A move back to the West Coast resulted in numerous film and television roles, and as her television career continued to take off, the up-and-coming actress married producer Richard Kerns. In her life she has been featured on the cover of Life, Time, the Saturday Evening Post, and Sports Illustrated (twice). Determined to work harder, she began to practice at the Berkeley YMCA and to train five to six hours a day at the Santa Clara Swim Club. Search instead in. GROWING PAINS - "Graduation Day" (Flashback Scenes) - Airdate: May 4, 1988. President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women), List of University of California, Los Angeles people, World record progression 200 metres individual medley, World record progression 400 metres individual medley, World record progression 4 100 metres medley relay, "PLUS: TV SPORTS; De Varona Ends Suit Against ABC", "Aurora Games: Albany to host international women's sports festival in 2019", "Martina Navratilova Supports Idaho's Ban on Trans Female Athletes", "Sports leaders seek to protect women's sports while accommodating transgender girls and women". It wasn't until the following Olympics, in 1964, when the 400-meter individual . But even before the Olympics, the blonde de Varona had come to define swimming in America. Below we countdown to Donna De Varona upcoming birthday. Born on April 26, 1947, in San Diego, California; daughter of Martha and Dave de Varona (an insurance salesman); sister of actress Joanna Kerns (who barely missed making the 1968 Olympic team in gymnastics); graduated University of California, Los Angeles, 1970; married John Pinto (a businessman). She enrolled in the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and majored in political science. As such, Kerns, then billed as Joanna de Varona danced in "Clown Around," a show which closed before reaching Broadway, and at Disneyland, before being cast in the touring company of John Guare's musicalization of Shakespeare's "Two Gentlemen of Verona." . . www.usa-swimming.org/ (December 30, 2002). Actress Joanna Kerns and sister Donna DeVarona attend the Sixth Annual Television Academy Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on January 7, 1990 at 20th. When she qualified for the U.S. swim team for the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome, Donna de, The treatment and management of sports injuries has become a multi-faceted and highly visible aspect of sports science. De Varona's mother, Martha, was also warm and supportive of her interests. "Donna de Varona," Sporting News Radio, http://radio.sportingnews.com/experts/donna_de_ varona/index.html (May 15, 2003). It got to the point where I was ashamed of my looks. In 1972, she moved back to California and landed a job as a backup dancer at Disneyland, and started auditioning for TV commercials and steady acting jobs. When she qualified for the U.S. swim team for the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome, Donna de Varona was only 13 years old, the youngest member of the Games that year. Member of National Women's Law Center advisory board; receives Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Drury College, Springfield, Outstanding Mother of the Year from Mother's Day Committee; receives Woman of the Year Award from Mew York Athletic League, Gold Medallion Award from International Swimming Hall of Fame, Emmy Award as producer of Special Olympics feature, American Woman Award for Leadership from Women's Research and Education Institute; receives Olympia Award from U.S. Olympic Committee, Flo Hyman Award from Women's Sports Foundation, HOBY International Award for youth leadership from the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Organization, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, St. Joseph College, West Hartford, Connecticut, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts; Thurman Munson Award. [citation needed] Growing up, Kerns was constantly in competition with . The sitcom, which was based on a 1981 movie of the same name, was about three couples who all lived under the same roof in California. Encyclopedia.com. www.hoby.org/ (January 13, 2003). Contemporary Hispanic Biography. Donna de Varona, is a famed Olympic gold medal swimmer, who won 2 gold medals in the 1964 Olympics. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: The 1960s. As a keynote speaker at the 1982 meeting of the International Olympic Academy in Olympia, Greece, de Varona reflected on the media attention she received as an Olympic athlete: "In 1964, there were many sponsors who wanted me to endorse their products, but because of ingrained Olympic ideals I felt my gold medals were not for sale." Now that figure stands at 48 percent or more. Joanna is often described as having Mexican (from her father) and Irish (from her mother . Her height is 5 ft 6 in (168 cm). De Varona, who remains active as chair of the Women's Sports Foundation's Board of Stewards, is still an honorary trustee for the Foundation. Sources:Genealogy of Joanna Kerns (focusing on her fathers side) http://www.shorebirdsresearch.com, Genealogy of Joannas father (focusing on his fathers side) http://www.geni.com, Joannas father on the 1920 U.S. Census https://familysearch.org, Obituaries of Joannas mother https://familysearch.org Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options await you. In 1991 de Varona won an Emmy award for her reporting of a story about a Special Olympics athlete. Gender: Female Race or Ethnicity: White . But she was frustrated that the Little League baseball enjoyed by her older brother did not allow girls to play. Anita DeFrantz did not grow up dreaming of Olympic glory, yet she glided to a bronze medal as an America, Roberts, Robin 1960 Gracie Award, American Women in Radio and Television, for excellence in broadcasting; Honorary Doctorate, Gracie Award; Susan B. Anthony "Trailblazer" Award from University of Rochester; Albert Schoenfield Journalism Award; led the delegation accompanying US Women's National Soccer Team to, Overcoming Obstacles Achievement Award from Community for Education Foundation. She already held the world record in her signature event, the 400-meter individual medley, but the event would not be added to the Olympic schedule until the 1964 Olympics. Salem was born in Pennsylvania. JOANNA KERNS (R) WITH SISTER DONNA DE VARONA. Who is Joanna Kerns? Encyclopedia.com. Father: David de Varona Mother: Martha Sister: Donna de Varona (Olympic swimmer, b. 'Not the De Varona girls again!'" Just . She was a founding member of the Women's Sports Foundation, and in 1975 she served on President Ford's Commission on Olympic Sports. Always up for a challenge, it is no surprise that the individual medley was always de Varona's favorite event. At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, De Varona swam for the U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the women's 4100 freestyle relay, but she did not receive a gold medal because she did not swim in the event final. She loved directing and decided to change the focus of her career from acting to directing, while continuing to make rare appearances in front of the camera when the right parts come along. [2], Growing up, Kerns was constantly in competition with Donna. On the heels of minor roles in such films as Ape (1976) and Coma (1978), roles in Magnum, P.I., The A-Team, and Hill Street Blues made Kerns a familiar face . [9] Citing the importance of the letter to safeguard the integrity of women's sports, De Varona remarked, "I agree with the letter. Bei kommerzieller Verwendung sowie fr verkaufsfrdernde Zwecke kontaktieren Sie bitte Ihr, TABLOIDS OUT; NO BOOK PUBLISHING WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL; NO ARCHIVE; NO RESALE. "De Varona, Donna Joanna Kerns (born February 12th, 1953 in San Francisco, California) is an American actress and director. Winters, Kelly "De Varona, Donna: 1947: Olympic Swimmer, Sportscaster, Activist De Varona left ABC once before, in 1976, after facing what she termed "discriminatory barriers" as a female sportscaster. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. There was pressure inside me to duplicate Donna's success". Her older sister, Donna de Varona, is an Olympic gold medal swimmer, winning two gold medals in the 1964 Olympics. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. Ive worked on the Hill, in television, in the movies, but this is my constant. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Donna-de-Varona, Athletes United for Peace - Biography of Donna de Varona Pinto, Donna de Varona - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). During high school, de Varona trained up to six hours a day, but managed to maintain a B average in her studies. As part of the team of journalists telecasting the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics for Turner Network Television, de Varona, who presented feature stories on female athletes, was instrumental in the cable network's exceptional ratings. American sportscaster She served on two presidential commissions, Gerald Ford's Commission on Olympic Sports in 1975, and Jimmy Carter's Women's Advisory Commission. She is American by nationality. Donna Elizabeth de Varona: Nickname: Liz : Height: 5' 6" (1.68 m) Mini Bio (1) Sister of Joanna Kerns. In an interview, Kerns stated, "Directing is where I've always wanted to go". "I will always be an activist," she told Women's Sports and Fitness. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/de-varona-donna-1947-olympic-swimmer-sportscaster-activist, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna-0, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna, Retires from competitive swimming after Olympics, Named member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sport, Sits on founding board of Special Olympics, Appointed to President Ford's Commission on Olympic Sports, Named member of President Carter's Women's Advisory Commission, Promoted to ABC commentator, consultant, writer, co-producer to, Graduates UCLA with Bachelor of Arts degree, Appointed member of President Reagan's Olympic delegation to, Sues ABC for age and gender discrimination, Chosen senior advisor to U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) President; co-chairs USOC Government Relations Committee and joins International Relations Committee; advises ONDCP on anti-doping, Youngest member of U.S. Olympic team at Rome, Two gold medals at Tokyo Olympics; named Most Outstanding Female Athlete by Associated Press and United Press International; world record holder in 400-meter individual medley and 100-meter backstroke. Seeing that she couldn't compete for a college team, de Varona formally retired from swimming. . They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the 400-meter individual relay was on the program. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 2023 Getty Images. Joanna is the daughter of Martha Louise and David Cruz Thomas de Varona. Collect, curate and comment on your files. In April 1998, ABC did not renew de Varona's contract. Omissions? The former Olympic champion received a prestigious Emmy Award, for her coverage of an athlete competing in the 1991 Special Olympics. var rcds = document.getElementById("rcjsload_b42b6d"); While de Varona continued to pursue her television career, she also began her work in Washington, D.C. as an activist for sports and fitness opportunities for America's youth. Olympic swimmer Donna de Varona has had a rich and varied career. Title IX legislation ultimately ensured that girls and women received the same opportunities and federal funding in sports education that boys and men did. For all time, at the moment, 2023 year, Joanna Kerns earned $6 Million. The ABC Wide World of Sports (highlights of 1960s, 1970s and 1980s) compilation is available from CBS/Fox Video Sports. Encyclopedia.com. However, she also said that she would reconsider running for the position in 2004. Select from premium Donna De Varona of the highest quality. 26 April 1947 in San Diego, California), two-time gold medalist in swimming at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics who set eighteen world swimming records before she retired from competition in 1964. First she tried to top or at least equal Donna- beginning with the time Joanna was 11 years old and a reporter from Look Magazine was interviewing Donna in the living room. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Her sister, Joanna Kerns, was a noted actress. In August 2019, Kerns filed for divorce from Appleton. De Varona casually picks up a small sculpture and runs a finger over it as if she were brushing away a few motes of dust. In addition to her political work on behalf of women's sports, de Varona continues to work as a broadcaster for Sporting News Radio. Those that want to compete as transgender male to female athletes should be accommodated in a separate or more creative manner. Organise, control, distribute, and measure all of your digital content. rcel.src = "//trends.revcontent.com/serve.js.php?w=76341&t="+rcel.id+"&c="+(new Date()).getTime()+"&width="+(window.outerWidth || document.documentElement.clientWidth)+"&referer="+encodeURIComponent(referer); Their aunt is silent film actress Miriam . (February 22, 2023). Kerns grew up in the Santa Clara Valley in Northern California as one of four siblings (her sister is noted swimmer and sports commentator Donna de Varona). A promoter of women in sport, in the mid-1970s, she joined Billie Jean King in establishing the Women's Sports Foundation. . Joanna Kerns real name is Joanna Crussie DeVarona. (February 22, 2023). Their marriage lasted nine years and the couple had a daughter, Ashley Cooper. . Her older sister, Donna de Varona, is an Olympic gold medal swimmer, winning two gold medals in the 1964 . In 1960, de Varona qualified for the U.S. Olympic swimming team at age 13. That's an attitude I'm always fighting to change. Kerns joked in many interviews that Alan and she had immediate chemistry, especially when she kissed him on his nose by accident during their audition together. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. de Varona, Donna (1947) American swimmer who won two Olympic gold medals. She won two gold medals in the 1964 Olympics, and was one of the first women hired as a sports reporter for a major television network. However, she also noted that despite the widespread discrimination against women in sportscasting, "It's too easy to play the victim. After her Olympic triumph she retired from competition. We're making progress. Donna de Varona. She has held advisory positions to five U.S. presidents since 1966. The world's population was and there were an estimated year babies born throughout the world in 1947 . Won gold medals in the 400-meter individual medley and the 400-meter freestyle relay at the Tokyo Olympics (1964); won 37 national swimming titles; broke 18 national and world records; was the first female sports commentator on network television; was co-founder and president of the Women's Sports Foundation. The couple have two teenage children, John David and Joanna, both of whom participate in sports. She was also consultant on Title IX legislation, which became law in 1972 and prohibits sex discrimination in sports. https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna-1947, "de Varona, Donna (1947) Joanna Kerns is a daughter of father, David Thomas DeVarona, an insurance agent and a mother Matha Louise (nee Smith), a clothing store manager. She entered her first competitive swim meet at age nine. Their aunt is silent film actress Miriam Cooper. [2][3] She and her husband, John Pinto, have two children, John David and Joanna.[12]. Ella es la hermana mayor de la actriz Joanna Kerns, una intrprete de padres . On May 4, 1977, she made an appearance on Charlie's Angels as Natalie, a worker at a massage parlor in the episode "The Blue Angels". Restrictions: Learn interesting facts about Donna De Varona (Swimmer). })(); Ethnicity of Celebs | EthniCelebs.com 2023. But all she got for her effort was a uniform with the number "0" on it and the privilege of retrieving the team's bats. She also earned a second gold medal as a member of the world-record-setting U.S. team in the 4100-meter freestyle relay.[2][3]. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna-1947. De Varona was inducted into the International Swimming Television sportscaster Named a special advisor to President Clinton's Drug Czar, General Barry McCaffrey, de Varona helped with the establishment and funding for both the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency, which are entrusted with eradicating the use of illegal substances to enhance performance in sports. Joanna Kerns (born February 12, 1953) . Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Joanna is the daughter of Martha Louise (Smith) and David Cruz Thomas de Varona. Harding claimed to have no foreknowledge of the event.) She filed the lawsuit after working at ABC for over 30 years. Donna de Varona. She was also the chair of the Athlete Advisory Committee for the 2019 Aurora Games. She has an older brother and a younger brother, as well as an older . That battle won, she continues her award-winning career as a broadcast sports journalist. Said de Varona: Not all men like sports and not all women hate sports. Great Women in Sports, Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1996. # . Initially, de Varona wanted to play Little League baseball, like her beloved older brother David. She entered her first meet when she was nine, and soon outgrew her father's coaching, becoming a protege of some of California's best coaches. 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