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Report Says JFK and Dietrich Had White House Tryst

ByABC News
August 3, 2000, 6:10 PM

N E W Y O R K -- President John F. Kennedy, whose sexualexploits became public knowledge only long after his death, hada brief tryst with screen siren Marlene Dietrich in the WhiteHouse in 1962, according to the journals of a noted criticpublished in The New Yorker magazine.

Dietrich, some 20 years Kennedys senior, told the story ofher alleged White House assignation with the president to thelate critic Kenneth Tynan, who recorded it in his journals,excerpts of which were published in The New Yorker.

I hope you arent in a hurry, Dietrich quoted Kennedy as saying when the German actress arrived after accepting aninvitation for drinks at the White House, according to The New Yorker.

Dietrich, according to Tynans journal entry from April 4,1971, replied that, in fact, she was in a hurry, as 2,000 Jewswere waiting to give her a plaque at 7 p.m., and it was now6:30.

That doesnt give us much time, does it? Kennedy said,to which Dietrich replied, No, Jack, I guess it doesnt.

It was all over sweetly and very soon, Tynan recounted,quoting Dietrich as telling him, And then he went to sleep. Ilooked at my watch and it was 6:50.

Dietrich said she shook Kennedy awake because I didntknow my way around the place, and I couldnt just call for acab. With that the president, clad only in a towel, led theglamorous actress to an elevator, telling the elevator operatorto get her a car to the hotel for her scheduled appearance.

As she departed, Dietrich said Kennedy asked her just onething. ... Did you ever make it with my father?

Joseph P. Kennedy was friends with Dietrich during the 1930sand had a well-documented affair with another Hollywood siren,Gloria Swanson.

No Jack, I answered truthfully, I never did,Dietrich said, according to The New Yorker.