Barbara Walters made a name for herself asking everyone the hard questions, but when it came to her own love life? She kept things elegant, lowkey, and just the right amount of mysterious. Still, over the years, Walters opened up about the romances that shaped her, and some of them were unexpected. (A U.S. Senator? A TV mogul? She lived it.)
She never tried to be the story, but when it came to her personal life, the quiet moments were just as fascinating as her Emmy-winning interviews. Walters wasnât just a pioneer on screen; she was navigating love and heartbreak behind the scenes, balancing a trailblazing career with the messy human stuff we all face. When she passed away in late 2022, fans and colleagues remembered her not only for her groundbreaking journalism but also for the woman she was off-camera.
Three (Okay, Four) Marriages, Zero Regrets
First up: Robert Henry Katz, a Navy vet turned business exec. According to Style Caster, they married in 1955 when Walters was in her mid-20s, but the marriage was annulled after just a couple of years. Not much tea spilled there; just a young love that didnât stick, leaving Walters to focus on her budding career.
Her second and most significant marriage was to Lee Guber, a Broadway producer and theater owner. They tied the knot in 1963 and later adopted daughter Jacqueline together. The marriage lasted over a decade before they split in 1976 (Biography). Walters later said they struggled with the demands of her rising career; something she never sugar-coated. Balancing fame and family was no joke, especially for a woman breaking so many glass ceilings.
Then came Merv Adelson, co-founder of Lorimar Television (i.e. âDallasâ and âKnots Landingâ â that whole â80s TV empire vibe). TheThing says they married in 1981, divorced in 1984, then gave it another go in 1986, only to call it off again in 1992. Walters wrote about the love and respect they had, but said their bicoastal lifestyles made it hard to make it work. If anyone knows how to make peace with complicated relationships, itâs her.
One Affair and a Few Iconic Moments
Now for the headline-maker: In her 2008 memoir âAudition,â Walters revealed a secret affair with Senator Edward Brooke, the first Black person elected to the U.S. Senate by popular vote. She called the relationship âcomplicated, risky and politically explosiveâ and ended it to avoid damaging either of their careers (Oprah). Itâs rare she opened up like that, but it showed how even icons have to navigate love carefully.
As for other powerful men in her orbit? Walters had a history of forming close (and occasionally romantic) relationships with political heavyweights. She also dated former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan⦠and yep, her relationship with him even overlapped with another romance. Us Weekly noted that, âthough her relationship with Greenspan overlapped with her romance with Alan Greenberg, the two stayed on good terms. She later attended Greenspanâs 1997 wedding to MSNBC icon Andrea Mitchell.â
She also remained close with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The two were frequently seen together over the years, and according to a TIME profile, they had been âfairly close ever since they met at a partyâ in the early 1970s. While rumors swirled, Walters kept it classy and ambiguous, always leading with mutual respect. Sometimes, the bond between two powerhouses doesnât need a label⦠and that seemed to be the case here.
Barbara Walters never needed a fairytale to be unforgettable. But letâs be real: her love life? Complicated, classy, and full of bold choices; just like her.
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