The Untold Story Of Gloria Vanderbilt: 5 Shocking Facts About Anderson Cooper's 'Poor Little Rich Girl' Mom

Anderson Cooper’s mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, was far more than just a socialite or an heiress to one of America’s most storied fortunes. Her life, which spanned 95 years until her death in 2019, was a whirlwind of tragedy, artistic expression, entrepreneurial success, and public fascination.

As of late 2025, the legacy of Gloria Vanderbilt continues to captivate, especially through the eyes of her youngest son, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who frequently speaks about her vibrant spirit and their unique bond. The following delves into the most compelling and often surprising facts about the woman who defied expectations and forged her own path outside the shadow of the Vanderbilt name.

Gloria Vanderbilt: A Complete Biographical Profile

Gloria Laura Vanderbilt was an American artist, author, actress, fashion designer, heiress, and socialite whose life was defined by both immense wealth and profound personal struggle. Born into the powerful, Gilded Age Vanderbilt dynasty, she was thrust into the spotlight from childhood.

• 7 Shocking Things Jessica Capshaw Revealed About Growing Up With Steven Spielberg As Her Stepfather 892ho

• Full Name: Gloria Laura Vanderbilt
• Born: February 20, 1924, in New York City, New York
• Died: June 17, 2019, in New York City, New York (Age 95)
• Cause of Death: Advanced Stomach Cancer
• Father: Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (Died when Gloria was 18 months old)
• Mother: Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt
• Family Lineage: Great-great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the founder of the Vanderbilt shipping and railroad fortune.
• Spouses:
  • Pasquale "Pat" DiCicco (m. 1941; div. 1945)
  • Leopold Stokowski (m. 1945; div. 1955)
  • Sidney Lumet (m. 1956; div. 1963)
  • Wyatt Emory Cooper (m. 1963; d. 1978)
• Children:
  • Leopold Stanislaus "Stan" Stokowski (with Leopold Stokowski)
  • Christopher Stokowski (with Leopold Stokowski)
  • Carter Vanderbilt Cooper (with Wyatt Cooper)
  • Anderson Hays Cooper (with Wyatt Cooper)
• Notable Works: *The Rainbow Comes and Goes* (memoir with Anderson Cooper), *A Mother's Story* (book about her son Carter’s suicide), Gloria Vanderbilt designer jeans.

The Scandalous 'Poor Little Rich Girl' Custody Battle

Gloria Vanderbilt’s life began with a sensational public scandal that earned her the moniker "the poor little rich girl." This event is critical to understanding her lifelong aversion to the trappings of old money.

The 1934 Trial: At just ten years old, Gloria was the subject of a highly publicized custody battle between her mother, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, and her paternal aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney.

The trial was a media frenzy, with lurid details of her mother’s alleged affairs and questionable parenting being aired in court.

• The Chilling True Story 5 Key Facts About Richard Evonitz The Serial Killer Who Kidnapped Kara Robinson Chamberlain Xpjje

Ultimately, the court awarded custody to her aunt, Gertrude, citing the mother's "unfitness." This public spectacle and the trauma of being torn between two powerful, warring family members shaped Gloria's perspective on wealth and privacy for the rest of her life.

A Lifelong Impact: The experience instilled in her a deep drive to create her own identity and fortune, separate from the inherited Vanderbilt name. She was determined not to be merely a figurehead of a defunct dynasty, but a working artist and entrepreneur.

From Heiress to Denim Empire: Her Surprising Business Success

While she was born into one of the wealthiest families in American history, Gloria Vanderbilt’s most significant financial success came from her own ingenuity in the fashion industry, specifically with designer denim.

• The Surprise Vegas Wedding And Shared Grief 5 Shocking Details Of John Schneider And Dee Dee Sorvinos Whirlwind Romance Ohirf

The Designer Jeans Pioneer: In 1976, Vanderbilt partnered with Mohan Murjani to launch a line of designer jeans.

This was a revolutionary move. Before her, jeans were largely considered utilitarian workwear. Gloria Vanderbilt’s brand transformed them into a must-have fashion item, focusing on a flattering fit and featuring her signature swan logo.

The success was immediate and staggering. The brand was a phenomenon, selling 150,000 pairs of jeans on the first day alone.

The *New York Times* in 1979 called the marketing of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans "one of the most dramatic American business success stories of the decade." The venture catapulted her into the world of major commerce, validating her desire to be a self-made woman.

The Tragic Loss and The Mother-Son Bond with Anderson Cooper

Despite her glamour and artistic achievements, Gloria Vanderbilt endured immense personal tragedy that forged an unbreakable bond with her son, Anderson Cooper.

The Suicide of Carter Cooper: In 1988, Gloria’s son, Carter Vanderbilt Cooper, died by suicide at the age of 23 by jumping from the terrace of her 14th-floor apartment in New York City.

This devastating event deeply affected both Gloria and Anderson. Gloria later channeled her grief into the book *A Mother's Story*, a powerful and raw account of her loss.

A Public and Private Relationship: Following the tragedy, the relationship between Gloria and Anderson Cooper became the central focus of their lives. They co-authored the 2016 memoir, *The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son Talk About Life, Love, and Loss*, and were the subjects of the Emmy-nominated HBO documentary, *Nothing Left Unsaid*.

These projects offered a rare, intimate look at their dynamic, revealing a mother who encouraged her son to embrace life fully and a son who deeply cherished his eccentric, resilient mother.

Anderson Cooper’s Surprising Inheritance

One of the most widely reported details after Gloria Vanderbilt's death was the surprising size of her estate, a fact that reinforced her and Anderson Cooper's shared philosophy on wealth.

The Misconception of Vast Wealth: Given the Vanderbilt name, many assumed Anderson Cooper would inherit a massive fortune. However, Gloria Vanderbilt had often stated that inherited money was a "curse" and that she did not believe in trust funds.

The Actual Estate Value: When Gloria Vanderbilt passed away in June 2019, her estate was valued at approximately $1.5 million.

Anderson Cooper received the majority of the estate, which amounted to less than $1.5 million, while her oldest son, Leopold "Stan" Stokowski, received her Manhattan co-op.

This amount was significantly less than the multi-million dollar figures often speculated, confirming Cooper’s previous statements that he expected no inheritance. He had publicly agreed with his mother's stance, stating that he believed "inherited money is a curse" and that he would not be leaving a trust fund for his own children.

The Legacy of Hard Work: This final act cemented Gloria Vanderbilt’s legacy as a woman who valued self-made success over inherited privilege. She ensured her children understood the importance of earning their own way, a principle Anderson Cooper has clearly adopted in his own highly successful career as a journalist and author.