Bonnie Bolding(1933-2020)
- Actress
Bonnie Bolding grew up in Alabama with several siblings. She entered
the Miss Alabama contest four times, winning a scholarship to Howard
College (now Samford University) and later a scholarship to the
Pasadena Playhouse where she studied after her graduation from Howard
in 1955. She left acting after a brief career in movies and television.
Bonnie married and divorced twice, then moved to New York and became a
Wall Street stockbroker. There she met John E. Swearingen, an oil
executive. They married in 1969. Over the years, John's job took them
over much of the world. They met royalty and heads of state including
American presidents. Living in Chicago, Bonnie was not always seen as a good
fit by the old money, high society folks. She was referred to as one of
the "Alabama Gabor sisters" at one point. The Swearingen's did a lot of
philanthropic work around the country, Samford University being a
favorite cause. Bonnie Bolding Swearingen Hall (an arts center) was
named in her honor.
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