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The Untold Story Of Barbara Walters' Four Marriages: Who Were Her Three Husbands And Why Did They Fail?

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The pioneering journalist Barbara Walters, who passed away on December 30, 2022, was a figure of immense public fascination, not only for her groundbreaking career but also for her complex personal life. As of today, December 12, 2025, interest in the iconic interviewer’s private world, particularly her marital history, remains high.

While Walters was known for getting the truth out of the world’s most powerful people, her own romantic life was a subject of much speculation. The truth is, the celebrated anchor was married three times to three different men, resulting in a total of four marriages—a fact that speaks volumes about her enduring quest for a lasting personal connection amidst a demanding professional life.

Barbara Walters: A Trailblazer's Complete Biography

Barbara Jill Walters was an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality who broke barriers for women in journalism. Her career spanned over five decades, making her one of the most respected and recognizable figures in news media history.

  • Full Name: Barbara Jill Walters
  • Born: September 25, 1929
  • Place of Birth: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
  • Died: December 30, 2022 (Age 93)
  • Place of Death: Manhattan, New York, New York
  • Parents: Louis Edward Walters (Father), Dena Seletsky (Mother)
  • Child: Jacqueline Dena Guber (Adopted Daughter)
  • Education: Sarah Lawrence College (B.A., 1951)
  • Notable Career Highlights:
    • First female co-anchor of a network evening news program (ABC Evening News, 1976).
    • Longtime co-host and producer of 20/20.
    • Creator, co-host, and executive producer of the daytime talk show The View (debuted 1997).
    • Host of the annual Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People special.
    • Inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1989.
    • Recipient of multiple awards, including more than 30 Emmy Awards.

The Four Attempts at Marriage: A Detailed Look at Barbara Walters' Husbands

Barbara Walters famously stated that she was better at her career than at marriage. Her three husbands came from diverse professional backgrounds—business, theater, and television executive—but none of the unions lasted more than a few years. Her relentless drive and commitment to her career often clashed with the demands of her personal life, a common theme in her relationships.

1. Robert Henry Katz: The Brief First Marriage (1955–1957)

Walters’ first trip down the aisle was to Robert Henry Katz, a former Navy lieutenant and business executive. The couple married on June 20, 1955, in a lavish ceremony at the Plaza Hotel in New York.

  • Husband: Robert Henry Katz (Business Executive)
  • Duration: 1955–1957
  • Outcome: Annulled or Divorced

The marriage was short-lived, dissolving after just two years. While little public detail is known about the exact reasons for the split, Walters later described the marriage as not being "nearly as magical as the wedding." This initial experience set a tone for the challenges she would face balancing her burgeoning career with a stable home life.

2. Lee Guber: The Longest Marriage and Adoption (1963–1976)

Barbara Walters’ second husband, Lee Guber, was a theatrical producer and the co-owner of several major summer theaters. They married in 1963, a time when Walters was rapidly rising through the ranks at The Today Show.

  • Husband: Lee Guber (Theater Producer)
  • Duration: 1963–1976
  • Outcome: Divorced

This was her longest marriage, lasting 13 years, and it was during this time that Walters became a mother. After struggling with infertility and a miscarriage, Walters and Guber adopted their only child, a daughter named Jacqueline Dena Guber, in 1968. The adoption of Jacqueline, named after Walters’ sister and mother, was a deeply personal and significant event in her life. The marriage ultimately ended in divorce in 1976, the same year Walters made history by becoming the first female co-anchor of a network evening news program at ABC.

3. Merv Adelson: The Double Marriage and Controversy (1981–1984 & 1986–1992)

Merv Adelson, a wealthy Lorimar Television CEO, was the man Walters married twice, making him her third husband but accounting for her third and fourth marriages.

  • Husband: Merv Adelson (Lorimar Television CEO)
  • Duration (1st Marriage): 1981–1984
  • Duration (2nd Marriage): 1986–1992
  • Outcome: Divorced (Twice)

The couple first married in 1981, but that union ended in divorce in 1984. They reconciled and remarried in 1986, only to divorce again in 1992. This on-again, off-again relationship highlighted the volatility in Walters’ pursuit of a stable partnership. Adelson was a successful businessman, but his later years were plagued by financial troubles, which reportedly put a strain on the relationship.

Furthermore, Adelson's personal history brought a degree of controversy to Walters' life. He was linked to figures allegedly connected to the mob, a fact that was widely reported and created an uncomfortable shadow for the highly respected journalist. Despite the challenges, Walters and Adelson remained friends until his death in 2015.

Beyond the Altar: Other High-Profile Relationships and Personal Challenges

Walters’ romantic entanglements extended beyond her marital vows. She had several high-profile relationships that further cemented her status as a woman living a life as fascinating as those she covered.

  • Senator Edward Brooke: Walters had a three-year relationship with the Republican Senator from Massachusetts, Edward Brooke, in the mid-1970s. The relationship was kept secret for a time due to the political and social scrutiny a mixed-race couple would have faced at the time.
  • Alan Greenspan: She dated the man who would later become the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan.
  • Henry Kissinger: Walters was also linked to former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
  • Roy Cohn: In a truly surprising revelation, Walters admitted to having dated the controversial lawyer Roy Cohn, a key figure in the McCarthy hearings, early in her career.

The complexities of her romantic life were often overshadowed by the challenges of motherhood. Her adopted daughter, Jacqueline Dena Guber, struggled during her adolescence, leading to a period where she ran away from home and attended an intervention school in Idaho. Walters was fiercely protective of Jacqueline, and their relationship, though sometimes strained, was a central focus of Walters’ private life. Jacqueline has since lived a life largely away from the public eye, dedicating her time to charity work, including a non-profit organization focused on troubled youth, a cause close to her mother's heart.

The Lasting Legacy of a Single-Minded Career

Barbara Walters never married again after her second divorce from Merv Adelson in 1992. She remained single for the last three decades of her life, choosing to dedicate her focus entirely to her career and her daughter. Her final years were marked by a graceful retirement, though her influence on modern journalism—particularly for women—is indelible. She fundamentally changed the landscape of television news, proving that a woman could hold the most powerful seat at the news desk.

Her four marriages, while ultimately unsuccessful in the traditional sense, were simply a facet of a life lived fully and unapologetically. They serve as a powerful reminder that even the most successful and accomplished individuals often face the same human struggles in their pursuit of love and companionship, especially when balancing an unprecedented, trailblazing career.

was barbara walters married
was barbara walters married

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