Mrs. Astor Regrets

by Meryl Gordon

  [>] "My father walked over": Author interview with Alec Marshall at his home, Dec. 12, 2007.

  "I couldn't be more honored": Author phone interview with John Hart, Aug. 2007.

  [>] "It was as if": Author interview with confidential source.

  [>] "It was perfectly pleasant": Author phone interview with Emily Harding, Aug. 2007.

  "It's as if Tony": Author interview with confidential source.

  "We just stopped by": Lorena Mongelli and Lukas Alpert, "Secret Burial for Brooke," New York Post, Aug. 19, 2007, p. 15.

  "I never thought": Author interview with Ramon Acosta, Dec. 12, 2007.

  14. FAMILY PLOT

  [>] "We connected straight up": Author interview with Philip Marshall, multiple interviews, July 28, 2006–June 2008.

  "I feel a bit like": Author interview with Susan Robbins, multiple interviews, Sept. 5, 2007.

  "This is a nightmare": Westchester County Surrogate's Court, Sept. 5, 2007, transcript.

  [>] "Brooke specifically didn't want them": Author phone interview with Robert Pirie, Sept. 2007.

  "Torturous": Author interview with Charlene Marshall at Westchester County Surrogate's Court, Sept. 5, 2007.

  [>] "I'm eighty-three": Author interview with Tony Marshall at Westchester County Surrogate's Court, Sept. 5, 2007.

  "I didn't think he looked well": Author interview with Philip Marshall, Sept. 5, 2007.

  260 "We were not invited"; Author interview with Tony Marshall at the Metropolitan Museum, Sept. 28, 2007.

  [>] "Brooke said, 'Oh'"; Author eyewitness account, New York Public Library, Sept. 11, 2007.

  "All we do is": Author interview with Charlene Marshall at the Metropolitan Museum, Sept. 28, 2007.

  "the most extraordinary thing": Author phone interview with Viscount William Astor, Dec. 26, 2007.

  [>] "All the help"; Author interview with Alice Perdue at the Metropolitan Museum, Sept. 28, 2007.

  "I'd rather say things": Author interview with Chris Ely at the Metropolitan Museum, Sept. 28, 2007.

  [>] the couple had attended: "Sightings," New York Post, Dec. 31, 2007, p. 11.

  "If one didn't know": Author interview with Marilyn Berger at her home, Nov. 14, 2007.

  "They are the death of civilization": Author interview with Tony Marshall at Westchester County Surrogate's Court, Oct. 18, 2007.

  [>] "I adore him": Author interview with Charlene Marshall at Westchester County Surrogate's Court, Oct. 18, 2007.

  "That was perfectly acceptable": Author interview with Paul Saunders in Manhattan, Jan. 29, 2007.

  [>] "If it wasn't for Philip": Author interview with Dan Castleman in Manhattan, Jan. 8, 2008.

  [>] "When I had a terrible nosebleed": Steve Fishman, "The Curse of Mrs. Astor," New York, Nov. 19, 2007, pp. 22–27, 106–9.

  [>] "Philip has not looked": Author phone interview with Nan Starr, Mar. 2008.

  "I thought of going downstairs": Author phone interview with Alec Marshall, Mar. 2008.

  [>] "I sincerely hope": Melissa Grace, "Astor Grandson: Show Dad Mercy," Daily News, Nov. 28, 2007, pp. 5–6.

  "swindling Mrs. Astor": Robert M. Morgenthau press conference, Nov. 27, 2007, author eyewitness account and transcript.

  [>] "Whose suit is that?": Author interview with Shirley Shepard in Manhattan, Nov. 27, 2007.

  [>] "They may have arrested": Author phone interview with Viscount William Astor, Dec. 26, 2007.

  "He was ashen": Author interview with confidential source.

  [>] "I can argue": Author phone interview with Philip Marshall, Dec. 1, 2007.

  "I think that Tony": Author phone interview with Paul Gilbert, Jan. 6, 2008.

  "Charlene was so hostile": Author phone interview with Frances Kiernan, Dec. 2007.

  [>] "Girlsie is a total princess": Author phone interview with Molly Flint, July 1, 2008.

  [>] "My grandmother used to": Author interview with Alec Marshall, Dec. 12, 2007.

  277 Opris "was upset": Laura Italiano, "Battle 'Royal,'" New York Post, Feb. 26, 2008, p. 15.

  15. THE PEOPLE V. ANTHONY MARSHALL

  [>] "It was a jury of peers": Author interview with confidential source, May 2009.

  "I'm up in the mountains": Author phone interview with Philip Marshall, Apr. 26, 2009.

  "I'm just going to tell the truth": Author phone interview with Alec Marshall, Apr. 2009.

  [>] "Anthony Marshall's preoccupation": Elizabeth Loewy, Manhattan Supreme Court, Apr. 27, 2009.

  "Some of us look": Andrea Peyser, "ALL FOR WIFE'S LOVE OF MONEY," New York Post, Apr. 28, 2009, p. 10.

  "Prosecutor in Brooke Astor Case Points Finger": New York Times, Apr. 28, 2009, p. A19.

  "loyal and devoted son": Frederick Hafetz, Manhattan Supreme Court, Apr. 28, 2009.

  [>] "hard-working lawyer": Thomas Puccio, Manhattan Supreme Court, Apr. 28, 2009.

  "Cousin Brooke": Viscount William Astor, Manhattan Supreme Court, Apr. 29, 2009.

  "She was not snobbish": Philippe de Montebello, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 4, 2009.

  "had trouble remembering": Graydon Carter, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 20, 2009.

  "I'm the only person": Author phone interview with Annette de la Renta, May 3, 2009.

  [>] "I thought it was": Author phone interview with Annette de la Renta, May 14, 2009.

  "marker": Author interview with Elizabeth Loewy, May 2009.

  "I didn't think": Henry Kissinger, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 7, 2009.

  "that man": Joel Seidemann, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 7, 2009.

  "a little vague": Barbara Walters, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 7, 2009.

  [>] "I just go home": Author interview with Tony Marshall, Manhattan Supreme Court, July 9, 2009.

  "These lawyers": Author interview with Charlene Marshall, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 22, 2009.

  John Eligon: "Not On Trial but Being Judged as a Villain," New York Times, May 7, 2009, p. 1.

  "They can say": Author interview with Richard Osterweil at his home, June 22, 2009.

  [>] "she was having trouble": Alec Marshall, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 19, 2009.

  "I walked out": Author phone interview with Alec Marshall, July 3, 2009.

  "They never visited": Philip Marshall, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 19, 2009.

  "The court reporter's machine": Justice A. Kirke Bartley, Jr., Manhattan Supreme Court, May 20, 2009.

  285 "He couldn't find his way": Charlene Marshall, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 22, 2009.

  "my husband": Christopher Ely, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 9, 2009.

  "The only man": Angela Moore, Manhattan Supreme Court, July 9, 2009.

  [>] "no good": Dr. Rees Pritchett, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 24, 2009.

  "My son is nothing": Dwight Johnson, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 18, 2009.

  "He was so unfortunate": Miranda Kaiser, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 9, 2009.

  "Did you see": Author interview with Francis Morrissey, June 9, 2009.

  "She'd rather have Boysie": Dr. Kevin O'Flaherty, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 4, 2009.

  "What the f": Elizabeth Loewy, courtroom argument before Justice Bartley, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 13, 2009.

  "She's killing him!": Elizabeth Loewy, courtroom argument before Justice Bartley, Manhattan Supreme Court, May 12, 2009.

  "enabling ... giving in": Elizabeth Loewy, Manhattan Supreme Court, April 27, 2009.

  [>] "They are accusing this honorable": Frederick Hafetz, Manhattan Supreme Court, Apr. 28, 2009.

  "A lot of people": Henry "Terry" Christensen, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 1, 2009.

  "Did you think": Elizabeth Loewy, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 1, 2009.

  "I gave 15 years": Christensen, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 4, 2009.

  [>] "I last looked": Author phone interview with Elizabeth Wheaton-Smith, June 11, 2009.

  "You never know": Author phone interview with Alec Marshall, July 3, 2009.

  [>] "This is so twis
ted": Author phone interview with Philip Marshall, June 15, 2009.

  "They looked": Lia Opris, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 30, 2009.

  [>] "I was on trial": Author phone interview with Pearline Noble, July 17, 2009.

  "That's all?" Author interview with Christopher Ely, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 10, 2009.

  "He did not do one thing": Author interview with Charlene Marshall, Manhattan Supreme Court, June 29, 2009.

  [>] "Mother's feelings": Tony Marshall letter to Terry Christensen, Feb. 3, 2004.

  EPILOGUE: A SUNSET IN MAINE

  [>] "We were freer": Author phone interview with Nan Starr, Apr. 2008.

  [>] "She had all these trinkets": Author interview with Philip Marshall, multiple interviews, July 28, 2006–June 2008.

  "Every time we went to see Gagi": Author interview with Sophie Marshall, Apr. 2008.

  "And not drink:" Winslow Marshall e-mail to author, Apr. 2008.

  293 "She loved the little girl": Author interview with Alicia Johnson in Northeast Harbor, Maine, July 2007.

  [>] "I'd never met any of them": Author interview with Annette de la Renta, multiple interviews, Jan. 29, 2008–July 2008.

  "Brooke and I": Nan Starr interview.

  "She was a little offended": Author interview with David Rockefeller in his office, Dec. 18, 2007.

  "She was impressed": Sophie Marshall interview.

  [>] "It was really, really important": Nan Starr interview.

  Bibliography

  Alter, Jonathan. The Defining Moment. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007.

  Amory, Cleveland. Who Killed Society? New York: Harper and Brothers, 1960.

  Astor, Brooke. The Bluebird Is at Home. New York: Harper & Row, 1965.

  ——. Footprints. New York: Harper & Row, 1980.

  ——. The Last Blossom on the Plum Tree. New York: Random House, 1986.

  ——. Patchwork Child. New York: Random House, 1993.

  Duchin, Peter. Ghost of a Chance. New York: Random House, 1998.

  Fort, Ilene Susan. The Flag Paintings of Childe Hassam. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1988.

  Gilbert, Paul E. Personally Speaking. Maine: Horizon, 1996.

  Grafton, David. The Sisters: The Lives and Times of the Fabulous Cushing Sisters. New York: Villard, 1992.

  Gregorian, Vartan. The Road from Home. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003.

  Hays, Charlotte. The Fortune Hunters: Dazzling Women and the Men They Married. New York: St. Martin's, 2007.

  Hoving, Thomas. Making the Mummies Dance. New York: Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, 1994.

  Kaplan, Justin. When the Astors Owned New York. New York: Viking, 2006.

  Kiernan, Frances. The Last Mrs. Astor. New York: W. W. Norton, 2007.

  Lewis, Adam. Albert Hadley: The Story of America's Preeminent Interior Designer. New York: Rizzoli, 2005.

  Marshall, Anthony D. Dash. New York: Vantage, 2001.

  Okrent, Daniel. Great Fortune: The Epic of Rockefeller Center. New York: Viking, 2003.

  Rockefeller, David. Memoirs. New York: Random House, 2002.

  Schlesinger, Arthur M., Jr. Journals: 1952–2000. New York: Penguin, 2007.

  ——. Robert Kennedy and His Times. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1978.

  Seebohm, Caroline. No Regrets. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997.

  Smith, Liz. Dishing: Great Dishes—and Dishes—from America's Most Beloved Gossip Columnist. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005.

  ——. Natural Blonde. New York: Hyperion, 2000.

  Sterba, Jim. Frankie's Place: A Love Story. New York: Grove, 2003.

  Turpin, John K., and W. Barry Thomson. The Somerset Hills. New Jersey Country Houses, vol. II. Far Hills, N.J.: Mountain Colony, 2005.

  The Vincent Astor Foundation 1948–1997. New York: Vincent Astor Foundation, c. 1998.

  Weinberg, H. Barbara. Childe Hassam, American Impressionist. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2004.