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Barbara Walters Biography

Birth Name:Barbara Jill Walters

Birth Place:Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Profession Producer, Actress

Fast Facts

Became the first woman with the title "co-host" on any network news program because of a clause in her contract with "The Today Show" that kicked in after Frank McGee's death in 1974
Was given the Lifetime Acheivement Award from the International Women's Media Foundation in 1991
Graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a degree in English in 1951
Joined "The Today Show" in 1961 as a temporary writer and on-air reporter and was the show's first unofficial female co-host by 1966
Moved to New York City after college to work as a writer and producer, first for NBC affiliate WNBT-TV and later on the children's program "Ask the Camera" and WPIX's "Eloise McElhone Show․"
Quote: "My whole being in front of the camera is such an amazing accident․"
Best known as a broadcast journalist and television personality who has appeared on several programs like "The Today Show," "ABC Evening News," and "20/20" during her career of over 50 years
Has interviewed every sitting U․S․ President and First Lady since Richard Nixon
Has said that her one regret is that she didn't take the opportunity to go to South Africa to interview Nelson Mandela in 1994
Says her worst interview was with actor Warren Beatty because "it was like pulling teeth․"
Her 1999 interview with Monica Lewinsky was the most watched news interview in history, reaching a record-breaking audience of 74 million

Awards

1974Daytime Emmy-Best Host or Hostess in a Talk, Service, or Variety Series: nominated
1975Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Host or Hostess in a Talk, Service or Variety Series: winner
1998Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host: nominated
1998Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
1998OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
1999Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
1999Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
1999Emmy-Outstanding Interview/Interviewer: nominated
1999OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2000Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
2000Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2000OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: winner
2001Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
2001Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2001OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: winner
2002Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2002Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
2002OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2003Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: winner
2003Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2003Emmy-Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story in a News Magazine: nominated
2003OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2004Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
2004Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2004OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2005Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
2005Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2005OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2006Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2006Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
2006OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Miscellaneous Series or Special: nominated
2007Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
2007Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2007OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2008Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment: nominated
2008Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2008Emmy-Outstanding Feature Story in a News Magazine: nominated
2008OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2009Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: winner
2009OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2010Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2011Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2011Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment: nominated
2011Emmy-Outstanding Feature Story in a News Magazine: nominated
2012Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment: nominated
2013People's Choice Award-Favorite Daytime TV Host: nominated
2014Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
2016Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment: nominated
2017Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment: nominated
2018Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment: nominated
2019Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show: nominated
2020Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Informative Talk Show: winner