[4], In 1939, Billings graduated from Princeton where he majored in art and architecture[5] and wrote his senior thesis on Tintoretto. When Billings learned that the love of his life was dead on November 22, 1963, Pitts writes: It was as if he had been struck by lightning; he was consumed by grief. Lem was the second person Jacks sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, called after reaching her sister, Pat Lawford. In photos and excerpts from David Pitts's book Jack & Lem, we remember President John F. Kennedy through the lens of his lifelong friendship with Lem Billings. [17] In 1956 he was an usher at the wedding of Kennedy's sister Jean to Stephen Edward Smith. [24], Billings visited the White House for most weekends during the Kennedy Administration. 'I borrowed the other half from an inheritance I was about to receive from my grandmother after I graduated from college,' remembered Lem. A crew jock, he met Jack at Choate, a boys boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut (it is now co-ed). But the man married to Jackie Kennedy was quietly chided for his compulsive philandering. It remains the worst such failure in the history of advertising agencies. Published: 16:57 GMT, 9 June 2017 | Updated: 19:00 GMT, 9 June 2017. [9] He saw action in North Africa in 194243. [16], On September 12, 1953, Billings was an usher at the wedding of Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier. While Billings' missive is long gone, a startled Kennedy responded, 'Please don't write to me on toilet paper anymore. President John F. Kennedy was killed in Dallas 50 years ago, leaving behind a mourning nation and his gay best friend, Lem Billings. [62], After the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, Billings became depressed and started to drink in excess, an addiction that plagued him for most of his life. And the White House itself seems to have been welcoming to other non-heteronormative men in the Kennedy years. Kennedy and Billings remained intimate in part by managing Jacks sex life, his career, and his family, together. "And everything ready for a big, big party.". The two became friends, then roommates. While JFK is legendarily known as a master womanizer who frequently cheated on his first lady, his curious three-decades long intimate friendship with Billings suggests more than a simple bromance. Featuring interviews with Ben Bradlee, Gore Vidal, Ted Sorenson, friends, family, and many others, award -- winning journalist David Pitts begins the story with the early friendship between the men. University of Maryland basketball star Len Bias died of "cocaine intoxication" after ingesting an unusually pure dose of the drug that stopped his heart within minutes, Maryland's chief medical . After Jack Kennedy's election to the presidency, Billings was a constant presence and overnight guest at the White House. He wanted to be with him, to be a part of whatever he wanted to do to continue Jack's legacy." Prince Andrew has 'offered to manage prestigious Royal estates including Balmoral but King Charles has told PLATELL'S PEOPLE: Yes, Madonna toyboys are fun but not if you value your dignity. Details of Lem Billings and JFK's three decade relationship are revealed in 'Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And The Dark Side Of The Dream'. It would be the last Christmas in which the United States would be at peace for more than four years. Perhaps, however, Billings simply chose not to come out for his own reasons, devoting much of the rest of his life to preserving the memory of the man he loved. I don't know how we will carry on without him. Yesterday was Jack's birthday. Kirk LeMoyne "Lem" Billings was an American businessman known for his close and long-time friendship with John F. Kennedy and the Kennedy family. For Billings' funeral, some of the younger Kennedys served as pallbearers (as Billings himself had done for some of their own, like the slain Sen. Robert F. Kennedy). Jack and lem billings jfk Kirk LeMoyne "Lem" Billings (April 15, 1916 - May 28, 1981) was a close friend of President John F. Kennedy and the Kennedy family. From there we would helicopter right to his father's front lawn. On some weekends, Jack and Lem would go up there. Lem was born on April 15, 1916 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.. Lem is one of the famous and trending celeb who is popular for being a Celebrity. Lem felt that the physical regimen at the Kennedy vacation homes was even more exacting than that at Choate. 'Yesterday was Jack's birthday. Lem's sister, Lucretia, who knew Jack as well, said, 'I think he had to do something because Jack was doing so much.' Authorities have identified the woman found dead Tuesday in a residence on Avenue B in Billings as Shanna Lynn Booth. Here is a look at their friendship. Criticisms from others in the Kennedy orbit insinuate that Jack took advantage of Lems love for him without reciprocating. Collier and Horowitz described Billings, later in life, as invariably enmeshed in his late friend's larger family. In the epidemiological framework of the Global Burden of Disease study each death has one specific cause. Historian Lois Banner has also provided details about Marilyn Monroes affair with JFK, one of numerous women procured for the President by Peter Lawford, who himself staged sexual orgies in Los Angeles that the President attended. When Jack reached home, the two friends greeted each other like there was no tomorrow." 'It was very hard for him, but he wanted to do it and he stuck with it,' Lucretia added. Needless to say, JFK may have had, in a sense, two widows. The Kennedys tolerated his homosexuality, which was considered taboo at the time, Lawrence J. Quirk, the author of'The Kennedys in Hollywood' said Billings and JFK's relationship turned sexual at a point. Billings kept the letters JFK wrote to him between 1934 and 1939, and he donated the entire collection to the Library in the 1970s. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Hershey's Canada releases HER for SHE bars featuring a trans activist, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up. Kennedy first met Billings when they were teenagers at a school called Choate. John F. Kennedy bi-sexual or gay? Having been given special access to the Billings papers by Robert Kennedy, Jr., Pitts was either unable to verify a sexual relationship, or he was unwilling to cite his source. The elder Kennedys began to discourage the boys from associating with Billings because of his excessive recreational drug use (including alcohol). I'm not that kind of boy.'. With that out of the way, their relationship continued essentially unchanged until JFK's assassination thirty years later.". What is most interesting to me is the relationship between sexual abuse and power and how idolized men in particular seem to some along with this inability/unwillingness to be kind.Lems story seems tragic, good material for a play or musical. (Page 80), Lem examines a damaged ambulance door following the Messerschmitt attack, Sirte, Libya, 1943. He had clearly been adopted into the larger Kennedy clan, and Jackie drew him into her family circle as well. As the previous article mentions more has to be explored regarding the relationship between Lem and JFK! Sexual Abuse at Choate Went On for Decades. After the assassination of RFK in 1968, the flamboyant Billings transferred his obsessive affection for Jack, to handsome teenager Bobby Jr. David Pitts, the author of 'Jack and Lem: The Untold Story of an Extraordinary Friendship,' told me, 'Lem was a gay man and he had a 14-year-old, good-looking kid living in his house with him and there had been rumors because of that. As one source told me, 'Young Bobby replaced Jack in Lem's heart of hearts.'. In many ways, Kennedy was also enjoying the kind of sex life that would later characterize the gay mens party of the 1970s. Why should a historian care about Kennedys sex life at all? We might even call it a romantic friendship. 1934: Young JFK in hospital The young JFK, messing around with Lem Billings during their Choate years In the summer of 1934, future United States president John F Kennedy was in his junior year at the prestigious Choate School in Connecticut. Elisa Lam was a 21-year-old woman on an adventure when she died at the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles' skid row. "[45] Billings also served the President as an artistic adviser, selecting scrimshaw for display in the Oval Office[46] and, on one European tour, quickly assembling a selection of artworks to be presented as gifts. Ted Sorensen called him "an admirer almost a fawning admirer of his friend. May I come inside?" Language: English Words: 1,469 . He managed the campaign in the Third Congressional District in the Wisconsin primary and then served as general troubleshooter and coordinator of television in the West Virginia primary. His latest book, The Kardashians: An American Drama, will be published in September. Billings remarked (at the end of the story) that had he married and settled down, he would not have been happier than he was as . [20] He later said: "I realized that I did not want to work for the president because I felt it would change our relationship. I have one additional comment, probably to be regarded as politically incorrect. ", Billings' family could chafe at his adoration: "My uncle was not someone you could have a reasonable conversation with about what was going on with the Kennedys," his nephew said in Princeton's alumni magazine. "Depending upon where the lung cancer was, her heart could have taken a direct hit," said Dr. Sharonne N. Hayes, a cardiologist and founder of the Women's Heart Clinic at the Mayo Clinic. "[29] Historian Sally Bedell Smith compared him to Leonard Zelig, a nondescript character in Woody Allen's 1983 film who is always present in the back row at major events. It is important to understand what is meant by the cause of death and the risk factor associated with a premature death:. With so many people looking for a relationship with him as he rose through the political ranks, there was one man who stood out as one of JFK's near-constant companions. [11], After working on Kennedy's successful campaign for Congress in 1946, Billings toured seven Latin American countries with Robert F. cause of death. I'm enclosing a letter to Lem, which I wish you would forward, as I haven't any idea where he is. Between 1933 and 1935, The bond between Jack and Lem grew so tight, journalist David Pitts wrote in Jack and Lem (2008), that they really had no need for friendships with other boys.. Describing his friend as a "very normal, regular boy," Billings said his favorite of Jack's characteristics was his light spirit: "I've never known anyone in my life with such a wonderful humor and the wonderful ability to make one laugh and to have a good time. "[27] Billings never had a White House pass and said: "Jack and Jackie were so nice about this that I didn't even have to tell them whether I was coming or going. Kirk LeMoyne " Lem " Billings (April 15, 1916 - May 28, 1981) was an American businessman known for his close and long-time friendship with John F. Kennedy and the Kennedy family. [55] Kennedy knew that homosexual behavior on the part of Billings had been revealed by a fellow Choate student during their years there. He never lost this.". A funny photo of Senator John McCain catching himself after he nearly left the stage in the wrong direction after shaking hands with Senator Barack Obama. A historian wrote that after Kennedy's assassination 50 years ago Billings was "probably the saddest of the Kennedy 'widows.'" And, say those close to him, Billings never, ever got over how his friend was assassinated one sunny day in Dallas exactly 58 years ago. Billings was a prep school roommate of Kennedy, an usher at his wedding and a campaigner for his successful 1960 presidential bid. Lem Billings may have been present for many of these events, but if he was, he was just outside the frame of these pictures. ', One of Jack's five sisters, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, found it hard to describe her brother's relationship with Billings, once stating, 'It was a complete liberation of the spirit' for Jack, and that her brother was a 'complete liberated man when he was with Lem. We are a non-profit organization, wholly supported by The New School, and by the generosity of our sponsors and readers. [19], In 1961, Billings declined Kennedy's offer to appoint him the first head of the Peace Corps, director of a new agency to promote tourism, the U.S. Travel Service, or ambassador to Denmark. When the boy died at 4:19 a.m. Kennedy was clutching his little fingers. Lem Billings relaxed on the Kennedys' Palm Beach estate the summer of 1936. Jack, Lem, and Caroline enjoying the water, Hyannis Port, 1963. Who was Jack Lemmon's wife? Oscar Cainer tells all. I've had enough of life': Grandmother, 86, is reduced to tears after killjoy Tory RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: As Florida governor and Donald Trump rival Ron DeSantis steps up his bid to win the Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers speaks out on his deep depression after chemotherapy which left him having 'How I snatched JK Rowling's baby out of her abusive husband's arms - and helped her flee with the Harry Top equestrian rider, 39, once known as the 'golden girl' of horse eventing, is facing jail after being A possum feared extinct is discovered by an amateur naturalist in Papua New Guinea being cooked on a Now California reparations panel RAISES amount it wants to give 1.8m black people from $220,000 to $360,000 My weekly horoscope: What will March 4th 2023 bring for MY star sign? By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use. Lem never really left Jacks orbit after boarding school. Because of him, I was never lonely, Billings said once. Lem, although said by Arthur Schlesinger to have been jealous of others who drew Jacks attention, was undoubtedly one of the personal assistants and friends who facilitated the Presidents daily need for sex by making sure that women were available when needed. He believed Billings loved Kennedy. 'I'm sure he's already organizing everything in heaven so it will be completely ready for us with just the right Early American furniture, the right curtains, the right rugs, the right paintings, and everything ready for a big, big party. He claimed he had no idea who the Kennedys were, but they wanted to meet Williams, and Vidal produced him. His book Jack and Lem: John F. Kennedy and Lem Billings: The Untold Story of an Extraordinary Friendship, from which the text of this slideshow is excerpted, was one of The Advocate's five best books of 2007. When they arrived at the cemetery, it was already in place to be lowered. She had to submit questions in advance. Jack, meanwhile, drew on Billings' unerring presence in his life by his side in sickness and on the campaign trail and even at the White House, where Billings had a room (and where there were at least whispers among the staff about the truth of his personal relationships). Still, Billings was viewed by many I interviewed for my biography of RFK Jr. as his gay Svengali who guided and literally tried to control every aspect of Bobby Jr.'s life from the time he was in his mid-teens. A new book is claiming that John F. Kennedy had more than just a platonic friendship with his life-long gay best friend, Kirk LeMoyne "Lem" Billings. They always remembered him as the nicest German they ever met." . Among the snapshots is one that shows a handsome pre-presidential Kennedy sunning himself, sprawled on a chaise at Patriarch Joe Kennedy's Palm Beach estate. and yet you still think JFK was alive in December 1963! Advocate Contributors November 22 2013 4:00 AM EST In photos. Ben Bradlee, a Kennedy friend who worked at Newsweek during the Kennedy Administration, and no friend of Billings,[40] said "they were childhood friends and stayed loyal to each other forever." Use Restriction Status: None. [37], Billings' role as "first friend" was assessed by many observers at the time and since. Bobby's decision to pick up Jack's torch was important to Lem as well. During that time, he told researchers, "All the kids came over to see me. Both Jack and Lem were crazy about dogs and soon fell totally in love with little Dunker. Billings served with Sargent Shriver as a trustee for the Kennedy family trusts. Like the rest of the free world, Billings was devastated when President Kennedy was assassinated. You can follow her on Twitter . After saying in a quiet voice, "He put up quite a fight. This may have been true of his wife, although perhaps she understood from the beginning that their marriage would be non-monogamous. His mother was a Mayflower descendant and his great-grandfather Francis Julius LeMoyne was a prominent abolitionist linked to the underground railroad who helped establish what is today known as LeMoyne-Owen College. As for Kennedy himself, Vidal asserted that the president 'felt quite comfortable in the company of homosexuals as long as they were smart enough to hold his interest. During the night of May 28, 1981almost two decades after JFK's untimely death 65-year-old Lem Billings died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack. She was expected to be constantly available for him, he was inconsiderate and unloving, and she was permitted to tell no one. A telephone conversation between President Kennedy and Lem Billings. As of 2018 Lem Billings is 65 years (age at death) years old. Billings, for his part, never married and eventually became a marketing executive and worked on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Lem Billings died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack on May 28, 1981, at the age of 65. Not just any member, either, he was an assassin and the leader of a Viet Cong death squad who had been targeting and killing South Vietnamese National Police officers and their families. I have no evidence one way or another, but I would discount [any sexual activity.]. Jack's best friend was Lem, and he would want to remind everyone of that today. Booth, 32 years old, died of "undetermined causes" with no obvious signs of . [66], In 1987, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin described how Billings structured her interviews with him. Jack" he said as he gazed at him softly, It's been a long time. Lem Billings also buffered JFK from the toll that infidelity took on the Kennedy marriage. She reportedly had a love-hate relationship with her husband's best friend. Kirk LeMoyne "Lem" Billings and Mary Lasker attend a party at the New York City home of Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. On June 14, 1977. Lem Billings is a member of famous Celebrity list. Harvard University. When a butler commented on the fact that Billings was leaving his belongings in one of the third-floor guest rooms, the First Lady replied: "He's been my house guest since I was married. Access Restriction Status: Open. Although Jack and Bobby were of different temperaments -- Jack, detached and cerebral, Bobby, intense and emotional -- Lem saw so much of Jack in Bobby. "[41] Gore Vidal, who was banned from the White House after a run-in with Billings,[42] was critical of Billings,[43] but also thought Billings played an important role as an aide to Kennedy, who was often ill or in pain. "[53] Though newspapers often mentioned Billings' attendance at major social events, they identified him either as the escort of a member of the Kennedy family or included him in a list of Kennedy friends. In recent years, there has also been talk of a movie adaptation. 73 Photos of Naturally Naked Men by Terry Hastings, 23 Masturbation Tips for People With Vaginas, 22 Terrifying Sexual Fantasies That Must Be Talked About, 30 Kinky Terms Every Gay Man Needs To Know, 10 Sex Toys for All Genders and How to Use Them, Alternative Orgasms: 20 New Ways to Hit the Spot, LGBTQ+ Rights Lawyer Shannon Minter's Home Hit by Tornado, 'First Deep Breath' Is a Moving Story of a Black Family & Queerness, Karine Jean-Pierre on Tennessee Anti-Drag Law: Unacceptable & Unfortunate, Texas GOP May Censure Congressman Over Support for Marriage Equality, 12 LGBTQ+ Films and TV Shows to Watch in March, The Dildo Nazi: Sex Toy-Selling White Supremacist Umasked, Lesbian Gov. He once called Billings the 'chief f****t at Camelot.' (Page 95), Jack and Lem on leave, Palm Beach, 1944"It's not clear whether Lem wanted to join the navy and see combat because Jack had, or because he wanted it for himself. Lem Billings Is JFK's 'Go-Between' During Courtship with Jackie as Imagined in New Novel PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at Louis Bayard's upcoming Jackie & Me By Sam Gillette Published on. He became Jackies confidant and the trusted recipient of her views about the other women who flitted in and out of her husbands life. David Pitts quotes Vidal cruelly calling Billings a lifelong slave, the principal fag at court, and a nurse who helped Jack deal with the pain caused by Addisons disease. Like many gay men of his generation, Lem may have been very comfortable with his own sexuality and the privacy of his relationship to Jack. Though his name isn't as well-known as that of his boyhood best friend, Kirk LeMoyne "Lem" Billings was an important confidante for one of America's presidents and lived a life no less full of its own twists and turns. "Jack and Lem: John F. Kennedy and Lem Billings: The Untold Story of an Extraordinary Friendship" Kennedy knew Billings was in love with him (Billings declared his love and was rejected by Kennedy) and Kennedy liked that, the attention and knowing the power he has over billings also his wife Jackie Kennedy hated Billings and hated that he and . 'What the hell have you been doing? "Because of him, I was never lonely. Our most accurate accounts of JFKs emotional carelessness are not from Lem, who was loyal to his friend until his death, but from women who later came forward about affairs that now, in the era of #MeToo, sometimes raise harsh questions about whether some of these relationships were abusive. [63], Billings served for many years along with Sargent Shriver as a trustee for the Kennedy family trusts,[65] working from an office in the Pan Am Building.
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