TURNER, Ted 1938–
(R. E. Turner)

PERSONAL

Full name, Robert Edward Turner III; born November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, OH; son of Robert Edward (a billboard advertising magnate) and Florence (maiden name, Rooney) Turner; married Judy Nye Hallisey (divorced); married Jane Shirley Smith (a flight attendant), 1964 (divorced, 1988); married Jane Fonda (an actress), December 21, 1991 (divorced May 22, 2001); children: (first marriage) Robert Edward IV, Laura Lee; (second marriage) Beauregard, Rhett, Jennie. Education: Graduated from Brown University with a degree in the classics. Avocational Interests: Sailing, fishing.

Addresses: Office— Ted Turner Pictures, 133 Luckie St., NW, 7th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Career: Broadcasting and sports executive. WTBS (independent television station), Atlanta, GA, president and chair of the board, 1970–96; Turner Broadcasting System, Atlanta, president and chair of the board, 1979–96, with services including Cable News Network, 1980—, Turner Network Television, 1988—, CNN2, CNN Radio, and Cable Music Channel; Time Warner, Inc., vice chairman, 1996–2000; owner of some 3,600 films originally made for Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1987—. Turner Outdoor Advertising, Atlanta, account executive, 1961–63, president and chief operating officer, 1963–70; Atlanta Braves (baseball team), owner and president, 1976—; Atlanta Hawks (basketball team), part–owner and chair of the board, 1977—. Martin Luther King Center, Atlanta, member of the board of directors; Better World Society (an organization to promote socially conscious television programming), founder and executive, 1985–91; Turner Family Foundation (an organization which donates money), founder, 1991.

Member: National Cable Television Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (board of directors, Atlanta chapter), National Audubon Society, Cousteau Society, Bay Area Cable Club.

Awards, Honors: Regional Employer of the Year Award, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 1976; winner of America's Cup as captain of the yacht Courageous, 1977; Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year, Sales Marketing and Management Magazine, 1979; President's Award, National Cable TV Association, 1979, 1989; Inductee, Hall of Fame, Promotions and Marketing Association, 1980; Salesman of the Year Award, Sales and Marketing Executives, 1980; Private Enterprise Exemplar medal, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, 1980; Ace Special Recognition Award, National Cable TV Association, 1980; Communicator of the Year Award, Public Relations Society of America, 1981; Communicator of the Year Award, New York Broadcasters, 1981; International Communicator of the Year Award, Sales and Marketing Executives, 1981; National News Media Award, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1981; Vanguard Award for Associates, National Cable Television Association, 1981; Distinguished Service in Telecommunications Award, Ohio University College of Communications, 1982; Carr Van Anda Award, Ohio School of Journalism, 1982; Edinburgh International TV Festival, Scotland, Special Award, 1982; Board of Governors Award, NATAS (Atlanta chapter), 1982; Drexel University, DSc in Commerce, 1982; Samford University, LLD, 1982; Media Awareness Award, Vietnam Veterans Organization, 1983; Special Olympics Award, Special Olympics Committee, 1983; Dinner of Champions Award, Multiple Sclerosis Society (Georgia chapter), 1983; Praca Special Merit Award, New York Puerto Rican Association for Community Affairs, 1983; Inductee, Dubuque (Iowa) Business Hall of Fame, 1983; Central New England College of Technology, D. Entrepreneurial Science, 1983; World Telecommunications Pioneer Award, New York State Broadcasters Association, 1984; Golden Plate Award, American Academy Achievement, 1984; Boy Scouting Award, Boy Scout Council, Outstanding Supporter, 1984; Silver Satellite Award, American Women in Radio and TV, 1984; Lifetime Achievement Award, New York International Film and TV Festival, 1984; Atlanta University, LLD, 1984; D. Public Administration, 1984; Corporate Star of the Year Award, National Leukemia Society, 1985; Distinguished Achievement Award, University of Georgia, 1985; Tree of Life Award, Jewish National Fund, 1985; Business Executive of the Year Award, Georgia Security Dealers Association, 1985; Massachusetts Maritime Academy; University of Charleston, D. Business Administration, 1985; Lifetime Achievement Award, Popular Culture Association, 1986; George Washington Distinguished Patriot Award, S.R., 1986; Inductee, National Association for Sport and Physical Education Hall of Fame, 1986; Missouri Honor Medal, University of Missouri School of Journalism, 1987; Golden Ace Award, National Cable TV Academy, 1987; Lowell Thomas Award, International Platform Association, 1987; Sol Taishoff Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism, National Press Foundation, 1988; Citizen Diplomat Award, Center for Soviet–American Dialogue, 1988; Chairman's Award, Cable Advertising Bureau, 1988; Directorate Award, NATAS, 1989; Paul White Award, Radio and TV News Directors Association, 1989; Business Marketer of the Year Award, American Marketing Association, 1989; Distinguished Service Award, Simon Wiesenthal Center, 1990; Glastnost Award, Vols. American and Soviet Life Magazine, 1990; Edward Weintal Prize for Diplomatic Reporting, Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, 1990; Vanguard Award for Programmers, National Cable Television Association, 1990; Banff Television Festival Outstanding Achievement Award, 1991; named Man of the Year, Time Magazine, 1991; inductee, TV Hall of Fame, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, 1992; Special Award, National Board of Review, 1992; Governor's Award, Emmy Awards, 1992; Golden Boot Award, 1993; Career Achievement Award, Television Critics Association, 1995; Career Achievement Award, International Documentary Association, 1996; David Susskind Lifetime Achievement Award, Producers Guild of America, 1995; Lifetime Achievement Award in Television, PGA Golden Laurel Awards, 1996; Humanitarian Award, Women in Film Crystal Awards, 1999; Emerson College, honorary degree, 2000; Trinity College, honorary degree, 2001; Named Yachtsman of the Year four times; CINE Lifetime Achievement Award, CINE Competition, 2002.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Specials:

Hope News Network (also known as Bob Hope's News Network ), NBC, 1988.

CNN Special Report: A Conversation with Carl Sagan, Cable News Network (CNN), 1989.

A Conversation with Castro, CNN, 1990.

The 11th Annual ACE Awards, 1990.

Ted Turner Talking with David Frost, PBS, 1991.

First Person with Maria Shriver, NBC, 1992, 1993.

MGM: When the Lion Roars (also known as The MGM Story ), TNT, 1992.

November 22, 1963: Where Were You? A Larry King Special Live from Washington, TNT, 1993.

Fourth Annual Environmental Media Awards, 1994.

The 10th Annual Television Academy Hall of Fame, 1994.

Naked News, Arts and Entertainment, 1995.

Barbara Walters Presents " The 10 Most Fascinating People of 1995, " ABC, 1995.

Panelist, An American Family and Television: A National Town Hall Meeting, USA Network, The Disney Channel, Bravo, The Family Channel, Cartoon Channel, Nickelodeon, Animal Planet, STARZ!, Food Network, MSG Network, and Encore, 1997.

The Goodwill Games Opening Ceremonies, TBS, 1998.

American Film Institute's 100 Years ... 100 Movies, CBS, 1998.

Jane Fonda: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2000.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

" How to be a Good Listener, " Arli$$, HBO, 1997.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Himself, Cosmos, 1980.

(Cameo) Lieutenant Colonel W. T. Patton, Gettysburg, 1993.

Television Work; Specials:

Creator, Without Borders (documentary), TBS, 1989.

Creator, The Portrait of Great Britain, TBS, 1990.

Creator, Portrait of Japan, TBS, 1992.

Executive producer, WCW Superbrawl VIII, 1998.

Television Work; Series:

Concept, Captain Planet and the Planeteers (animated; also known as The New Adventures of Captain Planet ), 1990.

Executive producer, WCW Worldwide Wrestling, 1991.

Executive producer, WCW Saturday Night (also known as WCW Saturday Morning ), 1991.

Executive producer, WCW Monday Nitro (also known as World Championship Wrestling Monday Nitro ), 1995.

(As R. E. Turner) Creator, " The Cold War " (also known as " Cold War: A Television History "), CNN Perspectives, CNN, 1998.

Executive producer, WCW Thunder, TNT, 1998.

Film Appearances:

Himself, Southern Voices, American Dreams, 1985.

(Uncredited) Darryl Fan, The Slugger's Wife (also known as Neil Simon's The Slugger's Wife ), 1985.

(Uncredited) Colonel Waller T. Patton, Gettysburg, 1993.

Himself, Fidel (documentary), First Run Features, 2001.

(As R. E. Turner) Colonel Tazewell, Gods and Generals, 2003.

Film Work:

Executive producer, Starrcade (also known as NWA Starrcade ), 1985–2000.

Executive consultant, Amazing Grace and Chuck, TriStar, 1987.

Assistance, Powaqqatsi, 1988.

Executive producer, NWA Halloween Havoc (also known as Halloween Havoc and WCW Halloween Havoc ), 1989–1998.

Executive producer, Capital Combat (also known as WCW Capitol Combat ), 1990.

Executive producer, WCW Beach Blast, 1992.

Executive producer, WCW Uncensored, 1996.

Executive producer, WCW Bash at the Beach, 1996.

Executive producer, WCW Fall Brawl, 1998.

Executive producer, WCW/NOW Superstar Series: Diamond Dallas Page—Feel the Bang!, 1998.

Executive producer, WCW Souled Out, 1999.

Producer, WCW New Blood Rising, 2000.

Executive producer, Starrcade (also known as WCW Starrcade ), 2000.

Executive producer, Gods and Generals, Warner Bros., 2003.

WRITINGS

Nonfiction:

(With Gary Jobson) The Racing Edge, Simon & Schuster, 1979.

Ted Turner Speaks: Insights from the World's Greatest Maverick, Wiley & Sons, 1999.

Autobiography:

Wrote (with Porter Bibb) It Ain't As Easy As It Looks.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Business Leader Profiles for Students, Volume 2, 2002.

Goldberg, Robert, and Gerald Jay Goldberg, Citizen Turner: The Wild Rise of an American Tycoon, Harcourt Brace, 1995.

Schonfeld, Reese, Me and Ted against the World: The Unauthorized Story of the Founding of CNN, Cliff Street Books, 2001.

Periodicals:

Cosmopolitan, September, 1995, p. 262.

Current Biography, June, 1998, p. 52.

Fortune, March 3, 2003, p. 56; May 26, 2003, p. 124.

Harper's Magazine, December, 1997, p. 10.

Inc., April, 1997, p. 11.

Maclean's, February 17, 2003, p. 36.

People Weekly, December 25, 1995, p. 87.

U.S. News & World Report, October 28, 2002, p. 38.

Variety, February 24, 2003, p. 6.

Electronic:

Ted Turner Official Site, http://www.tedturnerpictures.com, November 1, 2003.