Both on and off duty, Kissinger proved a fascinating media figure

Henry Kissinger became an unlikely media star during his time in the Nixon and Ford administrations, regularly appearing on magazine covers and front pages and achieving man-about-town status.

Press attention at the time focused both on the intrigue about his personal life and on his role in shaping American foreign policy. Mr. Kissinger was often a cover star of Time Magazine, appearing on the magazine’s cover 15 times while in office, the first few weeks after he joined the Nixon administration as national security adviser. 1969. He shared the title of Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year” for 1972 with President Richard Nixon, much to Mr. Nixon’s dismay.

Mr. Kissinger was adept at deceiving reporters and enjoyed close relationships with many. He was given a number of affectionate nicknames in the press, such as ‘Hendrik de K’ and ‘super secretary’. A 1974 cover of Newsweek magazine depicted him as a superhero, with the headline “It’s Super-K!”.

Despite his small stature and glasses, Mr. Kissinger was seen as a sex symbol in the 1970s, with gossip columns highlighting the actresses he was seen with. His reputation as “the Playboy of the Western Wing” was something he helped cultivate by telling Sally Quinn, then a Washington Post reporter, “Why don’t you assume I’m a secret swinger?” In a profile from 1971 by Mr. Kissinger in WWD, with the headline “I Wonder Who Is Kissing Now,” Mr. Kissinger compliments the reporter’s hot pants.

He put an end to rumors of feuds with starlets in 1974 when he married Nancy Maginnes. Their wedding made the front page of The New York Times, which noted that while there had been rumors of an impending nuptials, Mr. Kissinger “gave no indication that he was about to be married when he met with reporters shortly before noon today to comment on his conversations yesterday and this morning with Defense Minister Moshe Dayan of Israel.” The newlyweds were captured a picture by The Associated Press after their wedding before jetting off to Acapulco, Mexico, on their honeymoon.