Mistress Of Power
Judith Exner, previously Judith Campbell, was an all-American gal who rubbed elbows with some of the most famous, powerful, and shady men in the mid-20th century US. The revelations of her sordid affairs with a crooner, a couple of mobsters, and the President of the United States caused shockwaves in the media—and all that unwanted attention took its toll on her.
1. She Began On The East Coast
Judith Eileen Katherine Immoor was born on January 11, 1934, in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Her parents, Frederick and Katherine, were of German and Irish descent, respectively. Judith was one of seven children, and the densely populated Jersey coastline got the family thinking that maybe a change of scenery was in order…
2. She Headed West
When Judith Exner was still a child, her family upped and moved to southern California, where they settled into the affluent Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles. Now living on the West Coast, Judith began firmly establishing her identity as a SoCal girlie. Indeed, her father’s success permitted her some privilege.
Foto: © JCS, Wikimedia Commons
3. Her Father Did Well
Part of the reason for the Immoors’ move was because of the patriarch’s advancing career: Judith’s father was a successful architect and began receiving increasingly lucrative contracts from West Coast developers. With his career advancement, he and his family began enjoying all the benefits of a family on the rise.
4. She Had Famous Neighbors
The Pacific Palisades was a lush and prosperous suburb of Los Angeles, and many big names of the era purchased property there around the same time as the Immoor family. Among her notable neighbors growing up, Judith Exner counted comedian Bob Hope, who became a close family friend. It was the Palisades themselves that gave young Judith her foot in the door with the rich and powerful.
Bob_Hope_at_home_Allan_Warren.jpg: Allan warren
derivative work: Beao, Wikimedia Commons
5. She Rubbed Elbows
Judith’s location in the Pacific Palisades meant she grew up in close proximity to all manner of rich and famous figures. This certainly gave her a leg up and would have a profound influence on her adult lifestyle, social circles, and big-name contacts. That fateful move set in motion the dramatics that made up her life story. But her youth had some dramatics too.
6. Her Mother Had A Close Call
When Judith Exner was just 14 years old, her mother, Katherine, got into a near-fatal car accident. This left her and her daughter completely shook, and Judith decided she would not take her mother’s presence for granted. To remain close to her beloved mom, she took some pretty drastic measures.
7. She Dropped Out
Following her mother’s accident, Judith dropped out of school at 14 years of age. From then on, her parents would pay for her private tutors to come to the family's home and give lessons to their daughter. This may have ingratiated Judith even further with the famous residents of her ‘hood. It wouldn’t be long before the family could count one of their own members among the Hollywood elite.
8. Her Sister Hit The Screen
Judith’s sister, Jacqueline, who was two years older than her, found herself equally dazzled as her younger sister was at the superstars that surrounded them. She decided to pursue a career in Hollywood herself, taking the screen name Susan Morrow and making her big screen debut in 1951. Judith reaped the benefits of her sister’s newfound fame.
film screenshot (Astor Pictures), Wikimedia Commons
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9. She Shmoozed
With her sister’s burgeoning career, Judith Exner happily rode her coattails and established strong ties with the acting community. She began making contacts and climbing the social ladder, becoming a well-known presence at Hollywood parties. It didn’t hurt that she was a knock-out.
10. She Got A Job
After earning her high school diploma, Judith put her stunning looks to good use. She began to work as a model and, already running in Hollywood circles, became an even more desired presence in the inner circles of the rich and famous. And with beauty and notoriety came some pretty notable lovers.
11. She Met Her Man
One actor Judith met was William Campbell, and he immediately fell for the young model. And young she was; the two married in 1952 when Judith was just 18 years old, and Campbell was 29. A marriage so young would inevitably come with tumult, and it went about as well as expected.
12. Her Marriage Ended
Judith and William would remain together for six years before divorcing in 1958. It didn’t seem to knock her too much; she was still young, after all. Judith opted to keep William’s last name, and most would best know her as Judith Campbell for the next few decades of her life—arguably the most significant span of time in that interesting life, especially now that she could enjoy single life.
13. She Kissed A Crooner
One evening in 1959, Judith Exner was hanging out at Puccini’s restaurant in Los Angeles, a regular haunt for big names in movies and music. There, she caught the attention of one of the 1950s’ biggest stars, the blue-eyed crooner himself: Frank Sinatra. The two began a brief romantic liaison, but she would gain something much more from her encounter with the singer.
14. She Caught A Rising Star
February 7, 1960, would prove one of the most fateful days in Judith’s young life. On that day, Frank Sinatra introduced her to a popular young United States Senator who had eyes on the highest office in the land. That man was John F Kennedy, and he would completely change Judith’s life.
U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce, Wikimedia Commons
15. She Began An Affair
In memoirs released over two decades later, Judith made a shocking claim that roiled America: she engaged in a clandestine and extramarital relationship with President John F Kennedy for a span of almost two years. Naturally, her story came under rigorous scrutiny, and a timeline had to be established.
Aaron Shikler, Wikimedia Commons
16. She Was A Campaign Stop
Judith claimed her relationship with Kennedy began shortly after meeting him in 1960. As mentioned, Kennedy was still a senator for Massachusetts, but he was in the midst of his ultimately successful presidential campaign. Judith had numerous liaisons with him on the campaign trail, and they didn’t show any signs of stopping after Election Day.
17. She Upgraded
According to her memoirs, Judith’s affair with Kennedy lasted for 18 months, meaning she began an affair with a senator and ended it with a president. One can’t help but wonder who she and Kennedy celebrated his big election win. But regardless, his new office didn’t stop the political lothario.
Screenshot from Power and Beauty, Lions Gate Television / Showtime Networks (2002)
18. She Saw The Inside
Amazingly, Judith wrote that her and Kennedy’s affair continued long after his swearing in, and she would even meet him in the White House for romantic encounters. Documents later backed this claim up: White House records show she definitely visited him there. But other meeting places had less of a paper trail…
19. She Entered His Domain
Judith detailed the many locations she and Kennedy made love outside the White House. For the most part, their encounters occurred in hotel rooms. But scandalously, on at least one occasion, she and Kennedy hooked up in his personal home, almost certainly while his wife Jackie was out. And from her stories, the President was no angel.
Unknown US federal employee, Wikimedia Commons
20. She Had Crazy Stories
Judith claimed to have knowledge of other affairs of President Kennedy too. In fact, she made him out to be a prolific womanizer; in one account, she even claimed that JFK hired “ladies of the evening,” whom he brought to the White House swimming pool. And she wasn’t pulling these claims out of thin air.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
21. She Got Documented
We may never know for sure exactly how much of Judith’s account is truthful, but it is undeniable that she had at least some kind of relationship with the President. White House phone and visitors’ records, and a trove of other documents, prove that they spoke on the phone and met in person on numerous occasions. But that didn’t stop the attack dogs.
Screenshot from Power and Beauty, Lions Gate Television / Showtime Networks (2002)
22. She Got Slandered
Naturally, the Kennedy camp did not take kindly to the claims against their perfect Prince of Camelot, and Judith was viciously and publicly attacked by the late President’s staff and supporters after the release of her memoirs. It was a difficult storm for Judith to weather, and the puns didn’t help.
Screenshot from Power and Beauty, Lions Gate Television / Showtime Networks (2002)
23. Her Name Got Evoked
Many of Kennedy’s intimates vehemently denied Judith’s story, including his personal secretary, and a close advisor, Dave Powers, known as the President’s “court jester”. Powers played that role perfectly in response to Judith’s claims: when asked about what he knew of her, Powers played on her name, saying the only Campbell he knew was chunky vegetable soup. The Kennedy circle even called in the big guns to defend their man.
Robert Knudsen, Wikimedia Commons
24. She Got Shirked
Even the very man Judith claimed introduced her to JFK leapt at the opportunity to defend the President. Frank Sinatra denied the socialite’s story entirely, dismissing it as an attempt at garnering attention and book sales. He summed it up with the phrase “Hell hath no fury like a hustler with a literary agent”. But there was much more to Judith’s story than just an affair with the leader of the free world…
25. Her Name Came Up
One simple fact refutes Sinatra’s claims against Judith: she did not publish her memoir for no good reason. A few years before its publishing, Judith’s name came up in the FBI’s investigation into President Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas in 1963. When the report got released to the public, it exposed her name to the nation. It did not look good for the socialite…or the President.
Walt Cisco, Dallas Morning News, Wikimedia Commons
26. She Had Ties
The report revealed much more about Judith and Kennedy’s relationship than previously known and added an entirely new element to the story: the American Mafia. It appeared as if there was some kind of connection between the President, his mistress, and the mob. It forced Judith to tell that side of her story too.
Screenshot from Power and Beauty, Lions Gate Television / Showtime Networks (2002)
27. She Slept With The Enemy
Incredibly, Judith’s memoirs confessed that, around the same time as her affair with JFK, she had been the mistress of not one but two Mafia leaders. They were Sam Giancana and John Roselli, two men who were very high in the mob hierarchy. The story became a public obsession.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
28. She Was A Go-Between
Perhaps the biggest bombshell of Judith’s memoirs, and the element that grabbed the most public attention, was her claim that she acted as a channel of information between the Mafia and the President. Many had already suspected JFK of having mob ties, and this controversial claim by Judith sent shockwaves through the media. It was perhaps for this reason that Judith made some personal life choices.
29. Her Personal Life Got Roiled
Life for Judith got steadily worse with the increasing public attention. On top of that, the FBI continuously hounded her for more information. It was perhaps for this reason that when she gave birth to an illegitimate child, she gave it up for adoption. They would reconnect later in life, however, and in the meantime, Judith found love.
30. She Remarried
In 1975, Judith met golfer Dan Exner. The two quickly fell in love, and it wasn’t long before they were married. Judith Campbell was now Judith Exner, and she would keep the name for the rest of her life. It was this very name under which the government subpoenaed her to speak before an important committee.
31. She Got Called Up
The same year she remarried, Judith received a summons from the Church Committee, which was investigating actions by the CIA in the 1960s. The media circus began all over again, and her testimony received widespread coverage. Ms Exner had more bombshells still to drop.
32. She Witnessed History
The specific Church Committee investigation for which Judith Exner was called to testify involved CIA-led attempts on the life of the Cuban leader and revolutionary Fidel Castro. Besides questioning Exner, the Committee also grilled her former mafioso lover, John Roselli, who claimed a “close friend” of President Kennedy had also been close to the mob.
That close friend was Judith, of course, and though she did not get named in the Committee’s report, the Washington Post learned the truth and leaked her name. This was bad news for Judith, and she scrambled to do damage control.
Bernard Gotfryd, Wikimedia Commons
33. She Controlled The Narrative
With her name leaked to the media and a subpoena with her name on it, Judith grew weary of the increased attention. After all, it wasn’t exactly desirable to have the mob believe you were testifying against them. She hastily called a press conference where she denied any knowledge of Mafia involvement with the President. If she was lying, she had good reason.
Screenshot from The Phil Donahue Show, Avco Broadcasting / Multimedia Entertainment (1967-1996)
34. She Told White Lies
Judith’s claims at this press conference would contradict later claims she made, but it didn’t necessarily mean her story was dishonest or fabricated. Because of the mob involvement, she likely lied to protect her and her family’s safety and security. Indeed, she took further precautionary steps.
Screenshot from Power and Beauty, Lions Gate Television / Showtime Networks (2002)
35. She Kept Receipts
Journalists who later investigated some of Judith’s claims found themselves impressed with the meticulous records she kept. The socialite claimed she feared for her life after her breakups with Kennedy and Sam Giancana and began archiving everything. She kept these records hidden under her bed, with a large dog to guard them and a pistol under her pillow. But her story would eventually spin out of control.
Cecil W. Stoughton, Wikimedia Commons
36. She Set A Meeting
In 1988, Judith Exner gave an astonishing interview to People magazine where she spilled the beans on the entire story. After revealing that she had indeed lied to the Church Committee for fear of Mafia retaliation, she claimed she set up a meeting between Kennedy and Giancana during the 1960 presidential election, a scandalous revelation. She clearly no longer feared the mob because the revelations kept coming.
37. She Was A Gopher
According to Judith’s story recounted to People, following that first meeting, the young socialite served as the go-between for the President and the Mafia for 18 months thereafter. She would carry envelopes between the two parties, often across the country, and claimed she set up around ten meetings between Kennedy and the mob. As time went on, she would only add to her story.
38. She Conspired Against A Leader
Later still, Judith Exner would reveal more about the nature of the Presidential mob meetings. In her most shocking revelation yet, she claimed that the meetings she set up between the parties concerned a clandestine plot to take out the Cuban leader Fidel Castro. To hear Judith tell it, the mob seemed to act like President Kennedy’s personal fixers.
39. She Helped A King-Maker
Included in many of the envelopes from President Kennedy that Judith delivered to the mob, according to her, was cold, hard cash. If she was to be believed, JFK was paying the Mafia for certain favors. But what were these favors?
Incredibly, Judith claimed the campaign hired the mob leaders to help Kennedy get elected. One boss even bragged that Kennedy would not have been president if not for his connections, according to Judith’s account. The President was apparently playing with fire, and it may have led to his downfall.
40. She Set Events In Motion
As we all know, President John F Kennedy got assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. One conspiracy theory for why this happened claims the mob was responsible: Kennedy’s relationship allegedly soured with them, and they reversed their election deal. If this is true, it means that Judith played the small role of the butterfly flapping its wings that set in motion world-changing events. There were more Kennedy revelations to come, however.
Victor Hugo King, Wikimedia Commons
41. She Kept Talking
In 1997, Judith gave yet another interview, this time to Vanity Fair, where she made further revelations still about her affair with President Kennedy. One of the more shocking claims was that, following her final encounter with JFK in 1962, she terminated a pregnancy shortly afterwards. The heavy implication was, of course, that Kennedy was the father. And with this new round of confessions, more Kennedy family members caught strays.
42. She Claimed Corruption
Judith’s fresh claims expanded on her previous role as courier of payments from the President to the mob. This time, she implicated other parties who availed of her services, claiming that she carried payoffs from California defense contractors to both the President and his brother, Attorney General Robert F Kennedy. These were shocking revelations of Kennedy corruption, and the rebukes came swiftly.
LBJ Library photo by Yoichi R. Okamoto, Wikimedia Commons
43. Her Claims Got Refuted
Judith’s later accounts came under heavy attack and criticism, and unlike her previous claims, these had little documented evidence. They ran counter to what most widely knew about Kennedy and his staff, however shady some of the truth may have been. No, these new claims depended on Judith’s word alone—and there was reason to believe she had become an unreliable witness.
Screenshot from Power and Beauty, Lions Gate Television / Showtime Networks (2002)
44. She Had Some Issues
FBI reports, Secret Service and White House phone logs, and staff documentation supported Judith’s earlier claims about her interactions with Kennedy and the mob. The claims she made in Vanity Fair had no such paper trail. What’s more, by then Judith Exner had gone a little off the deep end, personally speaking: since the 60s, she had struggled with a history of depression, instability, and paranoia. Her health had deteriorated too.
45. She Was In Trouble
By the time of her 1997 interview, Judith’s physical health had taken a turn for the worse, and she was in the midst of treatment for breast cancer. Critics cited this as yet another reason why her account was untrustworthy.
It is, of course, possible that all this was used to discredit her by forces far more powerful than she; it is tough to deny, however, that Judith’s later claims are not as provable as her earlier stories. Either way, the troubled socialite’s personal life was unravelling.
46. Her Marriage Broke Down
Judith’s already worsening personal struggles took another significant hit in 1988 when she and her husband, golfer Dan Exner, separated. We know little about the details of their marriage or its dissolution, but they would never reconcile, nor would Judith have any other public relationships. Still, there were some areas where she found peace.
47. She Found Her Passion
Having spent most of her life as a model and socialite, Judith’s professional identity was, on the surface at least, somewhat shallow and vapid. Later in life, however, she found a fulfilling creative outlet. In her later years, she purchased a home in Newport Beach and became a painter. This was how she would live out her days.
48. She Lost A Battle
After her diagnosis with breast cancer, Judith’s condition deteriorated quite rapidly. On September 24, 1999, the troubled socialite and passionate painter succumbed to her illness at the age of just 65. To her credit, she seemed to come to terms with her life by the end.
49. She Found Peace
In her final interview in the waning days of her life, Judith Exner struck a defiant tone, voraciously defending the choices she had made. Her words are worth quoting at length: “I don’t think I should have to die with the secret of what I did for Jack Kennedy, or what he did with the power of his Presidency. I feel that I am finally free of the past.” Indeed, she only had one regret.
Screenshot from The Phil Donahue Show, Avco Broadcasting / Multimedia Entertainment (1967-1996)
50. She Was Honest
Judith’s musings on her life in her final interview concluded with a devastating admission. Expressing how difficult her life had been after the decades of media, mob, and political hounding, she summed up her actions honestly: “I feel my life has been so invaded, that I would have to tell something so personal. The worst thing I did was fall in love with a married man.” To her great misfortune, Judith was simply one more historical victim of the hubris of powerful men.
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