Barbara Walters

芭芭拉·沃尔特斯（Barbara Walters）是一位美国广播记者和电视名人，她重新定义了采访艺术，并在电视新闻领域打破性别障碍长达五十多年。她最为人所知的是担任《今日》节目（Today）的首位女性联合主持人，以及首位网络晚间新闻节目的女性联合主播。沃尔特斯采访了从理查德·尼克松到巴拉克·奥巴马的每一位美国总统，以及菲德尔·卡斯特罗和弗拉基米尔·普京等世界领导人，还有凯瑟琳·赫本和莫妮卡·莱温斯基等文化偶像。她创办并联合主持了长寿的日间脱口秀节目《视点》（The View），该节目成为了女性发声的平台并取得了收视成功。她创作的年度特别节目《芭芭拉·沃尔特斯十大最迷人人物》（Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People）曾是数十年来电视节目中的一道风景线，成为了一项节日传统。沃尔特斯于2014年退休，并于2022年12月30日去世，她作为美国历史上最具影响力的记者之一留下了宝贵的遗产。她身高约5英尺4英寸。沃尔特斯于1989年入选电视名人堂，2007年获得好莱坞星光大道的一颗星，并于2000年获得美国国家电视艺术与科学学院颁发的终身成就艾美奖。[编辑]

芭芭拉·吉尔·沃尔特斯（Barbara Jill Walters）于1929年9月25日出生在马萨诸塞州波士顿。她的父亲卢·沃尔特斯（Lou Walters）是一位杂耍表演制作人和夜总会老板，经营着迈阿密和纽约的拉丁区（The Latin Quarter）。由于父亲的生意，家人经常搬家，沃尔特斯童年的一部分在马萨诸塞州的布鲁克莱恩度过，后来又在佛罗里达州迈阿密度过。她早年生活受到父亲生意上的困境（包括破产）和家庭悲剧的影响。她曾就读于纽约市的伯奇·瓦森学校（Birch Wathen School）、迈阿密的霍勒斯·曼恩初中（Horace Mann Junior High School），并毕业于布鲁克林的伊拉斯谟堂高中（Erasmus Hall High School）。她在萨拉·劳伦斯学院（Sarah Lawrence College）学习英语，并于1951年获得文学学士学位。大学毕业后，她曾在广告公司短暂工作，并担任秘书，之后于1951年首次在纽约当地电视台WOR-TV担任撰稿人。后来她成为WNBC-TV的记者和节目制作人。她首次出现在全国性电视节目是在1961年的公共事务节目《公众之眼》（In the Public Eye）中。同年，她加入了NBC的《今日》节目（Today）担任撰稿人和节目制作人，但由于性别原因，她最初的荧幕角色受到限制。[编辑]

在1960年代，沃尔特斯从《今日》节目的制作人转向荧幕主持，她的职业生涯迎来了重大转折。1974年，她成为该节目的首位女性联合主持人，并担任此职位直至1976年。两年后，她签署了一份价值100万美元的历史性合同，成为网络晚间新闻节目的首位女性联合主播，与哈里·里森（Harry Reasoner）搭档主持《ABC晚间新闻》（ABC Evening News）。尽管两人的搭档关系充满挑战，但沃尔特斯的出现巩固了她作为全国新闻界人物的地位。从1979年到2004年，她是ABC新闻杂志《20/20》（20/20）的杰出记者和联合主持人。她在该节目中的采访成为了传奇，包括1977年与安瓦尔·萨达特（Anwar Sadat）和梅纳赫姆·贝京（Menachem Begin）的联合采访，以及1999年与莫妮卡·莱温斯基（Monica Lewinsky）的专访，吸引了7400万观众。1997年，她创办、制作并联合主持了日间脱口秀节目《视点》（The View），该节目取得了收视成功并成为文化标志。她还于1984年推出了年度特别节目《芭芭拉·沃尔特斯十大最迷人人物》（Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People）。沃尔特斯于2014年从电视界退休，结束了长达六十多年的职业生涯。[编辑]

沃尔特斯被广泛认为是一位严厉但公正的采访者，能够让采访对象敞开心扉。她的风格直接而富有同情心，经常提出其他人会回避的个人问题。她被视为新闻界女性的先驱，激励了一代又一代的女记者。批评者有时指责她过于情绪化或软弱，但她认为自己的方法是有效的。她一年一度的《十大最迷人人物》（10 Most Fascinating People）特别节目成为了一项节日传统，她还因每年在奥斯卡颁奖典礼上的红毯采访而闻名。沃尔特斯在公众心目中的形象是一位既专业又温暖幽默的完美国际人士。她也是许多年轻记者的导师，包括黛安·索耶（Diane Sawyer）和凯蒂·库里克（Katie Couric）。她以其独特的说话方式而闻名，包括轻微的口齿不清和新英格兰口音。沃尔特斯还以其标志性的珍珠而闻名，几十年来她一直在节目中佩戴。她在采访中经常引用莎士比亚的话。[编辑]

Barbara Walters cultivated a relationship with the public defined by professional authority rather than celebrity worship. Unlike entertainers who command organized cult followings, her audience consisted of viewers who respected her as a trusted interviewer and a trailblazer for women in journalism. No formal fanbase name exists for Walters, and there are no documented clubs, rituals, or fan-funded campaigns dedicated to her memory. Her digital presence remains an archival hub managed by ABC News rather than a community platform for fan interaction. The cultural mythology surrounding her is built on verified historical milestones, such as securing access to heads of state and conducting interviews that became part of television lore. Specific moments like her exchange with Dolly Parton and her interview with the Menendez brothers are frequently revisited in retrospectives, reinforcing her legacy as a serious journalist whose work continues to be analyzed decades later. Tributes from colleagues and the global response to her death in 2022 reflect a deep respect for her six-decade career rather than the adulation typical of pop culture icons. While her annual specials were holiday traditions, they were viewed as news events rather than fan gatherings. The iFANN Global Fame Engine has evaluated Barbara Walters, but she does not currently hold a placement in the published rankings (Global Top 1,000 or a Top-100 scope list). Consequently, no numeric rank or score can be assigned to her current standing in the world's fame metrics.[编辑]

Barbara Walters was afraid of flying and often traveled by train or car for domestic trips. She maintained a close friendship with former First Lady Betty Ford, interviewing her multiple times over the years. An avid reader, she donated millions to the New York Public Library and various other causes throughout her life. Her favorite interview subject was Katharine Hepburn, whom she interviewed six times. Notable quotes include her assertion that "I don't think there's any point in being a journalist if you're not going to be fair" and her belief that talking to people is the best way to understand the world. She received a Peabody Award for her work on 20/20. Among her most legendary moments was the widely cited Monica Lewinsky interview, which remains a frequent subject of career retrospectives. Another story often retold involves Dolly Parton's clever comeback to an insult made by Walters, highlighting their sharp wit. A major interview often referenced in summaries of her biggest scoops involved the Menendez brothers. Walters is also mythologized for being the first woman to co-anchor a network evening newscast, a feat that cemented her place in history books.[编辑]

芭芭拉·沃尔特斯是黛娜（Dena）和卢·沃尔特斯（Lou Walters）的女儿。她的父亲是一位杂耍表演制作人和夜总会老板，经营着迈阿密和纽约的拉丁区（The Latin Quarter）。她的姐姐杰奎琳（Jacqueline）于1948年因吸毒过量去世。沃尔特斯在与她的第二任丈夫李·古伯（Lee Guber）结婚后，于1968年收养了一个女儿，名叫杰奎琳·黛娜·古伯（Jacqueline Dena Guber）。她是一位慈爱的母亲，经常谈论如何在事业和育儿之间取得平衡。晚年，她住在曼哈顿，夏天在佛罗里达度过。她与女儿和孙子孙女关系亲密。[编辑]

沃尔特斯与许多知名记者和制作人密切合作，包括Harry Reasoner、Hugh Downs、David Brinkley和Diane Sawyer。她在ABC新闻总裁Roone Arledge的指导下，后者帮助她创办了The View。她还在The View节目中与联合主持人Whoopi Goldberg、Joy Behar和Elisabeth Hasselbeck合作。[编辑]

沃尔特斯曾有过三次婚姻。她的第一任丈夫是商人Robert Henry Katz，婚姻从1955年持续到1958年；因不可调和的分歧而离婚。1963年，她嫁给了戏剧制作人Lee Guber。1968年，他们收养了一个女儿Jacqueline，并于1976年离婚。她的第三任丈夫是电视制作人Merv Adelson，于1981年结婚。他们于1984年离婚，1986年复婚，并于1989年再次离婚。在最后一次离婚后，沃尔特斯未再婚。她与美国前参议员John Warner保持着亲密但柏拉图式的友谊。截至她去世时，她仍是单身。[编辑]

Barbara Walters died on December 30, 2022, at the age of 93. Reports consistently described her death as natural, consistent with advanced age, though specific details regarding the location or exact medical cause were not detailed in public records. She had spent her final years in retirement after officially stepping down from her role as co-host of The View in 2014, having largely withdrawn from public life while remaining a respected figure in journalism until the end. Public reaction to her passing involved widespread tributes from peers, institutions, and officials, including statements from ABC News honoring her legacy as a trailblazer who broke barriers for women in journalism.

Tributes poured in from colleagues across the media landscape, including former Today show hosts and co-stars from The View. The New York Women in Film honored her career following her passing. Posthumously, her estate and legacy continue to be celebrated through the enduring presence of her work, including reruns of The View, 20/20, and her classic interviews. In 2026, the show The View released a teaser for its 30th season featuring her image to honor her as the show's creator. The handling of her estate remains private.[编辑]

By the time of her death in 2022, Barbara Walters had amassed an estimated net worth of $150 Million according to research by the iFANN Editorial Team. This wealth stemmed from a long career in television, highlighted by her historic $1 million salary at ABC in 1976, which was the highest ever paid to a journalist at that time. She continued to earn substantial income from her roles on 20/20 and The View, as well as from her annual specials. Additional revenue came from speaking engagements and book deals, including her 2008 memoir Audition. She owned a luxurious apartment on Park Avenue in Manhattan and a vacation home in Florida. Her estate continues to earn royalties from reruns of her interviews and specials. She received Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show Host for The View and for Outstanding Informational Special for Barbara Walters: A Personal Christmas.[编辑]

芭芭拉·沃尔特斯因其开创性的工作赢得了无数奖项，包括因《The View》和她的特别节目而获得多个日间艾美奖，因《20/20》而获得皮博迪奖，以及获得全国电视艺术与科学学院颁发的终身成就艾美奖。她于1989年入选电视名人堂，并于2007年获得好莱坞星光大道上的星星。[编辑]