Kirk Kerkorian
Personal life
Personal life
-------------

Kerkorian was an "intensely private person". He almost never gave interviews and seldom appeared in public. "Kerkorian rarely attended board meetings and never gave speeches. He was shy, but was a tough negotiator. Those who knew him describe him not as a Hughesian hermit, but as a gentle, gracious, normal guy."

Kerkorian was an avid [tennis player](/wiki/Tennis_player "Tennis player"), played in tournaments, associated with other players like Lornie Kuhle, and routinely played with [Alex Yemenidjian](/wiki/Alex_Yemenidjian "Alex Yemenidjian"), a former MGM executive, and former owner of the [Tropicana Las Vegas](/wiki/Tropicana_Las_Vegas "Tropicana Las Vegas") resort. He had a penchant for expensive clothes (especially custom\-made outfits by Italian designer [Brioni](/wiki/Brioni_%28brand%29 "Brioni (brand)")), but drove relatively inexpensive vehicles, such as a [Pontiac Firebird](/wiki/Pontiac_Firebird "Pontiac Firebird"), [Jeep Grand Cherokee](/wiki/Jeep_Grand_Cherokee "Jeep Grand Cherokee") and a [Ford Taurus](/wiki/Ford_Taurus "Ford Taurus").David Streitfeld *Los Angeles Times*, June 9, 2005, p. A\-1\.

Kerkorian died in [Beverly Hills, California](/wiki/Beverly_Hills%2C_California "Beverly Hills, California"), on June 15, 2015, nine days after his 98th birthday. He is buried at [Inglewood Park Cemetery](/wiki/Inglewood_Park_Cemetery "Inglewood Park Cemetery") in [Inglewood, California](/wiki/Inglewood%2C_California "Inglewood, California"), near Los Angeles.

### Family

[thumb\|upright\|Gravestone of Kerkorian and his father Ahron](/wiki/File:Qrq.jpg "Qrq.jpg")
Kerkorian was married four times, first to Hilda Schmidt from 1942 to 1952\. His next marriage, to Jean Maree Hardy, lasted from 1954 to 1984\. The two had met at the [Thunderbird](/wiki/Thunderbird_%28resort%29 "Thunderbird (resort)") resort in Las Vegas. Hardy, a dancer from England, traveled the world instructing dance troupes. They met and fell in love while she was sent to check opportunities to choreograph a performance in Las Vegas. The marriage produced Kerkorian's two daughters, Tracy and Linda, whose names serve as a [portmanteau](/wiki/Portmanteau_word "Portmanteau word") for Kerkorian's personal holding company, Tracinda Corporation, and his charitable organization, the Lincy Foundation. Although divorced, they remained close friends and confidants.

Kerkorian's short\-lived third marriage (1999\) was to professional tennis player [Lisa Bonder](/wiki/Lisa_Bonder "Lisa Bonder"), 48 years his junior, which lasted only one month. The two had signed a [prenuptial agreement](/wiki/Prenuptial_agreement "Prenuptial agreement") before marrying. Kerkorian subsequently was involved in a breach of privacy suit filed against him by [Steve Bing](/wiki/Steve_Bing "Steve Bing"). Kerkorian claimed Bing was the father of Bonder's daughter, an allegation which was later confirmed by [DNA paternity testing](/wiki/DNA_paternity_testing "DNA paternity testing"). On August 10, 2006, the *[Los Angeles Times](/wiki/Los_Angeles_Times "Los Angeles Times")* reported that Kerkorian's attorneys were being sued by Bonder because of their connection to former high\-profile private investigator [Anthony Pellicano](/wiki/Anthony_Pellicano "Anthony Pellicano"), who in 2008 began serving a fifteen\-year prison sentence for running a wiretapping scheme. Bonder's attorney alleged that Kerkorian's lawyers hired Pellicano to wiretap telephone calls between him and Kerkorian's ex\-wife in order to gain a tactical advantage in the divorce proceedings, an allegation that was later proven true. Pellicano also took a strand of Bing's used [dental floss](/wiki/Dental_floss "Dental floss") (surreptitiously acquired from rubbish) and used it to prove that it was Bing and not Kerkorian who fathered Bonder's daughter. Attorney Terry Christensen was subsequently convicted of [racketeering](/wiki/Racketeering "Racketeering") for hiring Pellicano to tap Bonder's phone, and received a three\-year prison sentence that was confirmed on appeal.

Kerkorian's short\-lived fourth marriage (2014\) was to Una Davis, born in 1966\. The marriage lasted only 57 days and divorce proceedings were underway when Kerkorian died on June 15, 2015\.

### The Lincy Foundation and philanthropic activities

[thumb\|upright\|Statue of Kerkorian in [Gyumri](/wiki/Gyumri "Gyumri")](/wiki/File:Kirk_Kerkorian_statue%2C_Gyumri%2C_2019-09-07_02.jpg "Kirk Kerkorian statue, Gyumri, 2019-09-07 02.jpg")
Kerkorian was active in philanthropy through his charitable foundation, The Lincy Foundation, named after his daughters, Linda and Tracy. The foundation reportedly donated more than $1 billion, though Kerkorian never allowed anything to be named in his honor. The foundation covered half of the cost of an 80\-kilometer highway in Armenia. Over the next decade, Kerkorian financed more than $200 million of infrastructure projects in Armenia, including $60 million to the reconstruction of schools and streets and the renovation of many museums, theaters and concert halls.

The Lincy Foundation was dissolved in 2011 after 22 years of charitable activities after dispensing its last $200 million to [University of California, Los Angeles](/wiki/University_of_California%2C_Los_Angeles "University of California, Los Angeles"). Half was earmarked for medical research, scholarships and other projects while the other half was earmarked to create the "Dream Fund" for charitable causes around the country.[UCLA receives $200 million gift to create unique philanthropic fund](http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/ucla-and-private-foundation-partner-192057.aspx) , UCLA, February 14, 2011

### Estate

Most of the $2 billion estate was left to charity, with a three\-person committee left to distribute the funds within three years. In December 2018, the estate settled with his 4th wife for $12\.5 million, along with $10 million and $50 million for two philanthropic foundations, advised by his 4th wife.


What were some of the charitable causes that Kerkorian supported through The Lincy Foundation?