James B. Donovan Birthday Highlights
Birth Name James Britt Donovan
Place Of Birth Bronx, USA Age 107 years old
Birth Date February 28 1916
James B. Donovan Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Lawyer, US Navy Officer Education & Qualifications Harvard Law School Net Worth $8,000,000
Current Partner Mary E. McKenna Children Mary Ellen Donovan Fuller, Jan Donovan Amorosi, John B. Donovan Parents John J. Donovan, Harriet O’Connor Donovan Siblings John J. Donovan Jr.
About James B. Donovan James Britt Donovan was a well-known international negotiator, insurance lawyer, and US Navy commander.He is best remembered for securing the release of US aviator Francis Gary Powers from Soviet detention. He started his career as a lawyer in New York City, where he was born into an Irish-American family.When the United States joined WWII, he relocated to Washington. He was an aide to Justice Robert H. Jackson during the Nuremberg trials at the conclusion of WWII. He provided visual proof of Nazi war crimes.Following that, Donovan resumed his legal practise. As part of his civic duty, he defended Soviet spy Rudolf Ivanovich Abel. Later, he secured Powers’ release in return for Abel’s freedom. Later that year, he arranged the release of 9,700 Americans and Cubans from Cuban detention prisons in return for food and medicine with Fidel Castro.Donovan served as the vice president of the New York City Board of Education from 1963. He was also the president of Pratt Institute when he died in January 1970, at the age of 53.James B. Donovan Net Worth, Earnings & Spending HabitsWhat was James B. Donovan’s net worth?James B. Donovan was a lawyer and and military officer from the United States. He had an estimated net worth of $8 million.Height, Age & Physical AttributesHow old was James B. Donovan?James B. Donovan was 53 years old when he passed away on January 19, 1970. He was born on February 29, 1916.Childhood And EducationJames Britt Donovan was born in February 1916 in the Bronx. The Donovan family was of Irish heritage.Donovan went to All Hallows Institute, a Catholic school. He enrolled at Fordham University in 1933 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1937. Donovan aspired to be a journalist, but his father persuaded him to study law at Harvard Law School. He started studying in the fall of 1937 and graduated in 1940 with a Bachelor of Laws degree.Family, Romance, And RelationshipsWho was James B. Donovan’s family?James Britt Donovan was born to Harriet Donovan (née O’Connor) and John J. Donovan. James B. Donovan grew up with a sibling. He had a brother named John J. Donovan Jr. His brother was a New York state senator.Who was James B. Donovan’s partner?James B. Donovan was married to Mary E. McKenna. The couple tied the knot in 1941.Donovan and McKenna had four children and resided in Brooklyn, New York. They had a boy named John Donovan. Their three daughters are Mrs. Edward L. Amorosi, Mary Ellen Donovan, and Clare Donovan.Career And Professional HighlightsBest Known For…Donovan began working at a private legal firm after graduating from law school. During World War II, he served in the US Navy as a captain. He joined the Office of Scientific Research and Development as an assistant general counsel in 1942.Donovan served as general counsel at the Office of Strategic Services from 1943-1945. In 1945, he joined Justice Robert H. Jackson’s team during the Nuremberg trials in Germany as an assistant. At the trial, Donovan was the visual evidence presenter. He served as an adviser for the documentary movie ‘The Nazi Plan’ while preparing for the trials. The movie assisted in the arrest of 21 Nazi officials.Donovan re-entered the legal profession in 1950, joining Watters & Donovan. It was a company that specialized in insurance law. The Bar Association contacted him in 1957 and asked him to handle the case of Soviet spy Rudolf Ivanovich Abel. Despite the advice of many others, including his wife, he pushed forward with it. Even though Colonel Abel was convicted of espionage, Donovan was able to spare him from the gallows.Francis Gary Powers, a US pilot, was arrested in May 1960. Donovan went off for East Berlin, where he would meet Soviet authorities. Before he went, James B. Donovan was instructed that in addition to freeing Powers, he had to attempt to rescue two students imprisoned in the Soviet Union.He went to London in late January 1962 for purportedly personal business. However, he met six KGB officers at the Soviet embassy who claimed to be Abel’s relatives. The Cuban Families Committee for the Liberation of Prisoners of War sought the services of James B. Donovan in June 1962.By 1963, he had met Fidel Castro numerous times. Donovan persuaded him to free 9703 inmates in exchange for $53 million worth of food and medication. James B. Donovan had authored three novels when he was alive. ‘Strangers On A Bridge: The Case Of Colonel Abel And Francis Gary Powers’ was released in 1964. This became a New York Times bestseller.What awards did James B. Donovan win?James B. Donovan was the recipient of various honors and awards throughout his life. He received the CIA Distinguished Intelligence Medal. His alma mater, Fordham University, also bestowed an honorary degree on him.James B. Donovan’s Hobbies And InterestsDonovan was a golfer and tennis player. He also loved to collect rare books.Other Interesting James B. Donovan Facts And TriviaDonovan died of a heart attack while being treated for influenza. He passed away at the Methodist Hospital in New York in January 1970. Donovan was 53 years old at the time.In the 2015 film ‘Bridge Of Spies’, Tom Hanks portrayed the character of James B. Donovan.‘Bridge Of Spies’ is a historically accurate movie on Donovan produced by Steven Spielberg. In the movie, Abel states that he had previously given Donovan a painting as a present. The painting was a depiction of Donovan in the courtroom.We would love your help! If you have a photo of James B. Donovan, either of them alone or a selfie that you would be happy to share, please send it to [email protected].If you have knowledge or information that you think would help us improve this article, please contact us.
James B. Donovan Birthday Highlights
Birth Name James Britt Donovan
Place Of Birth Bronx, USA Age 107 years old
Birth Date February 28 1916
James B. Donovan Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Lawyer, US Navy Officer Education & Qualifications Harvard Law School Net Worth $8,000,000
Current Partner Mary E. McKenna Children Mary Ellen Donovan Fuller, Jan Donovan Amorosi, John B. Donovan Parents John J. Donovan, Harriet O’Connor Donovan Siblings John J. Donovan Jr.
James Britt Donovan was a well-known international negotiator, insurance lawyer, and US Navy commander.
James B. Donovan Birthday Highlights
Birth Name James Britt Donovan
Place Of Birth Bronx, USA Age 107 years old
Birth Date February 28 1916
James B. Donovan Birthday Highlights
Birth Name James Britt Donovan
Place Of Birth Bronx, USA Age 107 years old
Birth Date February 28 1916
Birth Name James Britt Donovan
Place Of Birth Bronx, USA Age 107 years old
Birth Date February 28 1916
Birth Name James Britt Donovan
Place Of Birth Bronx, USA Age 107 years old
Birth Date February 28 1916
James B. Donovan Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Lawyer, US Navy Officer Education & Qualifications Harvard Law School Net Worth $8,000,000
Current Partner Mary E. McKenna Children Mary Ellen Donovan Fuller, Jan Donovan Amorosi, John B. Donovan Parents John J. Donovan, Harriet O’Connor Donovan Siblings John J. Donovan Jr.
James B. Donovan Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Lawyer, US Navy Officer Education & Qualifications Harvard Law School Net Worth $8,000,000
Current Partner Mary E. McKenna Children Mary Ellen Donovan Fuller, Jan Donovan Amorosi, John B. Donovan Parents John J. Donovan, Harriet O’Connor Donovan Siblings John J. Donovan Jr.
Child Star? no Occupation Lawyer, US Navy Officer Education & Qualifications Harvard Law School Net Worth $8,000,000
Current Partner Mary E. McKenna Children Mary Ellen Donovan Fuller, Jan Donovan Amorosi, John B. Donovan Parents John J. Donovan, Harriet O’Connor Donovan Siblings John J. Donovan Jr.
Child Star? no Occupation Lawyer, US Navy Officer Education & Qualifications Harvard Law School Net Worth $8,000,000
Current Partner Mary E. McKenna Children Mary Ellen Donovan Fuller, Jan Donovan Amorosi, John B. Donovan Parents John J. Donovan, Harriet O’Connor Donovan Siblings John J. Donovan Jr.