John Kluge

John W. Kluge
John W. Kluge
Born	21 September 1914 (age 112); Chemnitz, Germany
Died	7 September 2010 (aged 95)
Occupation(s)	Business magnate, media proprietor, philanthropist
Known for	Leading figure in American television industry; wealthiest individual in the US at one point; founder of Metromedia; philanthropist

John Werner Kluge (; September 21, 1914 – September 7, 2010) was a German-American business magnate who rose to prominence as a leading figure in the American television industry. At one stage, he held the distinction of being the wealthiest individual in the United States.

Early life and education

Kluge was born in 1914 into a Presbyterian household in Chemnitz, Germany, and moved to the United States in 1922. He spent two years studying at Wayne State University before obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Columbia University in 1937. His ancestry included Scots-Irish, English, and German roots.

During the Second World War, Kluge was stationed at the classified P.O. Box 1142 interrogation center located near Washington, D.C.

Metromedia and Metromedia Company

Kluge’s significant entry into the media sector occurred in the mid-1950s when he acquired shares in the Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation, which had succeeded the DuMont Television Network after its closure in 1956. Metropolitan Broadcasting managed two independent television stations: WABD in New York City and WTTG in Washington, D.C., both previously owned by DuMont. In 1958, Kluge became the chairman of the board and principal shareholder after purchasing most of the stock from founder Allen B. DuMont for approximately $6 million.

Following his takeover in 1959, Kluge expanded the company’s portfolio by acquiring additional television and radio stations. The early 1960s saw him purchase an outdoor advertising business, leading to a name change to Metromedia in 1961 to better represent its broader range of operations.

In 1986, Kluge sold Metromedia’s television assets to 20th Century Fox (then under News Corporation’s control) for an estimated $4 billion. These stations subsequently became the core of the Fox Broadcasting Company, which launched that October. The next year, Forbes recognized Kluge as America’s wealthiest individual.

A notable legal incident involved Metromedia management, acting on Kluge’s directive, destroying recordings associated with Paul Winchell’s children’s show "Winchell-Mahoney Time," resulting in Winchell being awarded nearly $18 million in damages.

After divesting from Fox, Kluge continued his business activities through Metromedia Company alongside partner Stuart Subotnick. Their enterprises included telecommunications and media investments across Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and China through Metromedia International Group. They also operated Metromedia Fiber Network, a U.S.-based telecom infrastructure venture that ultimately failed. In July 2008, financial difficulties led to Metromedia Restaurant Group closing more than 300 company-owned Bennigan's and Steak and Ale locations. Furthermore, Kluge and Subotnick were founding operators of the Major League Soccer team New York/New Jersey MetroStars.

John W. Kluge Center

In celebration of the Library of Congress’s bicentennial anniversary, Kluge contributed $60 million to establish the John W. Kluge Center. This academic institution serves as a forum for distinguished scholars and postdoctoral researchers to access the Library’s resources while interacting with members of the United States Congress. His endowment also created a $1 million award honoring lifetime accomplishments in the human sciences—the Kluge Prize—which complements Nobel Prizes awarded in literature and economics.

Columbia University

Kluge donated in excess of $510 million to Columbia University, with over $110 million contributed between 1987 and 1993 to establish endowed financial aid for disadvantaged undergraduates and to support their doctoral education. In 2007, Columbia revealed a $400 million commitment from Kluge, allocated solely for financial assistance—ranking as the fourth largest gift ever given to a U.S. higher education institution and the largest dedicated exclusively to student aid.

University of Virginia

In 1997, Kluge presented his distinguished collection of Aboriginal Australian art to the University of Virginia, which led to the creation of the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Museum, the only museum in the United States devoted entirely to Aboriginal Australian art and cultural heritage.

Four years later, in 2001, he donated his Albemarle County estate in Virginia, valued at more than $45 million—the most significant gift in the university’s history. The university incorporates this estate, known as Morven Farm, into its academic initiatives and has plans for its continued development.

In 2009, Kluge contributed $3 million to fund compassionate care programs focused on end-of-life support at the university.

Political contributions

Throughout the 1980s, Kluge supported both Republican and Democratic candidates for presidential and Senate offices, predominantly backing Democrats in Virginia. Among his notable contributions were $75,000 to the Virginia Democratic Leadership Council in 1986 and $100,000 to gubernatorial hopeful L. Douglas Wilder in 1989.

Personal life

Kluge was an avid collector of contemporary Indigenous Australian art, including pieces by renowned artists such as Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri.

He was honored with the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement in 1983.

Kluge was married four times—to Theodora Thomson Townsend, Yolanda Galardo Zucco, Patricia Maureen Rose, and Maria Tussi Kuttner—and fathered three children: Joseph (adopted), Samantha (with Zucco), and John Jr. (adopted with Rose). Additionally, he maintained strong bonds with three stepchildren: Diane, Jeannette Brophy, and Peter Lockwood Townsend.

Following their 1990 divorce, Patricia Kluge retained ownership of their Albemarle estate, which she transformed into the acclaimed Trump Winery, opening its doors in 1999. She funded expansion efforts through $65 million in loans secured by mortgages on the mansion but ultimately defaulted and filed for bankruptcy in 2011.

At the time of his passing in 2010, Kluge lived with his fourth wife, Maria Tussi Kluge, dividing time between residences in New Rochelle, Virginia, and Palm Beach, Florida.

External links

"John Kluge: Business titan, UVA donor dies peacefully at 95"
Forbes World's Richest People 2004
Kluge, John, The Museum of Broadcast Communications
Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA
john-kluge