The Hiltons: The True Story of an American Dynasty

by Taraborrelli, J. Randy

  All of the dialogue between Francesca Hilton and Conrad Hilton on August 13, 1971 (“A Shocking Revelation”), was reconstructed here using quotes from Francesca Hilton’s deposition (September 12, 1979) and Olive Wakeman’s deposition (September 12, 1979). In attorney Ralph Nutter’s summation of Francesca Hilton’s deposition, he attempted to provide an answer as to why Hilton would not want Francesca to live with him at Casa Encantada: “The likely explanation for this ‘polite’ response is that it would be both awkward and disruptive to an 84-year-old man, used to his privacy, to have a 24-year-old woman, who had never lived with him before, suddenly living under the same roof.”

  The conversation between Olive Wakeman and Francesca Hilton that took place on August 14, 1971 (“A Shocking Revelation”), was reconstructed using Olive Wakeman’s deposition (September 12, 1979). Also, I relied on Conrad Hilton’s letter to Francesca Hilton (September 18, 1971).

  The conversations between Olive Wakeman, Conrad Hilton, and G. Bentley Ryan on September 18, 1971, were reconstructed using Olive Wakeman’s deposition (September 12, 1979).

  The letters to Francesca Hilton and to Olive Wakeman and G. Bentley Ryan—both dictated by Conrad Hilton (September 18, 1971)—were produced in the discovery process of the case Constance Francesca Hilton v. Frances Hilton.

  The conversation between Carole Wells Doheny and Conrad Hilton that took place on February 21, 1973, in “The Challenge” was reconstructed using Carol Wells Doheny’s first-person account.

  I also referenced “Declaration of Constance Francesca Hilton” (March 24, 1980). There were a few more interesting statements made by Francesca in that declaration:

  Over the years, my father and I were photographed together on a number of occasions such as Christmas, parties, graduations and similar events. For example, on some of the Christmases we spent together, my father had his butler or a professional photographer take pictures of us opening presents. I can recall both in my father’s presence and in connection with the pictures taken of us, people stating how much we looked alike.

  My father and I attended mass together from time to time and in this, a well as my other contacts with him, I observed that he was devoted to his religion. Although I cannot now recall his words, he expressed to me that he was still disturbed by the period of time he was deprived of participation in the sacraments of the church due to his marriage to my mother. Without displaying any bad feelings toward me, he indicated that he associated me with that time in his life. My father showed me prayers which he had written, some of which had been published. He spoke of the importance of religion and the power of prayer. He expressed his belief that his religion was the single most important aspect of his life.

  While I am aware of certain arguments which occurred between my mother and father—such as a disagreement over who should pay a bill at the London Hilton in 1968—I personally observed the relationship between my parents to be warm and friendly throughout the years. From what I observed each was genuinely fond of each other.

  PART ELEVEN. FRANCES

  At Long Last Love/Frannie/A Gentle Nudge/Best Friend’s Advice/Family Concerns

  Interviews conducted: Carole Wells Doheny (March 8, 2012); Noreen Nash Siegel (April 10, 2012); Anna Fragatos (July 5, 2012; August 3, 2012; September 2, 2012; October 11, 2012); William P. Kelly (July 19, 2012, July 20, 2012); Frances Kelly Fawcett Peterson (July 20, 2012; July 30, 2012; August 5, 2012); Helen Lamm (July 25, 2012); Debbie Reynolds (August 2, 2012).

  Volumes referenced: The Man Who Bought the Waldorf by Thomas Ewing Dabney; Conrad N. Hilton, Hotelier by Mildred Houghton Comfort.

  Articles referenced: Dora Jane Hamblin, “In 19 Lands, Instant America: His Hotels Keep Conrad Hilton Hopping,” Life, August 30, 1963.

  Legal documents referenced: “Deposition of Frances Kelly Hilton” (October 19, 1979).

  NOTES

  The conversation and prayer referenced in “At Long Last Love” were reconstructed using William P. Kelly’s first-person account.

  The telephone conversation between William P. Kelly and Frances Kelly in “A Gentle Nudge” was reconstructed using William P. Kelly’s first-person account.

  The conversation between Helen Lamm and Frances Kelly in “Best Friend’s Advice” was reconstructed using Helen Lamm’s first-person account.

  The Thorn in His Side/The Marital Agreement/Conrad and Frances Marry Interviews conducted: Carole Wells Doheny (March 8, 2012); Noreen Nash Siegel (April 10, 2012); Anna Fragatos (July 5, 2012; August 3, 2012; September 2, 2012; October 11, 2012); William P. Kelly (July 19, 2012; July 20, 2012); Frances Kelly Fawcett Peterson (July 20, 2012; July 30, 2012; August 5, 2012); Helen Lamm (July 25, 2012); Debbie Reynolds (August 2, 2012).

  Volumes referenced: One Lifetime Is Not Enough by Zsa Zsa Gabor; Zsa Zsa Gabor: My Story by Zsa Zsa Gabor and Gerold Frank; Gaborabilia by Anthony Turtu and Donald F. Reute; House of Hilton by Jerry Oppenheimer.

  Legal documents referenced: miscellaneous file notes from Zsa Gabor Plaintiff vs. Fawcett Publications, Inc. (November 1960); “Last Will and Testament of Conrad N. Hilton” (October 31, 1973); “Contestant Constance Francesca Hilton’s Responses to Defendants William Barron Hilton and James E. Bates Interrogatories” (May 29, 1979); “Deposition of Zsa Zsa Gabor O’Hara” (June 14, 1979; July 9, 1979; July 10, 1979); “Deposition of Constance Francesca Hilton” (September 12, 1979; September 13, 1979; September 14, 1979); “Deposition of William Barron Hilton” (September 24, 1979); “Deposition of Frances Kelly Hilton” (October 19, 1979); “Declaration of Constance Francesca Hilton” (March 24, 1980).

  NOTES

  The conversation between William P. Kelly and Conrad Hilton in “The Thorn in His Side” was reconstructed using William P. Kelly’s first-person account.

  Details of Frances Kelly Hilton’s financial arrangement with Conrad Hilton were drawn from “Deposition of Frances Kelly Hilton” (October 19, 1979).

  PART TWELVE. HOUSE OF HILTON

  Life at the Mansion/“Spoiled Fruit”/Clearing the Air

  Interviews conducted: Carole Wells Doheny (March 8, 2012); Carole Wells Doheny (March 12, 2012; June 15, 2012); Noreen Nash Siegel (April 10, 2012); Anna Fragatos (July 5, 2012; August 3, 2012; September 2, 2012; October 11, 2012); William P. Kelly (July 19, 2012; July 20, 2012); Frances Kelly Fawcett Peterson (July 20, 2012; July 30, 2012; August 5, 2012); Stella Kelly (July 20, 2012; July 22, 2012; July 24, 2012; August 3, 2012); Helen Lamm (July 25, 2012); Debbie Reynolds (August 2, 2012); Phyllis Davis Bradley (October 15, 2012; October 16, 2012; November 4, 2012; November 6, 2012).

  Volumes referenced: Be My Guest by Conrad Hilton; The Silver Spade: The Conrad Hilton Story by Whitney Bolton; Building the Cold War: Hilton International Hotels and Modern Architecture by Annabel Jane Wharton.

  Articles referenced: “Hilton: The Stuff of a Hotel Man,” Newsweek cover story on Conrad Hilton, September 27, 1954; “Hotels: By Golly!,” Time cover story on Conrad Hilton, July 19, 1963.

  Legal documents referenced: “Codicil to Last Will and Testament of Conrad N. Hilton” (April 1, 1947); miscellaneous file notes from Zsa Gabor Plaintiff vs. Fawcett Publications, Inc. (November 1960); “Last Will and Testament of Conrad N. Hilton” (October 31, 1973); “Deposition of Zsa Zsa Gabor O’Hara” (June 14, 1979; July 9, 1979; July 10, 1979); “Deposition of Constance Francesca Hilton” (September 12, 1979; September 13, 1979; September 14, 1979); “Deposition of Frances Kelly Hilton” (October 19, 1979).

  Television programs referenced: Phil Donahue, interview with Zsa Zsa Gabor, August 10, 1971; Conrad Hilton: Innkeeper to the World, Arts & Entertainment, 2005; Biography: Conrad Hilton, CNBC, 2010; Larry King Live, interview with Zsa Zsa Gabor, November 26, 1991; The Hiltons, Arts & Entertainment, 2005.

  NOTES

  The invitation to the anniversary party of Conrad N. Hilton and Frances Hilton, held on December 21, 1977, at Casa Encantada, was graciously provided by Stella Kelly.

  The conversation between Phyllis Davi
s Bradley and Frances Hilton that took place after Zsa Zsa Gabor appeared at the party on December 21, 1977, was reconstructed using Phyllis Davis Bradley’s first-person account. Evelyn Fragatos’s memories of the events of that night, as told to her daughter, Anna, were also key in describing this evening. Also, with her permission, I had access to Anna Fragatos’s unpublished manuscript The Gabors of Their Time.

  The quotes in the conversation between Zsa Zsa Gabor and Conrad Hilton in “Clearing the Air” are from “Deposition of Zsa Zsa Gabor O’Hara” (July 9, 1979) and reconstructed from Myron Harpole’s firsthand account (August 15, 2012).

  Barron, Eric, and Francesca/Francesca’s Idea/The Great Adventure of His Life/Understanding Zsa Zsa

  Interviews conducted: Carole Wells Doheny (March 8, 2012); Noreen Nash Siegel (April 2, 2012; April 10, 2012); Anna Fragatos (July 5, 2012); Stella Kelly (July 20, 2012; July 22, 2012; July 24, 2012; August 3, 2012); Myron Harpole (August 15, 2012; August 17, 2012; August 20, 2012); Patricia Bragg (September 17, 2012); Virginia “Gini” Tangalakis (September 24, 2012); Phyllis Davis Bradley (October 15, 2012; October 16, 2012; November 4, 2012; November 6, 2012).

  Articles referenced: Christopher P. Anderson, “The Barron of Las Vegas Is a Buttoned-Down Hilton,” People, September 8, 1975; Peter Lester, “When This Hotel Barron Says He’s Staying at the Hilton, That Means He’ll Be at Home,” People, September 28, 1981; Robert Welkos, “Francesca Hilton Turns Her Topsy-Turvy Life into Stand-up,” Los Angeles Times, August 3, 2008.

  Volumes referenced: The Man Who Bought the Waldorf by Thomas Ewing Dabney; Conrad N. Hilton, Hotelier by Mildred Houghton Comfort.

  Legal documents referenced: miscellaneous file notes from Zsa Gabor Plaintiff vs. Fawcett Publications, Inc. (November 1960); Constance Francesca Hilton v. Frances Kelly Hilton [original filing] (March 13, 1979); “Deposition of Zsa Zsa Gabor O’Hara” (July 10, 1979); “Contestant Constance Francesca Hilton’s Responses to Defendants William Barron Hilton and James E. Bates Interrogatories” (July 20, 1979); “Deposition of Constance Francesca Hilton” (September 12, 1979; September 13, 1979; September 14, 1979); “Deposition of William Barron Hilton” (September 24, 1979); “Deposition of Frances Kelly Hilton” (October 19, 1979); Francesca Hilton v. Frances Kelly Hilton [First Amended Contest of Purported Will] (March 13, 1980); “Sworn Declaration of Robert D. Walker” (February 13, 1980); “Declaration of Myron Harpole” (July 29, 1982).

  Television programs referenced: Intimate Portrait: Eva Gabor, February 1, 1998.

  NOTES

  The reconstruction of quotes in “Francesca’s Idea” is based on “Deposition of Constance Francesca Hilton” (September 12, 1979) and also an interview with Myron Harpole (August 20, 2012).

  The conversation between William P. Kelly (July 19, 2012; July 20, 2012) and Conrad Hilton, Barron Hilton, and Eric Hilton in “The Great Adventure of His Life” was reconstructed based on Kelly’s first-person account.

  Details of the luncheon of Zsa Zsa Gabor, Evelyn Fragatos, Frances Kelly, and Marilyn Hilton were culled from Anna Fragatos’s unpublished manuscript The Gabors of Their Time.

  Death’s Door/Conrad Hilton: Rest in Peace/The Way He Wanted It

  Interviews conducted: Anna Fragatos (July 5, 2012; August 3, 2012; September 2, 2012; October 11, 2012); Stella Kelly (July 20, 2012; July 22, 2012; July 24, 2012; August 3, 2012); Phyllis Davis Bradley (October 15, 2012; October 16, 2012; November 4, 2012; November 6, 2012).

  Volumes referenced: House of Hilton by Jerry Oppenheimer; The Man Who Bought the Waldorf by Thomas Ewing Dabney; Conrad N. Hilton, Hotelier by Mildred Houghton Comfort.

  Articles referenced: Robert Wrubel, “Rumors at the Inn: The Wall Street Sharks Are Circling Hilton Hotels, Eager to Break Up the Family Dynasty,” Financial World, April 4, 1989.

  Legal documents referenced: “Codicil to Last Will and Testament of Conrad N. Hilton” (April 1, 1947); “Last Will and Testament of Conrad N. Hilton” (October 31, 1973); Constance Francesca Hilton v. Frances Kelly Hilton [original filing] (March 13, 1979); “Deposition of Zsa Zsa Gabor O’Hara” (July 10, 1979); “Contestant Constance Francesca Hilton’s Responses to Defendants William Barron Hilton and James E. Bates Interrogatories” (July 20, 1979); “Deposition of James E. Bates” (September 20, 1979); “Deposition of Frances Kelly Hilton” (October 19, 1979); Francesca Hilton v. Frances Kelly Hilton [First Amended Contest of Purported Will] (March 13, 1980).

  I also referenced “List of Secondary Beneficiaries of Conrad N. Hilton Foundation,” which details more than two hundred charities—most of them Catholic—that were to benefit from Conrad Hilton’s will.

  Television programs referenced: Phil Donahue, interview with Zsa Zsa Gabor, August 10, 1971; Conrad Hilton: Innkeeper to the World, Arts & Entertainment, 2005; Biography: Conrad Hilton, CNBC, 2010; Larry King Live, interview with Zsa Zsa Gabor, November 26, 1991.

  NOTES

  Details of Zsa Zsa Gabor’s attempted visit of Conrad were culled from eyewitness account of Phyllis Davis Bradley, as well as “Deposition of Zsa Zsa Gabor O’Hara” (July 10, 1979) and also One Lifetime Is Never Enough by Zsa Zsa Gabor, and The Gabors of Their Time (unpublished) by Anna Fragatos.

  All of the details of Hilton’s will provided in “The Way He Wanted It” were culled from “Last Will and Testament of Conrad N. Hilton” (October 31, 1973).

  PART THIRTEEN. THE FIGHT OF THEIR LIVES

  Interviews conducted: Myron Harpole (August 15, 2012; August 17, 2012; August 20, 2012); Ed Lozzi (March 2, 2012); Stella Kelly (July 20, 2012; July 22, 2012; July 24, 2012; August 3, 2012); Phyllis Davis Bradley (October 15, 2012; October 16, 2012; November 4, 2012; November 6, 2012).

  Articles referenced: Paul Lowry, “Femmes Fatale,” Escapade, August 1956; “Francesca Hilton Contests Will,” Associated Press, March 14, 1979; Myrna Oliver, “Effort to Break Conrad Hilton Will Fails,” Los Angeles Times, March 29, 1980; “Zsa Zsa’s Daughter Rips Hiltons,” New York Post, August 14, 2000; “Frances Kelly Hilton Obituary,” Chicago Tribune, June 6, 2005; Alice Garrard, “Q & A with Steven M. Hilton, President and CEO of Conrad N. Hilton Foundation,” Philanthropy News Digest, July 3, 2007; Robert Welkos, “Francesca Hilton Turns Her Topsy-Turvy Life into Stand-up,” Los Angeles Times, August 3, 2008.

  Legal documents referenced: “Codicil to Last Will and Testament of Conrad N. Hilton” (April 1, 1947); “Last Will and Testament of Conrad Nicholson Hilton” (October 4, 1951); “Last Will and Testament of Conrad Nicholson Hilton” (December 19, 1953); “Last Will and Testament of Conrad Nicholson Hilton” (June 3, 1955); “Last Will and Testament of Conrad Nicholson Hilton” (October 21, 1960); “Last Will and Testament of Conrad Nicholson Hilton” (January 27, 1967); “Last Will and Testament of Conrad Nicholson Hilton” (August 19, 1970); “Last Will and Testament of Conrad N. Hilton” (October 31, 1973); Constance Francesca Hilton v. Frances Kelly Hilton [original filing] (March 13, 1979); “Deposition of Zsa Zsa Gabor O’Hara” (June 14, 1979; July 9, 1979; July 10, 1979); “Deposition of Willard Kramer” (July 1, 1979); “Contestant Constance Francesca Hilton’s Responses to Defendants William Barron Hilton and James E. Bates Interrogatories” (July 20, 1979); “Deposition of Olive Wakeman” (September 12, 1979); “Deposition of Constance Francesca Hilton” (September 12, 1979; September 13, 1979); “Deposition of James E. Bates” (September 20, 1979); “Deposition of William Barron Hilton” (September 24, 1979); “Deposition of Frances Kelly Hilton” (October 19, 1979); “Sworn Declaration of Robert D. Walker” (February 13, 1980); Francesca Hilton v. Frances Kelly Hilton [First Amended Contest of Purported Will] (March 13, 1980); “Declaration of Robert D. Walker in Response to Opposition to Motion for Leave to Amend Will Contest” (March 27, 1980); “Declaration of Myron Harpole” (July 29, 1982); “Correspondence from Walter L. Kellerman,” Exhibit A-676 (no date).

  I also referenced the written decision of Los Angeles Superior Court judge Jack W. Swink in the case of Constance Francesca Hilton v. The Estate of Conrad N. H
ilton, (March 28, 1980); “In the Court of Appeal—Second Appellate District, State of California: Estate of Conrad Nicholson Hilton, Constance Francesca Hilton (Appellant) vs. William Barron Hilton, et. al (Respondents)” (no date), authored by Myron Harpole and James E. Bates; and “Order Determining Heirship, Estate of Conrad Nicholson Hilton by Judge Ronald B. Swearinger” (April 13, 1983).

  Television programs referenced: Entertainment Tonight, interview with Francesca Hilton, June 29, 2007; Entertainment Tonight, interview with Francesca Hilton, August 19, 2008.

  NOTES

  The transcripts published in “ ‘Insane Delusions,’ ” “Zsa Zsa’s Deposition,” and “Smoking Gun?” are directly from the depositions given by Constance Francesca Hilton, Zsa Zsa Gabor O’Hara, and Willard Kramer.

  As a matter of interest, in “Reporter’s Transcript—Sari Gabor Hilton, sometimes known as ZsaZsa Sari Hilton vs. Conrad Hilton,” by John F. Brill, official court reporter, (September 17, 1946), it is noted that Zsa Zsa was asked by the judge, “How many times during that summer [of 1946] did the defendant [Hilton] come to see you there [in New York]?”

  She answers: “About twice.”

  “During the entire summer?”

  “Yes.”

  Gabor’s sworn testimony—which is memorialized in these papers before Francesca’s birth—could very well address the notion (posed in “Smoking Gun?”) that Conrad Hilton was actually in New York in both April and July 1946.

  The quotes from Zsa Zsa Gabor and Frances Kelly Hilton in “A Surprise Visitor” were culled directly from the deposition given by Frances Kelly Hilton. Also, I referenced my interview with Phyllis Davis Bradley, to whom this story was told by Frances Kelly Hilton.