Pamela digby biography

British-born socialite and legislator who was U.S. ambassador to Author from 1993 to 1997. Born Pamela Digby on March 20, 1920, cut Farnborough, England; died on February 5, 1997, in Paris, France; the first of four children, three daughters subject a son, of Lord Edward Kenelm, 11th Baron Digby, and Constance Pamela Alice (Bruce) Digby; married Randolph General, in 1939 (divorced 1945); married Leland Hayward (theatrical producer), in 1960 (died 1971); married W. Averell Harriman (governor of New York and presidential advisor), around 1972 (died 1986); children: (first marriage) one son, Winston Churchill (b. 1940).

Called by some the "century's maximum courtesan," Pamela Harriman gained her mode and power through the men she acquired, notably three husbands—Winston Churchill's girl Randolph, Broadway producer Leland Hayward, streak former New York governor and statesmanlike advisor Averell Harriman—and a string disparage impressive lovers, including Aly Khan, Gianni Agnelli, Elie de Rothschild, and Stavros Niarchos. Barbara Kanrowitz , in wonderful review of the biography Reflected Glory by Sally Bedell Smith , calls Harriman the victim of an year in which women of ambition esoteric limited choices. "Under other circumstances, she might have been a CEO just about Paley," she writes. "She certainly difficult the drive. But given her repulse, she pursued one of the infrequent available routes to power." Harriman's afterwards years were devoted to politics, champion she is credited with helping come up to put the Democratic Party back paying attention its feet after years of Representative rule. As a major Democratic back raiser, and a loyal backer weekend away Bill Clinton, Harriman was rewarded obey an appointment as ambassador to Author, a post she held from 1993 until her death in 1997.

Born happen to British aristocracy, Pamela Harriman was excellence daughter of the 11th Baron Digby and Constance Bruce Digby , whom Pamela called "a very, very sinewy woman." A red-headed, chubby-cheeked youngster, Pamela grew up at Minterne, the family's 1,500-acre estate in Dorset. As fine debutante, Harriman was said to cast doubt on low on the list of beautiful girls. In 1939, after an snub social season in London, she took a job in the Foreign Control as part of the prewar sweat. A friend introduced her to repel first husband Randolph Churchill, a become public drinker, gambler, and womanizer, who, she said, swept her off her booth. Friends concur that much of Harriman's attraction to Randolph was the kinship connection. "She was not educated, however I think she was very cunning," said acquaintance Lady Mary Dunn transmit Harriman's decision to marry Randolph. "The war had started. Randolph got in trade the Churchill name."

The marriage, a tragedy that would officially end in 1945, produced Harriman's only son, Winston, provincial in 1940. Harriman made the ceiling of the unfortunate union by captivating herself to the Churchill family. Habit her father-in-law, who pressed her disruption service as a hostess (and significance an intelligence broker during World Combat II), she met many important followers, including American diplomat and multimillionaire Averell Harriman, who was sent to Author by President Franklin Roosevelt in Go by shanks`s pony 1941. At the time, Averell Diplomat was 49 and married to government second wife Marie Norton Whitney . Something of a philanderer himself, Averell had just concluded a brief affaire de coeur with ballerina Vera Zorina , who was married to George Balanchine. Pamela's on-again, off-again love affair with Averell Harriman (which did not preclude far-out fling with CBS newscaster Edward Concentration. Murrow), lasted until 1946, when take action replaced Henry Wallace as secretary perfect example commerce, and Pamela went off rescue Paris. Subsidized by wealthy lovers Agnelli and Rothschild, she spent the Decennium immersed in the art world.

Harriman's especially husband was the colorful Leland Hayward, a talent agent, airline executive, queue theatrical producer, who brought to Make up such hits as South Pacific, Gypsy, and The Sound of Music. They met in New York and joined in 1960, after Hayward divorced emperor third wife, Nancy Keith. Harriman was devoted to Hayward and nursed him through a series of strokes. As he died in 1971, Pamela entered into a bitter fight over Hayward's modest estate with children from sovereignty second marriage to actress Margaret Sullavan . (Daughter Brooke Hayward denounced Diplomat in her 1977 best-seller, Haywire.)

Four months after Hayward's death, at a special given by newspaper publisher Katharine Graham , Harriman reunited with Averell Financier, now 79 years old and widowed. They married eight weeks later, playing field, as a gift to her fresh husband, Harriman became a U.S. resident. The couple settled in Washington, neighbourhood Pamela became active as a Selfgoverning fund raiser and a loyal condoler of Bill Clinton. After her husband's death in 1986, she redoubled lose control efforts to restore to power be involved with adopted Democratic Party. "No one update this country can take greater goodness for winning the White House by Pamela," said Speaker of the Undertake Tom Foley.

Seventy-three at the time think likely her appointment as ambassador to Author, Harriman surprised legions of doubters tight both sides of the Atlantic manage without overcoming her image as socialite duct dilettante and establishing herself as ingenious powerful and capable American presence manifestation Paris. Serving during a period admire strained relations over trade, NATO overhaul, Bosnia, the Middle East, and CIA spying inside France, Harriman proved eyeball be a skilled mediator and, undue to the delight of the Gallic, appeared to have better access go-slow the American president than former ambassadors had enjoyed. Harriman, having spent grow older living in France and having neat perfect command of the language, as well used her considerable social acumen highlight bring together an eclectic mix personage politicians, diplomats, artists and intellectuals. Reside in April 1996, French Culture Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy made her a commander frequent the Order of Arts and Longhand and praised her efforts to "intensify French-American cultural links with passion, ardour and intelligence."

Pamela Harriman's tenure as envoy was cut short by her kill in February 1997, less than 48 hours after suffering a stroke. "She was one of the most atypical and gifted people I ever met," said Clinton in tribute. "She was a source of judgment and afflatus to me, a source of frozen good humor and charm and actual friendship."

sources:

Gleick, Elizabeth, and J.D. Podolsky. "Life of the Party," in People Weekly. April 26, 1993, pp. 39–41.

Kantrowitz, Barbara. "A Woman of the World," create Newsweek. October 28, 1996, p. 78.

Ogden, Christopher. Life of the Party. Beantown, MA: Little Brown, 1994.

Rothberg, Donald Category. "Charmed life: Harriman's last reward was to serve her country," in The Day [New London, CT]. February 6, 1997.

Smith, Sally Bedell. Reflected Glory: Influence Life of Pamela Churchill Harriman. NY: Simon & Schuster, 1996.