Barron Hilton
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Barron Hilton (born October 23, 1927) is an American heir and chairman of the Hilton Hotel chain.
He was born William Barron Hilton in Dallas, Texas, the second son of Conrad Nicholson Hilton and Mary Adelaide Barron. His father founded Hilton Hotels. His brothers are Conrad Nicholson Hilton, Jr., called "Nicky," and Eric Michael Hilton. He also has a younger half-sister, Francesca Hilton, whose mother is Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Barron married former Santa Monica, California, cheerleader Marilyn Hawley in 1947. They are the parents of eight children: William Barron Hilton, Jr. (born 1948); Hawley Ann Hilton (born 1950); Stephen Michael Hilton (born 1951); David Alan Hilton (born 1952); Sharon Constance Hilton (born 1954); Richard "Rick" Hilton (born 1955); Daniel Kevin Hilton; and Ronald Jeffrey Hilton.
Active for several years in organizing and managing businesses in Los Angeles, Barron was also a member of the board of directors of the Statler Hotels Delaware Corporation and of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. In 1954, he was elected a vice-president of Hilton Hotels Corporation, of which his father was president. The announcement was made on November 16 by P. Williford, executive vice-president.
Barron also became president of the Carte Blanche credit card firm, was owner of a $6,000,000 orange juice company, head of a business leasing jets and an investor in a Texas oil company.
In 1960, Barron bought the San Diego Chargers football team. He assumed the presidency of the Hilton Hotel chain in 1966. In 1970, he was responsible for getting Hilton Hotels into the gambling business and their casinos presently dominate the action in Las Vegas, bringing in incredible amounts of money.
When his father died in 1979, leaving the bulk of his estate to the Catholic Church and other charities, Barron contested the will. Although his sister, Francesca, lost her case and received nothing, Barron won in 1988. Not only did he become the administrator over what the church received, his net worth, and that of his descendants, jumped to over $335,000,000.
Barron Hilton's wife, Marilyn, died in March 2004. Their son, Rick, is the father of the celebrity sisters Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton.