Daughter of Donald Francis "Buster" Bird and Lillian Eichner.
Laurie Bird was a gifted actress who appeared in only three pictures during her regrettably short-lived career. Her father was a career military officer; her mother died when she was only six months old. She was working as a model when she was chosen by director Monte Hellman from nearly 500 women to portray "The Girl" in "Two-Lane Blacktop." Bird gave a fine and impressively natural performance in her film debut as the chatty and rootless hippie wanderer in Hellman's road movie. She was likewise excellent as Harry Dean Stanton's snippy young wife Dody Burke White in Hellman's bleak character study "Cockfighter." Following her small role as Paul Simon's L.A. girlfriend in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," Laurie quit acting altogether and became a photographer.
She committed suicide by taking an overdose of Valium in boyfriend Art Garfunkel's Manhattan penthouse at the tragically young age of 25. Garfunkel dedicated his album "Scissors Cut" to her. The album features a partial photograph of Laurie Bird on its back cover. At Laurie's funeral, her father revealed that her mother, who ostensibly had died of ovarian cancer, had also committed suicide at about the same age.∼Laurie Bird (September 26, 1953 โ 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, committing suicide in the latter's apartment by taking an overdose of Valium.
Born
September 26, 1953[1]
Glen Cove, New York, U.S.[2]
Died
June 15, 1979 (aged 25)
New York City, U.S.
Burial place
Flushing Cemetery, Queens, New York City
Early life
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
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
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
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, [sic] and so did she."
SOURCE
WIKIPEDIA
Laurie Bird was a gifted actress who appeared in only three pictures during her regrettably short-lived career. Her father was a career military officer; her mother died when she was only six months old. She was working as a model when she was chosen by director Monte Hellman from nearly 500 women to portray "The Girl" in "Two-Lane Blacktop." Bird gave a fine and impressively natural performance in her film debut as the chatty and rootless hippie wanderer in Hellman's road movie. She was likewise excellent as Harry Dean Stanton's snippy young wife Dody Burke White in Hellman's bleak character study "Cockfighter." Following her small role as Paul Simon's L.A. girlfriend in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," Laurie quit acting altogether and became a photographer.
She committed suicide by taking an overdose of Valium in boyfriend Art Garfunkel's Manhattan penthouse at the tragically young age of 25. Garfunkel dedicated his album "Scissors Cut" to her. The album features a partial photograph of Laurie Bird on its back cover. At Laurie's funeral, her father revealed that her mother, who ostensibly had died of ovarian cancer, had also committed suicide at about the same age.∼Laurie Bird (September 26, 1953 โ 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, committing suicide in the latter's apartment by taking an overdose of Valium.
Born
September 26, 1953[1]
Glen Cove, New York, U.S.[2]
Died
June 15, 1979 (aged 25)
New York City, U.S.
Burial place
Flushing Cemetery, Queens, New York City
Early life
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
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
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
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, [sic] and so did she."
SOURCE
WIKIPEDIA
Daughter of Donald Francis "Buster" Bird and Lillian Eichner.
Laurie Bird was a gifted actress who appeared in only three pictures during her regrettably short-lived career. Her father was a career military officer; her mother died when she was only six months old. She was working as a model when she was chosen by director Monte Hellman from nearly 500 women to portray "The Girl" in "Two-Lane Blacktop." Bird gave a fine and impressively natural performance in her film debut as the chatty and rootless hippie wanderer in Hellman's road movie. She was likewise excellent as Harry Dean Stanton's snippy young wife Dody Burke White in Hellman's bleak character study "Cockfighter." Following her small role as Paul Simon's L.A. girlfriend in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," Laurie quit acting altogether and became a photographer.
She committed suicide by taking an overdose of Valium in boyfriend Art Garfunkel's Manhattan penthouse at the tragically young age of 25. Garfunkel dedicated his album "Scissors Cut" to her. The album features a partial photograph of Laurie Bird on its back cover. At Laurie's funeral, her father revealed that her mother, who ostensibly had died of ovarian cancer, had also committed suicide at about the same age.∼Laurie Bird (September 26, 1953 โ 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, committing suicide in the latter's apartment by taking an overdose of Valium.
Born
September 26, 1953[1]
Glen Cove, New York, U.S.[2]
Died
June 15, 1979 (aged 25)
New York City, U.S.
Burial place
Flushing Cemetery, Queens, New York City
Early life
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
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
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
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, [sic] and so did she."
SOURCE
WIKIPEDIA
Laurie Bird was a gifted actress who appeared in only three pictures during her regrettably short-lived career. Her father was a career military officer; her mother died when she was only six months old. She was working as a model when she was chosen by director Monte Hellman from nearly 500 women to portray "The Girl" in "Two-Lane Blacktop." Bird gave a fine and impressively natural performance in her film debut as the chatty and rootless hippie wanderer in Hellman's road movie. She was likewise excellent as Harry Dean Stanton's snippy young wife Dody Burke White in Hellman's bleak character study "Cockfighter." Following her small role as Paul Simon's L.A. girlfriend in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," Laurie quit acting altogether and became a photographer.
She committed suicide by taking an overdose of Valium in boyfriend Art Garfunkel's Manhattan penthouse at the tragically young age of 25. Garfunkel dedicated his album "Scissors Cut" to her. The album features a partial photograph of Laurie Bird on its back cover. At Laurie's funeral, her father revealed that her mother, who ostensibly had died of ovarian cancer, had also committed suicide at about the same age.∼Laurie Bird (September 26, 1953 โ 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, committing suicide in the latter's apartment by taking an overdose of Valium.
Born
September 26, 1953[1]
Glen Cove, New York, U.S.[2]
Died
June 15, 1979 (aged 25)
New York City, U.S.
Burial place
Flushing Cemetery, Queens, New York City
Early life
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
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
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
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, [sic] and so did she."
SOURCE
WIKIPEDIA
Gravesite Details
Final inscribed name on headstone
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