Julia Child (née McWilliams; August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004) was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for introducing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs, the most notable of which was The French Chef, which premiered in 1963.
In 1996, Julia Child was ranked #46 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.
Childhood and education
Child was born in Pasadena, California, the daughter of John McWilliams, Jr., a Princeton University graduate and prominent land manager, and his wife, the former Julia Carolyn ("Caro") Weston, a paper-company heiress whose father, Byron Curtis Weston, served as lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. The eldest of three children, she had a brother, John III (1914–2002), and a sister, Dorothy Dean (1917–2006).
Child attended Westridge School, Polytechnic School from fourth grade to ninth grade, then The Katherine Branson School in Ross, California, which was at the time a boarding school. At six feet, two inches (1.88 m) tall, Child played tennis, golf, and basketball as a child and continued to play sports while attending Smith College, from which she graduated in 1934 with a major in English. A press release issued by Smith in 2004 states that her major was history.
Following her graduation from college, Child moved to New York City, where she worked as a copywriter for the advertising department of upscale home-furnishing firm W. & J. Sloane. Returning to California in 1937, she spent the next four years writing for local publications, working in advertising, and volunteering with the Junior League of Pasadena
Awards
Emmy Awards
1. 1994: The Head of Art Attack
Daytime Emmy Awards
1. 1996: Outstanding Service Show Host for In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs, won
2. 1997: Outstanding Service Show Host for Baking with Julia, nominated
3. 1999: Outstanding Service Show Host for Baking with Julia, nominated
4. 2000: Outstanding Service Show Host for Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home, nominated
5. 2001: Outstanding Service Show Host for Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home, won
Peabody Awards
1. 1965: Personal Award for The French Chef, won
U.S. National Book Awards
1. 1980: Current Interest (hardcover) for Julia Child and More Company, won
