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Laurie Bird

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Laurie Bird
Bird in 1971
Born(1953-09-26)September 26, 1953[1]
Glen Cove, New York, U.S.[2]
DiedJune 15, 1979(1979-06-15) (aged 25)
New York City, U.S.
Burial placeFlushing Cemetery, Queens, New York City
40°45′6″N 73°47′58″W / 40.75167°N 73.79944°W / 40.75167; -73.79944
Other namesLauri Bird
Occupation(s)Film actor, photographer

Laurie Bird (September 26, 1953 – June 15, 1979)[3] was an American film actress and photographer. She appeared in three films during the 1970s, two of which were directed by Monte Hellman. She was romantically involved with Hellman and Art Garfunkel, dying by suicide in the latter's apartment by taking an overdose of Valium.

Early life

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Bird's mother died by suicide when Bird was a baby. Her father was an electrical engineer. She had two elder brothers. Her strict father restricted her social life and she fled home multiple times. In response, she was placed by him in an institution for troubled girls.[4] She attended Jamaica High School, in New York City, until she was 15.[2]

Career

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Described by Hollywood columnist Dick Kleiner as "look[ing] like an innocent Hayley Mills", Bird appeared in just three films: Two-Lane Blacktop (1971), Cockfighter (1974), and a small role as girlfriend to Paul Simon's character in the romantic comedy Annie Hall (1977).[5] While researching for Two-Lane Blacktop, screenwriter Rudolph Wurlitzer met her and recommended her to Hellman while he was looking for actresses for the same movie.[4] In Two-Lane Blacktop she played a hitchhiker to whom the film's characters are initially attracted, but who runs off with a motorcyclist near the end of the film.[4]

In 2012, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.[6] Her second release, Cockfighter, had her paired opposite Warren Oates. He loses her in a bet. Film critic Michael Atkinson wrote in his book Exile Hollywood (2008) "In two films, she made more of an impression, left more of a synaesthetic presence, than many actors do in a career".[7]

Bird was the still photographer on Cockfighter[8] and shot the cover photo for Art Garfunkel's 1977 album Watermark. She appeared on the cover of Garfunkel's 1975 album Breakaway.[9]

Personal life

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She was romantically involved with her Blacktop and Cockfighter director Monte Hellman.[10] From 1974 until her death in 1979, Bird was in a serious romantic relationship with Art Garfunkel.[11]

Suicide

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In 1979, Bird died by suicide by taking an overdose of Valium[12] in the New York apartment she shared with Garfunkel, who was deeply affected by her death. Garfunkel said, "She was beautiful, in a lonesome, haunted way, and I adored her. But I wasn't ready for marriage and she was not very comfortable being Laurie. She wasn't happy with herself. Her mother died by suicide at 25, and so did she."[13]

Legacy

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Garfunkel's 1975 album Breakaway features Bird on the cover.

Garfunkel's 1981 album Scissors Cut states in its credits that it was "dedicated to you, Bird", and carried a partial photograph of her on its back cover.

Bird's relationship with Garfunkel was referred to in the liner notes of the latter's 1988 album Lefty and his collection of prose poems Still Water.[14] Hellman dedicated his 2010 film Road to Nowhere to Laurie Bird.[15]

Tim Kinsella's novel Let Go and Go On and On (2014) is subtitled Based on the roles of Laurie Bird. In the foreword, he writes, "This book by no means intends to convey any truth beyond one possible solution to the puzzles of her life and work."[16]

Natural Snow Buildings named one of their many 2008 releases after Bird.

Credits

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Title Year Role Director(s) Notes Ref(s)
Two-Lane Blacktop 1971 The Girl Monte Hellman also uncredited performer: "Stealin'", "Satisfaction" [17]
Cockfighter 1974 Dody White Monte Hellman Also credited as still photographer [18]
Annie Hall 1977 Tony Lacey's Girlfriend Woody Allen Credited as Lauri Bird [19]

References

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  1. ^ Some sources cite 1952 as Bird's year of birth.
  2. ^ a b Compo 2009, p. 209.
  3. ^ Some sources cite 1952 as Bird's year of birth.
  4. ^ a b c Kleiner, Dick (August 14, 1971). "Laurie Bird Plays Herself in First Role". Beatrice Daily Sun. Beatrice, Nebraska. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 9. Retrieved May 22, 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com. Free access icon
  5. ^ "Annie Hall—Detail view of Movies Page". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  6. ^ Wolgamott, L. Kent (September 18, 2013). "At The Movies: 'Rush' and the best racing movies ever". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
  7. ^ Atkinson 2008, p. 183.
  8. ^ "Cockfighter—Detail view of Movies page". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on May 20, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  9. ^ Morella, Joe; Barey, Patricia (1991). Simon and Garfunkel: old friends. Carol Pub. Group. p. 184. ISBN 978-1-55972-089-2.
  10. ^ Compo 2009, p. 280.
  11. ^ Lester, Paul (June 24, 2015). "Art Garfunkel: 'Weird is a fair word for me'". Theguardian.com. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  12. ^ Atkinson 2008, p. 185.
  13. ^ Shelden, Michael (January 27, 2003). "Can Art get the harmony back?". The Telegraph. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  14. ^ Campbell, Mary (November 22, 1989). "Art Garfunkel composes book of his prose poems". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on February 27, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2017 – via HighBeam Research.
  15. ^ Thomas, Kevin (May 14, 2011). "Monte Hellman's long and winding road". Los Angeles Times. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
  16. ^ Kinsella, Tim (2014). Let Go and Go On and On. Chicago, Illinois: Curbside Splendor Publishing. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-940430-01-0.
  17. ^ Murthi, Vikram (November 4, 2015). "Criticwire Classic of the Week: Monte Hellman's 'Two-Lane Blacktop'". Indiewire. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
  18. ^ Stevens, Brad (2003). Monte Hellman: His Life and Films. McFarland. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-7864-8188-0.
  19. ^ "Annie Hall (1977) – Cast, Crew, Director and Awards". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2016. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2016.

Bibliography

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