Did you know Ted Turner and Jane Fonda were married? Other facts about the late broadcast pioneer

by Atlanta First News staff

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — When you have lived the life broadcast pioneer Ted Turner did, it’s not hard to amass interesting facts about you.

Turner, who founded CNN, died Wednesday at 87.

Ted Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma NadelTed Turner smiles during a special meeting of Turner Broadcasting System shareholders Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996, in New York. Shareholders of Time Warner and TBS voted Thursday in separate meetings to approve a $7.5 billion merger that creates the world's largest media company and brings some of the hottest properties and biggest egos in the business under one roof. (AP Photo/Adma Nadel

Here’s some interesting facts about Turner:

  • Despite Turner having such a deep connection to Atlanta, he wasn’t originally from the city. He was born in Cincinnati.
  • In 1970, Turner made his first jump into the television business when he acquired Atlanta independent UHF station channel 17.
  • In 1976, he bought the Atlanta Braves. The Braves won the World Series in 1995 under his stewardship.
  • The Braves was not the only professional sports team he owned at one point. Turner also owned the Atlanta Hawks.
  • Turner founded CNN in 1980.
  • Turner was married three times, including to famed actress Jane Fonda. The married in 1991 and got divorced in 2001.
  • Turner had five children.
  • In 1991, Turner was named Time Magazine’s “Man Of The Year.
  • He’s amassed a slew of other awards, including the Walter Cronkite Award For Excellence In Journalism in 1990, a Peabody Award in 1997, an Edward R. Murrow Award For Lifetime Achievement in Communication in 2000, among several others.
  • In 2004, he got a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
  • Turner was a well-known philanthropist. In 1997, he pledged $1 billion to the United Nations. The following year, he created the United Nations Foundation. Years before that, he founded the Turner Foundation, which supports environmental efforts.
  • “Call Me Ted,” his autobiography, was published in 2008.
  • In September 2018, Turner revealed he was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia.
  • He had several nicknames, including “Mouth Of The South,” “Terrible Ted” and “Captain Outrageous.”
  • Turner was also an accomplished yachtsman.
  • Turner was also considered one the largest landowners in the United States.
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