Barbara Walters grills film icon Gloria Swanson about Joseph P. Kennedy affair - 1981
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- This is a fascinating interview between Barbara Walters & Gloria Swanson on 20/20 back in 1981.
At the time, Gloria had recently released her autobiography, Swanson on Swanson, where, for the very first time, she went on the record about her 3-year affair with mogul Joseph P. Kennedy decades prior (starting around 1927).
Barbara, as is her nature, is persistent, asking raw, sensitive questions. Gloria responds in kind.
Ms Swanson, ~82 years old in this clip, was an extraordinary talent, one of the biggest film stars of her day. She passed at the age of 84 in 1983.
Via Wiki
While still married to Henri, Swanson had a lengthy affair with the married Joseph P. Kennedy, father of future President John F. Kennedy. He became her business partner and their relationship was an open secret in Hollywood. He took over all of her personal and business affairs and was supposed to make her millions. Kennedy left her after the disastrous Queen Kelly.
Barbara’s coming on a little strong in light of having had her own affair with a married man in the 1970s
it breaks my heart watching such an old and tired woman trying to defend herself against a jackal in sheep’s clothing.
Don't worry, we know what a POS Joe Kennedy was, so she doesn't need to defend herself.
She's a complex, talented woman and if you are fortunate, you too will grow "old and tired." She made mistakes and is flawed, but still magnificent in many ways. Can you say the same about yourself.
Walters comes off more like a prosecutor here than an interviewer low class
@@Mftjan2000You can be complex and talented and STILL be old and tired. I know because I AM! 😊
@@vannieloumarshall7232 Me too....But I'm not as talented as she....
Sorry Eunice, Gloria Swanson will stand the test of time
If I were Eunice, I would've taken the high road and stayed out of it. Her father was a reckless womanizer and everyone knew it, including her mother because he barely kept from groping them in front of Rose. Rose left Joe early on in the marriage but was forced to go back by her family b/c it was the "Christian" thing to do (also probably good PR). She coped by traveling abroad leaving her kids behind most of the time (and I always wonder if she might've been hooking up with her own "Boo" during those times that she had far more discretion to keep quiet). Everyone doesn't whitewash and hide their wrongdoings (coughChappaquiddickcough) under the rug like the Kennedys did. Some people like Gloria chose to fess up about it. She is an award-winning actress still spoken about today. When you play a rapid game of word association with both you come up with "Actress, Sunset Boulevard" with Gloria and "Bootlegger, Womanizer, Appeaser," with Kennedy.
And it was profitable as well as "Christian."
Exactly. Eunice trying to portray her mother as a perfect saint is laughable.
Very well put.
The affair with Swanson almost destroyed the Kennedy’s. He had affairs all the time, but it seems he was infatuated with her
he destroyed gloria
@@sodapop83 That too
Destroy the Kennedys how? His wife knew he messed with other women, joe Kennedy used to bang his secretary in the house while his wife was in the other room. She tried to leave him once and her father told her to go back, and joe Kennedy definitely wasn’t going to leave his wife and children for a side chick.
@@tupactargaryen It was a long intimate affair
So did all the Kennedies.
Gloria Swanson's work has stood the test of time.
Baba Wawa's has not.
BW was not exactly a journalist, not an interesting personality, not the sharpest ginsu knife in the collection. A real newsman, Harry Reasoner, fumed when he had to share the ABC Nightly News with her, plus it was revealed she'd be paid a cool million. If you dared say Walters didn't belong behind an anchor desk, you'd be criticized for having a problem with women.
@@akrenwinkle Walters also has a affair with a married man too. SMH
I can say it then b/c I'm a woman. How did this, mumbling, bumbling woman become famous? There must have been a Harvey Weinstein type in journalism who was around "helping" her out. 🙄@@akrenwinkle
Lets talk about the affair you had Walters!
Walter's had many affairs, including Fidel Castro !
Yeah really Barbara Walters into sleaze here low class
Boy, Walters didn't like Swanson, huh?
She was a Kennedy ass kisser.
Gloria = ICON!
Re Joe Kennedy- “This man accomplished anything he wanted to, including putting his son in the White House….” Touché. But let’s not forget he was fired, “recalled”, as ambassador to Great Britain because of his isolationist views & activities. A myopic, self-serving man in the end.
so is trump but that's different i guess
In hindsight, isolationism would have been good. We were manipulated as hell and it's still going on.
Watching this in 2024, As a 62 yr old male I realize that Barbara’s accusatory blaming all of the interaction btw Joe and Gloria as Gloria’s fault. Joe was powerful , rich and wanted the girl of the world at the time. Joes ego is what propelled him to go after Gloria or any actress who would be in her position at the time. Joe needed Gloria as a notch on his belt. If Gloria said no her career would’ve been ruined, Joe was that powerful. One call to any of the main studios and her career would’ve been over. Gloria found herself in firing line of joes focus and behaved as well as she could to carve out some kind of life for herself which she was entitled too. Women were and are abused. Even Eunice Shriver has a trauma bond with keeping publics awareness off of her beloved father. I understand why she would be upset but to say Gloria’s life doesn’t match her mothers doesn’t address the problem , it just an insult, that’s all Eunice can do ( Carol burnet’s family Eunice - this response was a true Eunice moment) is insult Gloria’s life. She doesn’t address the revelation of the affair or her fathers participation but then feels righteous to insult Gloria who kept it quiet until Vanity Fair wrote about it , she wanted her side told. Walters is too dense to pick up wHat she is describing and becomes irritated at end dealing with a dolt. Joe was a “ banker “ meaning he used his position and power to take advantage of Gloria. Joe was not a catch ., the only thing he had was his money and power and once he fixed on “ gettIng “ her he controlled her by financing her films. If Gloria said no Joe would’ve ruined her career by calling the studios and paying them to end their contracts with her and replace her. Remember there is always a long line of people ready to replace you and Gloria stayed silent, and carved out a life for herself, sunset boulevard was her crowning achievement. She did hat on her own. She was the biggest star ever in her day. Here Eunice with her trauma bond with her dad attacks the women women shouldn’t attack other women, it’s easier to do that than to blame her father. Nothing would’ve happened if Joe followed his vows . Instead he used his money to sleep with Gloria who was a symbol of great status. Joe was insecure enough to parade his wife , daughter, and mistress all on same boat while his power kept the three from saying a word. That wasn’t lost on the public , at least not now. Rose was the devoted Catholic while Joe brought all the mayhem to him and his family . Misuse of power brings on powerful karma. I bet Eunice didn’t even know she was trauma bonded with her oppressor ( Joe).
There’s no such thing as Nov 31st 😂
Damn she was strong.
Barbara Walters was out of line the way she went at Gloria Swanson. It takes 2 to tango.
What was it like for you barbara going with a married man
Yeah and the old Kennedys were not bootleggers and the young Kennedys never did cocaine.
Joe you left some awful wreckage in your wake
What Eunice said was so rude geez
Eunice wasn’t rude! She was defending her mother from a tramp and a rotten,amoral husband!
Gloria’s life and career left a huge impact on the industry and pop culture!
Joe was a mess
The Yelling My Oh My .
the hypocrisy🤮🥴
yay gloria : pioneer of nutrition and health...
Rose Kennedy was born nine years before Gloria Swanson and outlived Gloria by nearly a dozen years. Swanson died two years after this Walters' interview. Rose died in 1995.
@nosiefish rose died in 1995 at 105, I think.
@@lisabradford8180 Wow
@@Mftjan2000 ikr? She lived a long life.
Gloria had a much better life for me.
Both women lived long healthy lives while the wreck less men in Kennedy family never took heed to danger. Robert and Ted grew as men as they aged and matured . Really. Admire RFK for his personal growth after his brother was taken down in Dallas. He was the faithful one after he matured emotionally after John’s life.
there's only 30 days in November, so now we know her son's birthday.
powerful interview yet intresting
Joe you dirtied every dollar you ever made..
6:05 THE SHADE! LOL
Yea. Eunice was a bit overly dramatic and hyper defensive that Gloria went public about her affair with Joe. Gloria’s life had value, regardless of what Eunice thought.
@@RustedTelevisione Absolutely. The Kennedy family were all about appearances.
@Whatevrr Right, because Gloria Swanson was and is only famous because of Joe Kennedy. When people think of Gloria Swanson, they don't think "biggest silent movie box office star" or "Sunset Boulevard and Norma Desmond," they first think of "that lady that had an affair with Joe Kennedy." She really needed him for fame and notoriety. 😂
Ms Swanson made mistakes and she took a huge risk making this book. She’s right about after her death people would’ve made up stories for THEIR benefit.
@@AllAmericanJock She was famous before she met Kennedy. She became a superstar with Cecil B. De Mille's film Male and Female (1919) and Why Change Your Husbands (1921). She didn't Joe Kennedy. He needed her. That's why he forced himself into her life. He knew that she was as famous as Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin because she was. That's why he got near her in order to steal her money which she only found out about in 1932
Vanity Fair wrote about this memoir. She wanted it written in her lifetime.. Swanson isn't innocent at all lol. Baba Wawa has no charm though.
First words from her in response regarding Joe Kennedy “ he’s like a banker” Joe in no uncertain terms bought Gloria by financing her films or a film. Her career depended on Joe liking her. I think she felt helpless going up against such a force as Joe Kennedy.
Bobba Wawa was evil
Barbara 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
like father like son and son and son
Did Rose care? Maybe, maybe not. She got what she wanted.
Rose was religious and mainly used her faith to regulate her actions. She knew about what Joe did with women and his decision to lobotomies Rosemary without her full consent.Rose was not informed of the full nature of the procedure and blamed Joe . She took her vows seriously because it was a vow with and to God. She believed whatever strife she experienced in life was a part of a plan in Gods world and saw herself as a child of God being devoted to God. She would never address private matters publically because of her marriage vows.she wouldn’t lower herself.
Joe Kennedy was immoral and smart and ambitious and made it to the top. That’s it!
Any woman can be Gloria Swanson but not every man can or should be Joe Kennedy
nah