Were Ann Landers and Dear Abby related to each other?

Ann Landers, born Esther Friedman, and Dear Abby, born Pauline Friedman, were twin sisters. The twins began a decades-long feud that began in 1956, when Pauline began her "Dear Abby" column several months after Esther took over the already existent "Ann Landers" column.

Esther Friedman Lederer was not the original "Ann Landers." The original was Ruth Crowley, a Chicago nurse who had been writing for the Chicago Sun-Times since 1941. It was only after Crowley's death in 1955 that Esther took over. The Friedman twins reconciled briefly in 1964 and again in 2002 just before Esther's death. Esther's daughter Margo took over "Ann Landers" column. Pauline's daughter Jeanne took over the "Dear Abby" column.