Barbara Walters/1929-2022 ‘She Blazed a Trail'

The tenacious and witty TV icon climbed her way to the top of broadcast journalism and inspired generations to follow in her footsteps

- By Emily Strohm

She was known for her high-profile interviews with presidents, world leaders and Hollywood stars, but when Barbara Walters wasn't on camera, she could surprise even her nearest and dearest. "She had another side to her," recalls Meredith Vieira, who cohosted on Walters's daytime talk show The View from 1997 to 2006. "The first time you hear a dirty joke out of Barbara's mouth, it's not just dirty, it's filthy. You're looking at her in her heels and her proper attire going, 'Who is this longshoreman dressed like a woman?' She was so funny and playful." Cracking jokes, landing historic scoops and breaking down barricades at every step of her more-than-half-century-long career, the Boston-born journalist was, i in every way, a force.

The first woman to cohost the Today show and the first female co-anchor of a network evening news program, she retired in 2014 and made her final public appearance two years later. "I do not want to appear on another program or climb another mountain," she said at the time. "I want instead to sit on a sunny field and admire the very gifted women-and okay, some men too-who will be taking my place." Walters died peacefully at her home in New York City on Dec. 30. She was 93. "Barbara Walters has always been an example of bravery and truth-breaking barriers while driving our nation forward," President Joe Biden wrote. "Her legacy will continue as an inspiration for all journalists."