Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Jill St. John’s Not-so-Secret Affair
Henry Kissinger and Jill St. John, two public figures of their respective domains – politics and Hollywood, were at the heart of a unique intersection of power, glamor, and rumor.
Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State, played an instrumental role in shaping America’s foreign policy during the Nixon and Ford administrations. His reputation extended beyond the world of politics, earning him a status as something of a ‘ladies’ man’ in popular culture.
Meanwhile, Jill St. John was a beacon of Hollywood charm and talent, best known for her role as Tiffany Case in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. As a leading actress, her life was often in the public eye, leading to speculations and rumors about her personal relationships.
In a fascinating turn of events, these two influential figures reportedly crossed paths not just socially, but romantically. Amid the height of secret negotiations to end the Vietnam War in 1972, rumors suggest that Kissinger and St. John were dating.
The details of this alleged relationship, obscured by time and discretions of the parties involved, provide a compelling glimpse into the personal lives of these high-profile individuals.
Henry Kissinger – An Intellectual Ladies’ Man
Henry Kissinger, born Heinz Alfred Kissinger in Germany in 1923, is an American political scientist, diplomat, and geopolitical consultant. Recently turned 100, he served as United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under the presidential administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.
As Secretary of State, Kissinger played a pivotal role in shaping America’s foreign policy. He pioneered the policy of détente with the Soviet Union, orchestrated the opening of relations with China, and negotiated the Paris Peace Accords, bringing an end to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. His influence on American foreign policy was significant and has endured over the years.
But he wasn’t your every day politician – Kissinger was also known for his charm, especially with women. Despite not being a traditional Hollywood heartthrob, he became a popular figure among women, as was evident in 1972 when a poll of Playboy bunnies selected him as the man they would most like to go out on a date with.
His appeal extended to several high-profile women who he reportedly dated during his bachelor days, including Diane Sawyer, Candice Bergen, Shirley Maclaine, Liv Ullman, and of course, Bond girl Jill St. John.
Jill St. John: The Hollywood ‘Sexpot’ Who Enticed the High and Mighty
Jill St. John, born Jill Arlyn Oppenheim in 1940, began her acting journey under the glimmering lights of Hollywood at the tender age of 11. Despite a difficult childhood fraught with the pressures of early fame, she managed to carve out a successful career for herself.
Navigating through the competitive landscape of Hollywood, she found herself often typecast in vacuous sexpot roles, appearing in an array of films. Yet she bore this with a degree of humor, once admitting, “It made my lines easier to remember. They were always the same.”
Her perseverance eventually paid off when she landed the role of Tiffany Case in the Diamonds Are Forever. Sure it was another ‘sexpot’ role, but Tiffany had brains and braun, and the role catapulted her to the status of a leading actress, cementing her place in the annals of Hollywood fame.
St. John’s personal life was as intriguing as her professional career, with two brief marriages punctuating her early years. Despite the challenges and personal upheavals, St. John cultivated a lifestyle marked by elegance and panache.
From her hilltop home in Beverly Hills adorned with an impressive collection of antiques, to her glamorous jet-setting lifestyle, she embodied a sense of resilient grace. Notably, her list of companions ranged from the crests of titled royalty to the political corridors of the White House, including President Nixon’s special adviser for national security, Henry Kissinger.
Though St. John merely refers to Kissinger as a ‘friend for life’, their alleged affair was widely reported, becoming a headline-grabbing scandal of the time. After the whirlwind surrounding her relationship with Kissinger, St. John found stability with Hollywood luminary Robert Wagner.
Intriguingly, she became Wagner’s partner shortly after the tragic death of his wife, Natalie Wood. Adding a layer of Hollywood irony to the tale, Natalie was the sister of Lana Wood, St. John’s co-star in Diamonds Are Forever, who played the memorable Bond girl, Plenty O’Toole.
A Twisted Triangle: Henry Kissinger, Jill St. John, and the Shadows of the Mob
The rumor of a relationship between Henry Kissinger and Jill St. John surfaced during a turbulent time in American history – the Vietnam War. Allegedly, the two were romantically involved at the peak of secret negotiations to end the conflict in 1972.
Kissinger’s role in ending the Vietnam War and negotiating the Paris Peace Accords made him a significant public figure of the time. Amidst these demanding duties, he was reportedly dating St. John, adding a layer of complexity and intrigue to an already tense period.
A less-known aspect of this rumor is the involvement of Sidney “The Fixer” Korshak, a Hollywood lawyer with alleged mobster connections. According to a controversial biography by investigative reporter Gus Russo, Korshak was also romantically linked with St. John at the same time as Kissinger, creating a rather complex love triangle.
Russo intriguingly calls St. John as “Korshak’s only known weakness”, suggesting a deep, perhaps even vulnerable, connection between the otherwise hardened lawyer and the Hollywood siren. This revelation not only sheds light on an unexpected dimension of St. John’s love life but also casts a new, intriguing shadow over her public persona.
In the case of Kissinger, this triadic entanglement provides an alternative perspective on his celebrated bachelorhood. While his list of romantic partners was studded with high-profile names, the inclusion of St. John – and by extension, her connection with Korshak – introduces an element of unexpected complexity and intrigue to his love life.
Henry Kissinger and jill St. John a Match Made in Washington and Hollywood
The alleged relationship between Henry Kissinger and Jill St. John adds a certain intrigue to the public perception of these two public figures. Despite their separate spheres of influence, this connection underscores a unique intersection of politics and Hollywood.
It reinforces Kissinger’s reputation as a suave ‘ladies’ man’, transcending his political stature and embedding him further into the annals of high-profile romances. It also weaves a thread of political intrigue into St. John’s glamorous Hollywood tapestry.
Though both personalities have now advanced into the their twilight years, their pasts remain richly hued with unforgettable narratives. These chapters of their lives, awash with power, glamour, and intrigue, continue to captivate public imagination, over half a century later.
