After service in the Navy during WW2, he began a career in journalism. From 1965 to 1991 he was Managing Editor and then Executive Editor of the Washington Post - a period highlighted by the paper's exposure of the Watergate scandal.He was a friend (and neighbor) of John F. Kennedy in Washington before Kennedy was president.He and Sally Quinn met when she was a reporter at the Post. Although he was much older, she began sending him anonymous love notes. After she had left the Post, they lived together for some years - in the Watergate building. He told a reporter in 1973 that only way they would get married would be -- if a Polish pope was elected! When this "absurd" idea came true, they got married four days later.Children: Ben Jr., with Jean; Dominic ("Dino") and Marina, with Tony; Quinn, with Sally Quinn .Father of Ben Bradlee Jr.Is fluent in French.Bradlee and wife Sally Quinn were "roasted" by the American Newswomen's Club in Washington D.C. In attendance were Bob Woodward and Elsa Walsh, James Carville and Mary Matalin , Chris Matthews and Kathleen Matthews , George Stephanopoulos and Alexandra Wentworth , and Richard Cohen , Al Hunt , and Judy Woodruff . Bradlee responded to the roast with, "What an honor to be roasted by such a distinguished group of hacks. If you weren't on television, no one would have ever heard of any of you, except for Woodward!" [April 19, 2005]Is portrayed by Jason Robards in All the President's Men (1976).Father of son, Josiah Quinn Crowninshield Bradlee (born in 1982) with Sally Quinn; Father-in-law of Pary Anbaz-Williamson (born in 1977) both of Washington D.C.