When Anna Nicole Smith married oil-billionaire, J. Howard Marshall in 1994 (63 years her senior), she probably never thought her life and the life of others around her, would turn into such a tragedy - just 13 years later. After Marshall's death in 1995, Anna claimed he promised her half of his U.S $1.6 Billion fortune. Is this where the "curse" began?
Think about this for a minute - after Anna was "promised" half of Marshall's fortune, she soon began suffering with her health, career, finances (she filed for bankruptcy in 1996), legal battles and drug-use - only to name a few. Marshall's own son, E. Pierce Marshall, died battling Anna over his father's fortune, Anna's son Daniel died under suspicious circumstances (mere days after the birth of her daughter, Dannielynn) and then came the suspicious death of Anna herself (at age 39). No less than 6 men subsequently came out of the woodwork, all claiming they were the father of Dannielynn! But is this the end of the "U.S $500 Million Curse"?
Absolutely not.
If you were one of the many who were glued to their TV set this past week looking at the court-battle over Anna's remains, you would see why the "curse" is still very much alive - despite people dying around it. The 3 main parties involved in the legal-wranglings include Anna's mother, Virgie Arthur, Howard K. Stern and Larry Birkhead. Judge Larry Seidlin in Florida indicated that the focus of everyone's interest should now be directed to the well-being of Anna's little girl, Dannielynn. True, but for the parties involved, does a US $500 Million pay-day trump that? Judge Seidlin on 22nd February 2007 made an emotional ruling (complete with tears) that he wants Anna buried next to her son, Daniel in the Bahamas. It is what Anna would have wanted - she had even purchased a plot next to Daniel before she died. Judge Seidlin received alot of criticism for his unconventional antics during the hearings, but he was fair throughout (as with his final ruling) and you got the impression he was also sincere (despite rumors he is seeking a "Judge Judy"-type TV show). When one of Virgie's lawyers briefly collapsed in court, Judge Seidlin promptly called a recess and whipped out his own credit card to pay for orange juice for the diabetic lawyer. Sure, the cameras were on and rolling - but there was an air of sincerity about the Judge. Later on when the same lawyer was speaking to a witness, the Judge was softly heard advising him to take his time and not get too excited.
Less than an hour after Judge Seidlin's ruling, all 3 parties involved in the hearings came out with their lawyers for a brief press conference - showing a united-front and suggesting everything would be worked out amicably and everyone had agreed to have Anna buried next to her son in the Bahamas. Right. Sure. Is that why Anna's mother later sent her lawyers to appeal Judge Seidlin's decision? She wants Anna buried in Texas and she also wants to exhume Daniel's remains in the Bahamas and have it moved to Texas! During their testimonies, Virgie, Howard and Larry all admitted under oath that they profited from Anna in one form or another (Howard went as far as to admit that for a long time, his only source of income was Anna!). Larry admitted he sold many of Anna's pictures for profit as her photographer. There is also a rumor that Howard talked Anna into selling photos of Daniel and her new baby - soon after Daniel died!). So these people all clearly profited from Anna while she was alive - so are their intentions now to seek profit from Anna's death? Anna's own mother, Virgie, admitted that she took along a journalist from "Splash" to film her visit of Daniel's grave in the Bahamas. Was Virgie paid for this video? She said "no" during her testimony - but later came back and admitted that her round-trip to the Bahamas was paid for by the "Splash" journalist. Who knows what other compensation she received. This ties well into the video that was played during the court hearings, showing Anna blasting her mother for trying to profit off her and Daniel. Anna knew exactly what was going on even then - and probably knows what is taking place now, after her death.
Before Anna died, she named Howard as "Executor" in her Will. According to Florida law, an "Executor" is entitled to 6% of the awarded-fortune. Do the math on 6% of U.S $500 Million.
As the battle over where to bury Anna continues (more than 2 weeks since her death), other court proceedings are already on the way to prove that Larry Birkhead is the biological father of Dannielynn (never mind the fact that Howard is currently recognised as Dannielynn's father in the Bahamas). The matter of exactly how much of Marshall's fortune will eventually go to Dannielynn (and who gets control of it) is yet to be finalized. Sadly, the battle over Marshall's millions will take us into the new decade - and beyond.
This all reminds me of the title of a classic movie with James Cagney - "Angels With Dirty Faces". Everyone is weeping for Anna and trying to show an angelic-front, but they all have dirty motives behind it.
Think about this for a minute - after Anna was "promised" half of Marshall's fortune, she soon began suffering with her health, career, finances (she filed for bankruptcy in 1996), legal battles and drug-use - only to name a few. Marshall's own son, E. Pierce Marshall, died battling Anna over his father's fortune, Anna's son Daniel died under suspicious circumstances (mere days after the birth of her daughter, Dannielynn) and then came the suspicious death of Anna herself (at age 39). No less than 6 men subsequently came out of the woodwork, all claiming they were the father of Dannielynn! But is this the end of the "U.S $500 Million Curse"?
Absolutely not.
If you were one of the many who were glued to their TV set this past week looking at the court-battle over Anna's remains, you would see why the "curse" is still very much alive - despite people dying around it. The 3 main parties involved in the legal-wranglings include Anna's mother, Virgie Arthur, Howard K. Stern and Larry Birkhead. Judge Larry Seidlin in Florida indicated that the focus of everyone's interest should now be directed to the well-being of Anna's little girl, Dannielynn. True, but for the parties involved, does a US $500 Million pay-day trump that? Judge Seidlin on 22nd February 2007 made an emotional ruling (complete with tears) that he wants Anna buried next to her son, Daniel in the Bahamas. It is what Anna would have wanted - she had even purchased a plot next to Daniel before she died. Judge Seidlin received alot of criticism for his unconventional antics during the hearings, but he was fair throughout (as with his final ruling) and you got the impression he was also sincere (despite rumors he is seeking a "Judge Judy"-type TV show). When one of Virgie's lawyers briefly collapsed in court, Judge Seidlin promptly called a recess and whipped out his own credit card to pay for orange juice for the diabetic lawyer. Sure, the cameras were on and rolling - but there was an air of sincerity about the Judge. Later on when the same lawyer was speaking to a witness, the Judge was softly heard advising him to take his time and not get too excited.
Less than an hour after Judge Seidlin's ruling, all 3 parties involved in the hearings came out with their lawyers for a brief press conference - showing a united-front and suggesting everything would be worked out amicably and everyone had agreed to have Anna buried next to her son in the Bahamas. Right. Sure. Is that why Anna's mother later sent her lawyers to appeal Judge Seidlin's decision? She wants Anna buried in Texas and she also wants to exhume Daniel's remains in the Bahamas and have it moved to Texas! During their testimonies, Virgie, Howard and Larry all admitted under oath that they profited from Anna in one form or another (Howard went as far as to admit that for a long time, his only source of income was Anna!). Larry admitted he sold many of Anna's pictures for profit as her photographer. There is also a rumor that Howard talked Anna into selling photos of Daniel and her new baby - soon after Daniel died!). So these people all clearly profited from Anna while she was alive - so are their intentions now to seek profit from Anna's death? Anna's own mother, Virgie, admitted that she took along a journalist from "Splash" to film her visit of Daniel's grave in the Bahamas. Was Virgie paid for this video? She said "no" during her testimony - but later came back and admitted that her round-trip to the Bahamas was paid for by the "Splash" journalist. Who knows what other compensation she received. This ties well into the video that was played during the court hearings, showing Anna blasting her mother for trying to profit off her and Daniel. Anna knew exactly what was going on even then - and probably knows what is taking place now, after her death.
Before Anna died, she named Howard as "Executor" in her Will. According to Florida law, an "Executor" is entitled to 6% of the awarded-fortune. Do the math on 6% of U.S $500 Million.
As the battle over where to bury Anna continues (more than 2 weeks since her death), other court proceedings are already on the way to prove that Larry Birkhead is the biological father of Dannielynn (never mind the fact that Howard is currently recognised as Dannielynn's father in the Bahamas). The matter of exactly how much of Marshall's fortune will eventually go to Dannielynn (and who gets control of it) is yet to be finalized. Sadly, the battle over Marshall's millions will take us into the new decade - and beyond.
This all reminds me of the title of a classic movie with James Cagney - "Angels With Dirty Faces". Everyone is weeping for Anna and trying to show an angelic-front, but they all have dirty motives behind it.
