JOHNNY WE HARDLY KNEW YE
The Kennedys
Recollections of the Kennedy Years
by Kenneth P. O’Donnell
Presented by:
Helen O’Donnell
Helen O’Donnell
Author, Writer and Producer
Kenneth P. O’Donnell was a member of Jack Kennedy’s famed “Irish Mafia.” He was Jack Kennedy’s tough talking no bull political aide, chief of staff and friend; he was tough, taciturn and no nonsense. An authentic Irishman from a working class neighborhood in Worcester, Massachusetts. He was prized by Jack and Bobby Kennedy for his political antenna, savvy, smarts, gut instincts and no holes barred opinions. He could soft shoe with his daughter to Frank Sinatra one afternoon and hold someone upside down off a balcony the next, if they dared to get in the way of the Kennedy agenda and march to the White House in 1960.
He was known by a variety of nicknames from “the cobra’” to the name given him by Jackie Kennedy, who dubbed him “the wolfhound” for his relentless pursuit of Jack’s agenda and that his presence always meant work. Kenny and Jackie forged a friendship from 1958 forward that would last until Kenny’s death. Bobby and his football pals from the fields of Harvard simply called him “Black” for his jet black eyes and hair ; his daughter, Helen O’Donnell, an author, writer and producer simply called him “Dad.”
Ms O’Donnell is embarking on a unique speaking tour for the next year as we approach the 50th anniversary of JFK’s trip to Ireland in June 1963 and his death in November. Her speaking tour will bring the Kennedy years to life through the words and recollections her late father Kenny.
In a remarkable, rarely heard set of recordings, Kenny O’Donnell sat down with top flight journalist and friend NBC White House correspondent Sander Vanocur for a once in a lifetime set of interviews that take the listener from Kenny’s early years in Worcester, under the tough guiding hand of his father, football coaching legend Cleo O’Donnell, who went to High School with Joe Kennedy. To his famous meeting with Bobby Kennedy at Harvard, to his first meeting with Jack Kennedy n 1946 at the famed Bellevue hotel in Boston, right through the ‘50’s and into the 1960 election. A fabulous and skilled racountour a trait by his daughter, these stories will take you behind the scenes of the Kennedy White House during such key moments as the Bay of Pigs, decisions on Vietnam, the Cuban Missile Crisis , the trip to Paris and meeting with de Gaulle in ‘62, to the meeting with Khruschev in Vienna, to the gut wrenching death of Patrick Kennedy in early 1963.
These remarkable recordings will bring you from the early Kennedy years through to the tragic day in Dallas in November 1963. Mr. O’Donnell was there for it all, never leaving Jack Kennedy’s side even at the end when he accompanied his body and his beloved Jackie back to Washington DC on that fateful day in November. His story of that day sounds like a Hollywood movie, but it was sadly all too real for the men of the Kennedy White House. The country lost a President, but he lost a friend.
Helen O’Donnell has a unique background from which to bring us this presentation Beyond her authorship of her first book A COMMON GOOD, THE FRIENDSHIP OF ROBERT F. KENNEDY & KENNETH P. O’DONNELL, Ms. O’Donnell has written articles for magazine, newspapers and has written a book and done numerous interviews covering the Kennedy years. She is currently working on this book based on her father’s tapes, as well as, her next book called THE WASHINGTON RAT PACK based on the unique behind the scenes relationship between Frank Sinatra, Jack Kennedy, the famed Rat Pack and Marilyn Monroe. Her own life’s experiences have brought her on a fascinating path following in the footsteps of Frank and Marilyn; which has brought her to write this remarkable untold story of .the behind the scenes relationship between these unique and historic figures of Hollywood and Washington, D.C.
Helen grew up around the Kennedys and Hollywood; when her parents died when she was very young, she was mentored by the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who took her under his wing and taught her the essential importance of politics, family and her history -- he urged her to never forget the important and unique gift of her father’s life and friendship with Jack and Bobby, his beloved brothers. He in fact called her father, “the third Kennedy brother.”
Years later Chris Matthews journalist from NBC asked Ms. O’Donnell’s help in writing his book on JFK. This brought her briefly back from Hollywood and through this work she rediscovered these unique tapes and the story of JOHNNY WE HARDLY KNEW YE. . . the masterful set of tapes and interviews conducted by Sander Vanocur with Kenny O’Donnell.
It would turn out to be the one and only time he spoke on the record for any length and at any depth about his beloved Jack, Bobby, Teddy Jackie, Steve and Joe Kennedy, Sr. -- the Kennedy family. His is a firsthand account is that of as famed journalist and Kennedy friend, Ben Bradlee dubbed O’Donnell, “he ultimate political insider. “ In doing these fantastic and insightful set of interviews, Mr. Vanocur told the BBC Radio4 that he felt it was as if Kenny was “waiting for someone to ask him these questions.” Done in the mid 1960’s, Kenny’s mind is sharp and the memories still brutally clear and very close His his answer are no nonsense and direct; Sandy’s question are that of a consummate journalist and student of Jack Kennedy over the years. His questions are thorough and persistent; despite his friendship with Kenny, he does not hold back. The result is a marvelous set of stories, interviews and recollections from both men.
Ms. O’Donnell will present this programme along with extraordinary photographs provided in part by Rob Swan, a devoted and dear friend to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Like Mr. O’Donnell, Mr. Swan took his friendship with Ted Kennedy to heart. He was devoted then and now to Ted and ensuring the “dream will never die.”
This hour long programme is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get as close to the Kennedy legacy and behind the scenes as we will ever have in our lifetime .Kenny was their trusted confidante, friend and devoted to their political ambitions and legacy.
Kenneth O’Donnell and the “Irish Mafia” -- Dave Powers, Larry O’Brien and so many others who served were devoted to Jack and Bobby Kennedy, because they believed as Kenny did that these men represented the best of our political system and that they had the ability to not only change the country, but the world. He told his daughter Helen before he died, he worried that they would be forgotten, but he need not have been concerned for through his stories and recollections they have become immortal. They were the immortals in their day and this programme is their story and a story of their journey as they created what later became dubbed “Camelot.”
“He lives not long who battles with the immortals, nor do his children prattle
about his knees when he has come back from battle and the dread fray.”
Kenneth P. O’Donnell was a member of Jack Kennedy’s famed “Irish Mafia.” He was Jack Kennedy’s tough talking no bull political aide, chief of staff and friend; he was tough, taciturn and no nonsense. An authentic Irishman from a working class neighborhood in Worcester, Massachusetts. He was prized by Jack and Bobby Kennedy for his political antenna, savvy, smarts, gut instincts and no holes barred opinions. He could soft shoe with his daughter to Frank Sinatra one afternoon and hold someone upside down off a balcony the next, if they dared to get in the way of the Kennedy agenda and march to the White House in 1960.
He was known by a variety of nicknames from “the cobra’” to the name given him by Jackie Kennedy, who dubbed him “the wolfhound” for his relentless pursuit of Jack’s agenda and that his presence always meant work. Kenny and Jackie forged a friendship from 1958 forward that would last until Kenny’s death. Bobby and his football pals from the fields of Harvard simply called him “Black” for his jet black eyes and hair ; his daughter, Helen O’Donnell, an author, writer and producer simply called him “Dad.”
Ms O’Donnell is embarking on a unique speaking tour for the next year as we approach the 50th anniversary of JFK’s trip to Ireland in June 1963 and his death in November. Her speaking tour will bring the Kennedy years to life through the words and recollections her late father Kenny.
In a remarkable, rarely heard set of recordings, Kenny O’Donnell sat down with top flight journalist and friend NBC White House correspondent Sander Vanocur for a once in a lifetime set of interviews that take the listener from Kenny’s early years in Worcester, under the tough guiding hand of his father, football coaching legend Cleo O’Donnell, who went to High School with Joe Kennedy. To his famous meeting with Bobby Kennedy at Harvard, to his first meeting with Jack Kennedy n 1946 at the famed Bellevue hotel in Boston, right through the ‘50’s and into the 1960 election. A fabulous and skilled racountour a trait by his daughter, these stories will take you behind the scenes of the Kennedy White House during such key moments as the Bay of Pigs, decisions on Vietnam, the Cuban Missile Crisis , the trip to Paris and meeting with de Gaulle in ‘62, to the meeting with Khruschev in Vienna, to the gut wrenching death of Patrick Kennedy in early 1963.
These remarkable recordings will bring you from the early Kennedy years through to the tragic day in Dallas in November 1963. Mr. O’Donnell was there for it all, never leaving Jack Kennedy’s side even at the end when he accompanied his body and his beloved Jackie back to Washington DC on that fateful day in November. His story of that day sounds like a Hollywood movie, but it was sadly all too real for the men of the Kennedy White House. The country lost a President, but he lost a friend.
Helen O’Donnell has a unique background from which to bring us this presentation Beyond her authorship of her first book A COMMON GOOD, THE FRIENDSHIP OF ROBERT F. KENNEDY & KENNETH P. O’DONNELL, Ms. O’Donnell has written articles for magazine, newspapers and has written a book and done numerous interviews covering the Kennedy years. She is currently working on this book based on her father’s tapes, as well as, her next book called THE WASHINGTON RAT PACK based on the unique behind the scenes relationship between Frank Sinatra, Jack Kennedy, the famed Rat Pack and Marilyn Monroe. Her own life’s experiences have brought her on a fascinating path following in the footsteps of Frank and Marilyn; which has brought her to write this remarkable untold story of .the behind the scenes relationship between these unique and historic figures of Hollywood and Washington, D.C.
Helen grew up around the Kennedys and Hollywood; when her parents died when she was very young, she was mentored by the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who took her under his wing and taught her the essential importance of politics, family and her history -- he urged her to never forget the important and unique gift of her father’s life and friendship with Jack and Bobby, his beloved brothers. He in fact called her father, “the third Kennedy brother.”
Years later Chris Matthews journalist from NBC asked Ms. O’Donnell’s help in writing his book on JFK. This brought her briefly back from Hollywood and through this work she rediscovered these unique tapes and the story of JOHNNY WE HARDLY KNEW YE. . . the masterful set of tapes and interviews conducted by Sander Vanocur with Kenny O’Donnell.
It would turn out to be the one and only time he spoke on the record for any length and at any depth about his beloved Jack, Bobby, Teddy Jackie, Steve and Joe Kennedy, Sr. -- the Kennedy family. His is a firsthand account is that of as famed journalist and Kennedy friend, Ben Bradlee dubbed O’Donnell, “he ultimate political insider. “ In doing these fantastic and insightful set of interviews, Mr. Vanocur told the BBC Radio4 that he felt it was as if Kenny was “waiting for someone to ask him these questions.” Done in the mid 1960’s, Kenny’s mind is sharp and the memories still brutally clear and very close His his answer are no nonsense and direct; Sandy’s question are that of a consummate journalist and student of Jack Kennedy over the years. His questions are thorough and persistent; despite his friendship with Kenny, he does not hold back. The result is a marvelous set of stories, interviews and recollections from both men.
Ms. O’Donnell will present this programme along with extraordinary photographs provided in part by Rob Swan, a devoted and dear friend to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Like Mr. O’Donnell, Mr. Swan took his friendship with Ted Kennedy to heart. He was devoted then and now to Ted and ensuring the “dream will never die.”
This hour long programme is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get as close to the Kennedy legacy and behind the scenes as we will ever have in our lifetime .Kenny was their trusted confidante, friend and devoted to their political ambitions and legacy.
Kenneth O’Donnell and the “Irish Mafia” -- Dave Powers, Larry O’Brien and so many others who served were devoted to Jack and Bobby Kennedy, because they believed as Kenny did that these men represented the best of our political system and that they had the ability to not only change the country, but the world. He told his daughter Helen before he died, he worried that they would be forgotten, but he need not have been concerned for through his stories and recollections they have become immortal. They were the immortals in their day and this programme is their story and a story of their journey as they created what later became dubbed “Camelot.”
“He lives not long who battles with the immortals, nor do his children prattle
about his knees when he has come back from battle and the dread fray.”
Homer’s Iliad
Ms. O’Donnell is available to give this speech and present this programme along with the the tapes and photographs for an initial $500.00 fee (plus Travel Expenses) and this is part of speaking tour beginning in March where Ms. O’Donnell will travel across the country much as her father and Jack did in 1960 talking about the Kennedy legacy and bringing the history to life in towns and neighborhoods across the country and hopefully onto the world stage. Her biography is below. For more information on this programme and to book please email Ms. O’Donnell at helenodonnellmedia@gmail.com at their office in Burbank, Ca.
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