Ted Turner Biography
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Ted Turner is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, as well as philanthropist. Ted is known as the founder of the Cable News Network, the first 24-hour cable news channel. He was born in Ohio, in 1938. Ted began working for his father’s company, Turner Advertising, and became president and CEO in 1963.
He later renamed the company the Turner Broadcasting Company as well as founded the first 24-hour cable news network, CNN, which debuted in the year 1980. Time Warner purchased Turner Broadcasting for $7.5 billion in the year 1996. Ted was married to actress Jane Fonda from 1991-2001.
Ted Turner Age
Ted is 83 years old as of 2021, he was born on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, Ohio, the United States as Robert Edward Turner III.
Ted Turner Height
Ted stands at a height of 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 meters) tall and weighs 70 kgs (154 lbs).
Ted Turner Education
Ted attended The McCallie School, a private boys’ preparatory school in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He attended Brown University and was vice-president of the Brown Debating Union and captain of the sailing team. Ted became a member of Kappa Sigma.
He initially majored in classics. Ted’s father wrote saying that his choice made him (appalled, even horrified) and that he (almost puked). Ted later changed his major to economics, but before receiving a degree, he was expelled for having a female student in his dormitory room in 1959, the same year his parents divorced.
Ted was awarded an honorary B.A. from Brown University in November 1989 when Ted returned to campus to give the keynote address for the National Association of College Broadcasters’ second annual conference.
Ted Turner Family
Ted was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the eldest son of Florence Turner (Rooney) and Robert Edward Turner II, a billboard magnate. When Ted was nine, his family moved to Savannah, Georgia.
Ted’s father owned his own company, Turner Advertising. The business was lucrative; Robert earned a substantial profit selling billboard ads. Although Robert was a good provider, he suffered from mood swings caused by bipolar disorder and vented his anger by physically abusing Turner. Years later, as an adult, Turner would discover he too was bipolar.
When World War II broke out, Robert signed up for the Navy. In the year 1941, he brought his wife and Ted’s sister with him to the Gulf Coast but left Turner behind feeling horribly abandoned.
While his family was away, Turner stayed at a Cincinnati boarding school. After the war, Robert relocated the family to Savannah, Georgia, and enrolled his son in the Georgia Military Academy.
Ted Turner Wife
Ted married and divorced three times. Ted’s most famous marriage was his third marriage, to actress and activist Jane Fonda. The couple married in the year 1991 and divorced a decade later over a disagreement on religious beliefs. Ted married Judy Nye (1960–64), and Jane Shirley Smith (1965–88). He has five children.
In total, Ted has five children—two from his first marriage to Judy Gale Nye, and three from his second marriage to Jane Shirley Smith.
Ted Turner Spouse
Ted has been married and divorced three times: Judy Nye (1960–64), Jane Shirley Smith (1965–88), and actress Jane Fonda (1991–2001).
Ted Turner Children
Ted has five children—two from his first marriage to Judy Gale Nye, and three from his second marriage to Jane Shirley Smith.
Ted Turner Net Worth
Ted has a net worth of 2.3 billion USD as of 2022. Which he earned from his career as a media giant and entrepreneur.
Ted Turner Career
In 1960, Ted’s father made him the manager of Turner Advertising’s Macon, Georgia, branch. Ted quickly showed a natural talent for business by more than doubling the office’s revenue in his first year. When Ted’s father bought out a competitor in the year 1962, the costly buyout and subsequent debt placed the company in a tenuous financial condition.
Fearing bankruptcy and struggling to cope with bipolar disorder, Robert shot himself to death in March 1963. Ted dealt with his grief by throwing himself into his work. Ted took over the roles of president and chief executive officer at Turner Advertising, renamed Turner Communications in the late 1960s as the company bought several radio stations.
By 1970, Ted had achieved the distinction of owning the biggest advertising company in the southeastern United States. Turner eventually expanded into television, purchasing the rights to old movies as well as situation comedies. The decision proved highly profitable.
In 1976, Ted made a strategic move to reach an even larger audience through the use of satellite technology. Ted rebranded once again, changing his company’s name to Turner Broadcasting Company. During the late 1970s, Ted conceived the idea for an all-news network. Cable News Network (CNN) first aired in the year 1980, but 6 years later it was in the black. In 1985, Ted used some of his profits to buy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Also in the 1980s, Ted began coloring films but eventually decided the cost was impractical.
In 1992, Ted created the Cartoon Network in addition to launching Turner Network Television (TNT) and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). In 1996, with Turner Broadcasting a leader in both the television as well as Internet industries, Turner sold the company to Time Warner for $7.5 billion dollars. After the merger, Ted stayed on and ran the company’s cable networks, including Home Box Office (HBO).
In the year 2001, Time Warner merged with America Online (AOL). The following year Turner took a stab at an entirely new business venture, a steakhouse serving bison, called Ted’s Montana Grill.
