Famous Historic Figures' Public Image vs the Reality of their Lives

1. A Bizarre Death’s Mystery

Albert Dekker’s death was initially ruled a suicide. However, after S&M toys and porn were found in his apartment, it was changed to accidental autoerotic asphyxiation while masturbating. Despite the coroner’s ruling, foul play was suspected. For one, his fiancee knew that he had been keeping $70,000 cash in the apartment to buy a new house. The money, as well as expensive cameras and filming equipment, was never found.

It also seemed incredible that Dekker could have tied himself in the manner in which he was discovered, all on his own. Whether he acted alone, or had a partner who panicked and fled after a scandalous game went terribly wrong, or he was murdered, is a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. Unfortunately, that weird ending that did more to shape Dekker’s public image and memory than his decades of stellar work and moral stands.

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Where Did We Find This Stuff? Some Sources and Further Reading

Atlantic, The, December, 2017 – How John Wayne Became a Hollow Masculine Icon

BBC – Fatty Arbuckle and Hollywood’s First Scandal

Cracked – 5 Famous People Whose Entire Personality Was an Act

Encyclopedia Britannica – Profumo Affair

Guardian, The, February 22^nd, 2016 – Last of the Red-Hot Myths: What Gossip Over Rudolph Valentino’s S** Life Says About the Silents

Guardian, The, April 9^th, 2017 – Eric Gill: Can We Separate the Artist From the Abuser?

Independent, The, September 18^th, 2015 – King Edward VIII: Uncle Who Encouraged Young Queen’s Nazi Salute Plotted With Adolf Hitler to Regain Throne

India Today, November 30^th, 1999 – Mahatma & Manuben: Newly Discovered Diaries of Gandhi’s Personal Attendant Reveal How His Experiments With Celibacy Changed Her Life

Live About – Jerry Lee Lewis Married His 13-Year-Old Cousin

Miedzian, Myriam – Boys Will be Boys: Breaking the Link Between Masculinity and Violence