Home > Walter Annenberg

He was the son of Sarah and Moses "Moe" Annenberg, a rough-hewn Chicago newspaper salesman for the Hearst Corporation, who built his fortune to the point of being able to purchase the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1936, and who continued to grow a successful publishing company called

Walter Annenberg graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1931. Walter's early life was that of a playboy, dropping out of school and going to Hollywood parties. He wrote a gossip column for the Miami Tribune , also owned by his father, called "Boy About Town". But at age 32, after his father's death, he took over the family businesses and even made successes out of some that had been failing. He bought other print media as well as radio stations and television stations, successfully managing them as well.

His biggest success was the creation of TV Guide in 1952Summary of notable events in 1952 . Events January events January 8 West Germany has 8 million refugees inside its borders. January 24 Sudden heavy snowfall in Algeria. January 24 Vincent Massey sworn in as first Canada-born Governor-General of Canada., which he started against the advice of his financial advisors. He also created and made fortunes from the Daily Racing Form and SeventeenAlexis Bledel on thecover of Seventeen Seventeen is a young women's magazine targeted at the 12 to 24 age group. It was first published in 1944 and is today considered by many to be the most popular magazine for teenage girls. Not to be confused with the magazine.

While he ran his publishing empire as a business, he was not afraid to use it for his own ends, both good and bad. The Inquirer was influential in ridding Philadelphia of its corrupt city government in 19491949 is the common year starting on Saturday. see link for calendar) Events January-February January 4 RMS Caronia of the Cunard Line departs Southampton for New York on her maiden voyage January 4 February 22 Series of winter storms in Nebraska, Wyoming,. It attacked Senator Joseph McCarthyThis article is about the American politician. For other people with the same name, see Joseph McCarthy (disambiguation). Joseph Raymond McCarthy ( November 15, 1908— May 2, 1957) was an American politician of the Republican Party. McCarthy served as a U. in the 1950s when most other publications feared him. It campaigned for the Marshall PlanThe Marshall Plan known officially following its enactment as the European Recovery Program (ERP), was the main plan of the United States for the reconstruction of Europe following World War II. The initiative was named for United States Secretary of Stat after World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough. He also made many enemies: activist Ralph NaderRalph Nader (born February 27, 1934) is an activist attorney who opposes the power of large American corporations and has worked for decades on environmental, consumer rights, and pro-democracy issues. Nader has also been a strong critic of recent America, actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, boxer Sonny Liston, and many politicians became "non-existent" in his newspapers. Their names were never mentioned, and they were even air-brushed out of group photos. He eventually sold the Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News to Knight Newspapers (now Knight-Ridder) for $55 million in 1970.

His first marriage, to Veronica Dunkelman, failed in 1949 after 11 years. His only son, Roger, committed suicide in 1962. Harvard University, where Roger was a student at the time, now has a Roger Annenberg hall in his honor. His second wife, Leonore "Lee" Rosentiel, would be a lasting and fulfilling relationship.

Even while an active businessman, he had an interest in public service.

Annenberg led a lavish lifestyle, enjoying his riches. His winter estate "Sunnylands" in Rancho Mirage near Palm Springs hosted gatherings with such people as Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Charles, Prince of Wales. It was Annenberg who introduced Reagan to Margaret Thatcher, and the Regans often celebrated new year's eve with the Annenbergs.

After the sale of the Philadelphia papers, he established the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, which has become the premier school for communication in the United States. He also endowed another school for communication at the University of Southern California. He became a champion of public television, gaining many awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Reagan and the Linus Pauling Medal for Humanitarianism .

In 1989 he created the Annenberg Foundation, then, in 1993 he created the Annenberg Challenge , a $500 million, five-year reform effort, and the largest single gift ever made to American public education.

In 1998 he sold TV Guide, Seventeen, and a few other publications to Australian publishing magnate Rupert Murdoch for $3 billion, announcing that he would devote the rest of his life to philanthropy. The Annenberg Foundation gave away billions, mostly to educational institutions. "Education...", he once said, "holds civilization together." Many school buildings, libraries, theaters, hospitals, and museums all over the United States now bear Annenberg's name. It is estimated that he gave over $2 billion in his lifetime. His collection of French impressionist art is valued at approximately $1 billion, and has been donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Annenberg died at his home in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania in October 2002, at the age of 94. He was survived by his wife Lee, daughter Wallis, and two sisters, Haupt and Evelyn Hall. Including those by his wife's daughters from a previous marriage (Diane Deshong and Elizabeth Kabler), he left seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.