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| Barbara Stanwyck, 1943 |
This entry is about a crime that when it happened seemed (to me) really wrong and it's always bothered me. Most likely because I'm a fan; I'll readily admit, there are way worse crimes against celebrities out there. Connie Francis immediately comes to mind but that's another crime for another time.
Today it's the 1981 home burglary and battery of Barbara Stanwyck. Maybe this is new to you or perhaps, like me, you took it personally.
Miss Stanwyck described herself as "Tough old broad from Brooklyn," and she was, but some friends indicate that emotionally she never recovered from the assault.
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| Barbara Stanwyck, 1981 |
At roughly 1 AM on Tuesday the 27th of October, Barbara Stanwyck was awakened by a man's voice. He was shining a flashlight in her face and demanding to know where her jewelry was kept. Miss Stanwyck turned on a bedside lamp. She got a quick look at the thief before being hit on the head with a blunt object and thrown into a bedroom closet. Barbara was later able to describe the man as about 6' 2'', 200 pounds and wearing a ski mask. She stayed in the closet for some time before believing the coast was clear, at which point she crawled out and called the police. She was treated for minor injuries at Cedars-Sinai Hospital and released.
Police had little to go on. He seemed to have entered the 3 bedroom home through a broken window. Burglaries in the Trousdale Estates area were rare.
According to newspaper reports at the time, the burglar stole about $5,000 worth of jewelry. November 25, 1985 People Magazine article would estimate the loss to be closer to $40,000. Items stolen included a beloved ruby-encrusted cigarette case from her second husband Robert Taylor.
The crime was never solved.
Sidenote - in 1985 this same home would catch fire and cause an estimated $1.5 million in damages. I distinctly remember Miss Stanwyck saying that the greatest loss was love letters written to her by Robert Taylor.
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