia;he was 94 years old.[39]He was survived by his wife, Leonore (February 20, 1918 – March 12, 2009); his daughter, Wallis; and two sisters,Enid A. Hauptand Evelyn Hall. Including those by his wife's daughters from her first two marriages (Diane Deshong and Elizabeth Kabler), he left seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.[39]

References

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  1. ^Colacello, Bob."Inside Sunnylands, the Haute-Moderne Annenberg Haunt of Ronald Reagan and Prince Charles".Vanity Fair.RetrievedJanuary 6,2021.
  2. ^Wich ones? Other thanwhat the NYT reported?( "...at thecredentialingceremony, seen by millions as part of the British television program on the royal family, Mr. Annenberg used what the British press called “preposterous circumlocutions.” )
  3. ^"Walter Annenberg Leaves Fortune to Family, Art Museum, and Charity",Philanthropy News Digest,October 8, 2002
  4. ^Wilkinson, Gerry."The History of the Philadelphia Inquirer".Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia.RetrievedNovember 24,2007.
  5. ^"Walter Annenberg, 94, Dies; Philanthropist and Publisher".The New York Times.October 2, 2002.RetrievedOctober 16,2013.
  6. ^"Welcome to nginx!".pabook.libraries.psu.edu.Archived fromthe originalon October 16, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 3,2022.
  7. ^Ogden, Christopher (November 29, 2009).Legacy: A Biography of Moses and Walter Annenberg - Christopher Ogden - Google Books.Little, Brown.ISBN9780316092449.RetrievedOctober 16,2013.
  8. ^"JSTOR: Access Check".JSTOR20093375.Archived fromthe originalon April 18, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 17,2017.
  9. ^"The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia".Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia.RetrievedOctober 16,2013.
  10. ^abGunzerath, David."Walter Annenberg".Museum of Broadcast Communications.Archived fromthe originalon March 22, 2009.RetrievedNovember 24,2007.
  11. ^Burns, Catherine M."Walter Annenberg."InImmigrant Entrepreneurship: German-American Business Biographies, 1720 to the Present,vol. 5, edited by R. Daniel Wadhwani. German Historical Institute. Last modified January 07, 2015.
  12. ^"Zeta Beta Tau Notable Alumni".Archived fromthe originalon September 17, 2016.RetrievedAugust 29,2010.
  13. ^abOgden, Christopher (1999).Legacy: A Biography of Moses and Walter Annenberg.New York: Little, Brown and Company.ISBN0-316-63379-8.
  14. ^Smith, Richard Norton (July 25, 1999)."From Paperboy to Philanthropist".Books.The New York Times.RetrievedJanuary 22,2008.
  15. ^ Glueck, Grace (October 2, 2002)."Walter Annenberg, 94, Dies; Philanthropist and Publisher".The New York Times.RetrievedJanuary 12,2022.
  16. ^Shafer, Jack (October 2, 2002)."Citizen Annenberg: So Long You Rotten Bastard"(obituary).Press Box (column).Slate.RetrievedJanuary 12,2022.
  17. ^Bianculli, David (2009).Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.New York: Touchstone. pp. 314–315.ISBN978-1-4391-0116-2.
  18. ^Arnold, J. (1982).The Middle Temple Bench Book.Vol. 2, p.109.
  19. ^"British Awards for Bob Hope and Mr Rusk". Official Appointments and Notices.The Times.No. 59740. London. June 26, 1976. col A, p. 5.
  20. ^"Nomination of Leonore Annenberg To Have the Rank of Ambassador While Serving as Chief of Protocol for the White House".The American Presidency Project.Archived fromthe originalon August 31, 2018.RetrievedJuly 13,2015.
  21. ^Rosenthal, Andrew (January 2, 1989)."Citizen Reagan Won't Be a Retiree".The New York Times.RetrievedNovember 24,2007.
  22. ^Sontag, Deborah (June 20, 1993)."Publisher Gives $365 Million to 4 schools".The New York Times.New Tork Times.RetrievedFebruary 21,2019.
  23. ^Seth Cotlar (March 11, 2022)."(tweet thread)".RetrievedMarch 11,2022.
  24. ^"Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement".achievement.org.American Academy of Achievement.
  25. ^ab"Walter Annenberg profile at".NNDB.RetrievedFebruary 10,2014.
  26. ^"Eisenhower Fellows".The Eisenhower Fellowships.RetrievedFebruary 10,2014.
  27. ^Who's Who in the World,1978–1979
  28. ^Annenberg Fellowship 2008Archived2015-09-04 at theWayback Machine
  29. ^Lifetime Honors - National Medal of ArtsArchivedAugust 26, 2013, at theWayback Machine
  30. ^"APS Member History".search.amphilsoc.org.RetrievedApril 14,2022.
  31. ^"Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter A"(PDF).American Academy of Arts and Sciences.Archived(PDF)from the original on June 18, 2006.RetrievedApril 19,2011.
  32. ^"Winter 2002 – Trojan Family Magazine".Usc.edu. Archived fromthe originalon August 19, 2014.RetrievedOctober 16,2013.
  33. ^[1]ArchivedFebruary 11, 2010, at theWayback Machine
  34. ^"Founding Council, The Rothermere American Institute".Rothermere American Institute. Archived fromthe originalon November 17, 2012.RetrievedNovember 22,2012.
  35. ^"Broadcast Pioneer Hall of Fame".broadcastpioneers.RetrievedJanuary 6,2021.
  36. ^"National Winners | public service awards".Jefferson Awards.org. Archived fromthe originalon November 24, 2010.RetrievedOctober 16,2013.
  37. ^Ogden, Christopher (1999).Legacy: A Biography of Moses and Walter Annenberg.p. 263.
  38. ^"Walter and Leonore Annenberg's estate in Rancho Mirage - Sunnylands".Palmspringslife. Archived fromthe originalon October 16, 2013.RetrievedOctober 16,2013.
  39. ^ab"A Lasting Legacy".University of Pennsylvania Almanac.49(7). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania. October 8, 2002.RetrievedNovember 24,2007.
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Walter Annenberg
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom
1969–1974 		Succeeded by
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