In addition to hair-styling talent, Kenneth Battelle established a rapport with his famous clients. “He was private and very discreet, and that’s how he attracted both the wife and the mistress of the president,” author Giuseppe Longo explained to People. “They fully trusted him.” Throughout his life, Battelle maintained ignorance of the alleged affair between Marilyn Monroe and President John F. Kennedy, and he was never tempted to profit from anything he did know. “He didn’t exploit people,” Joan Conine, Battelle’s sister, told Syracuse’s Post-Standard in 2013.
Battelle designed a bouffant look for Jackie Kennedy, and it became one of the most popular hairstyles of the early 1960s. The celebrity stylist espoused looks that were soft and natural, so he was dismayed when Jackie requested more hairspray, after getting flak for wind messing up her signature style during a photo op. Battelle found a middle ground, telling Vanity Fair in 2003, “I always allowed a few wisps to fall away to make her look less ‘set.'” This smart strategy can be seen in photos where JFK is tenderly touching the former first lady’s wayward locks.
Battelle also made house calls, like when he visited Monroe’s apartment to style her hair before singing at JFK’s Madison Square Garden birthday celebration. “[Monroe] said she was fearful of publicity,” Battelle explained, per People. “Since I was doing both Marilyn and Mrs. Kennedy at the same time, I imagine it was about that.”