Barbara Frum was born in Niagara Falls, New York on September 8, 1937, the daughter of a successful local retailer; but she grew up across the river in Niagara Falls, Ontario. She married Toronto dentist Murray Frum at the age of 19, and they had three children: David, Linda and Matthew. Frum began her career as a journalist by writing for such publications as The Globe & Mail, The Toronto Star, and Saturday Night. She later achieved much fame on CBC Radio, co-hosting As It Happens; then on CBC Television, as host of The Journal for nearly a decade. She was also a champion of women's and Jewish causes in Canada. Sadly, her life was cut short by leukemia at age 54. Her daughter Linda is the author of an acclaimed biography of her mother.