Bogus clark rockefeller s financially supportive unlegalized wife, who earns over a million a year which he controls, discovers he is a phony but stays with him because it has advanced her career in finance and gotten her financial company the city of new york as an account. Vice president nelson rockefeller, and a fourthgeneration member of the rockefeller family. In the end, the killers con says more about his victims than. A few years later in the 1990s, a young man name of clark rockefeller infiltrated the uppercrust of new york, claiming he was a member of the rockefeller family, one of the most elite and prestigious of american clans.
Rockefeller is a readymade character, one whom kirn would be guilty of professional. The true story of murder, a mystery and a masquerade, walter kirn tells the tale of his 10year friendship with a man he knew as clark rockefeller, but whose real. Clark rockefeller is patted down by nashua street jail. Kirns friendship with rockefeller kirn calls him clark throughout his book began with a crippled dog, which kirn delivered in the late 90s from montana to manhattan after rockefeller adopted. He was subsequently convicted of the custodial kidnapping of his daughter. The career con man who convincingly passed himself off as clark rockefeller was born in a. After befriending clark rockefeller, kirn continued a. People dont tend to tell the story that i tell in this book, and for a. The story of how the german chameleon christian karl gerhartsreiter fooled successive flocks of americans with his. In a new book, walter kirn writes of his friendship with clark rockefeller. It stars eric mccormack as christian gerhartsreiter clark rockefeller and sherry stringfield as sandra boss. Christian gerhartsreiter was a man of many identities but to most he was clark rockefeller.
Prepare to be shocked as the grisly details about the murder of computer geek john sohus are revealed in frank c. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. The rockefeller archive center, an independent foundation that was until 2008 a part of rockefeller university, is a vast threestory underground bunker built below the martha. Rockefeller family simple english wikipedia, the free. Turns out hes not who anyone thought including his wife. Christian karl gerhartsreiter born february 21, 1961 is a convicted murderer and impostor. He was the youngest son of new york governor nelson rockefeller. The astonishing rise and spectacular fall of a serial. He is the oldest living member of the family who still carries the rockefeller name, and has been the oldest living rockefeller since his uncle david rockefeller died at the age of 101 in march 2017. Clark rockefeller, the prime suspect in sohus murder, may have been the last person to see him alive. Clark rockefeller is patted down by nashua street jail guard in a hallway before an interview with the boston globe at the nashua street jail.
His new owner was named clark rockefeller, and as badly as he wanted this dog, he had no way to come get her. A better title for kirns book might be the con man and the dupe. Christian karl gerhartsreiter, who calls himself clark rockefeller, entered court during his kidnapping trial in boston. I recommend that you first read the man in the rockefeller suit. People dont tend to tell the story that i tell in this book, and for a good reason. Yale, julia worked as an assistant to the publisher at algonquin books and was. On a sunny sunday last july, clark rockefeller left his stately. My friend rockefeller documentary now on netflix home.
Rockefeller, governors former wife, dead at 91 mary clark rockefeller, who was prominent in the education of nurses and was new york states first lady when she. From german kid to rockefeller scion for three decades, christian gerhartsreiter claimed to be someone else. Clark rockefeller, is in many ways a sequel to kirns college memoir. Writer recalls friendship with clark rockefeller usa today. After fleeing his german hometown, he developed a series of false. The astonishing rise and spectacular fall of a serial impostor. Prepare to be shocked as the grisly details about the murder of san marino computer geek john sohus are revealed in frank c. Besides covering gerhartsreiters preliminary hearing, he will put the finishing touches on his first piece of nonfiction. Clark rockefeller gets 27 years for murder the boston. Walter kirn, author of blood will out in 1998, the novelist befriended a rich, eccentric, artloving rockefeller or so he thought. In a new book, the journalist walter kirn writes of his friendship with the murderer clark rockefeller. This shocking expose goes behind the headlines to uncover the true story of clark rockefeller, wealthy scion of a great american family, who kidnapped his own.
In addition to clark rockefeller, gerhartsreiters aliases include chris c. Rockefeller has 30 books on goodreads with 1282 ratings. The story of clark rockefeller is a strangerthanfiction twist on the classic american success story of the selfmade manbecause clark rockefeller was totally. The youngest son of mary todhunter clark and nelson. I definitely felt the author did the story justice and gave a lot of insight into the man known most famously as clark rockefeller. Michael rockefeller sets sail, bound for adventure. July 8, 1839 may 23, 1937 was an american business magnate and philanthropist. While seal notes that a few people failed to believe rockefellers stories or personas, the majority of people gerhartstreiter met were more than happy. Pretend rockefeller could sell a bridge over the east. He is exposed as a rockefeller impersonator, convicted of murder and sent to jail. He is widely considered the wealthiest american of all time, and the richest person in modern history rockefeller was born into a large family in upstate new york that moved several times before eventually settling in cleveland, ohio. I am a huge criminal justicecriminology fan and try to get my hands on as many books and documentaries of this type that i can.
Walter kirn, who was duped by an impostor known as clark rockefeller, examines their complicated relationship. Kirns friendship with rockefeller kirn calls him clark throughout his book began with a crippled dog, which kirn delivered in the late 90s from. It is a thorough investigative report into clark from childhood in germany up through the first trial for. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Michael clark rockefeller may 18, 1938 presumed to have died november 19, 1961 was the fifth child of new york governor and future u.
My name is clark rockefeller, and i can put an injunction on your little book, he told alma gilbert, director of the cornish colony museum, who wanted to include pictures of doveridge in a. But in spite of his connection to one of the richest. The many faces of clark rockefeller dateline nbc crime. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Talking to people familiar with the case and analyzing the weeks of testimony, mark seal looks at christian gerhartsreiters first.
Mary todhunter tod clark rockefeller 19071999 find. Michael clark rockefeller 19381961 find a grave memorial. You cant read the man in the rockefeller suit without wondering if rockefeller would have conned you too. My name is clark rockefeller, and i can put an injunction on your little book, he told alma gilbert, director of the cornish colony museum, who wanted to. He disappeared during an expedition in the asmat region of southwestern netherlands new guinea, which is now a part of indonesian province of papua. Michael rockefeller, the heir who may have been eaten by. An epigraph from patricia highsmiths the talented mr. Log in or sign up for facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. This new book, about the killer con man christian gerhartsreiter, a. Clark rockefeller, the german national who pretended for years to be a member of the rockefeller dynasty, is set to stand trial may 26. Walter kirns memoir about clark rockefeller, blood will.
Son of former new york governor nelson rockefeller and heir to the rockefeller oil fortune. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. Even before meeting rockefeller in the flesh, the writer in kirn wakes up. Read the story of christian gerhartsreiter, a german man who made. Seal in these pages, clark rockefeller is no jay gatsby no romantic believer in the american dream, no innocent in pursuit of a. As rockefeller was proud of boasting, he was a descendant of the famous rockefeller family. My friend rockefeller 2015 my friend rockefeller 2015.
But the killers con says more about his victims than himself. Steven clark rockefeller born april 19, 1936 is a fourthgeneration member of the rockefeller family, and a former dean of middlebury college. Time dredges up ten of the most notorious imposters from the past. In 1995, a successful businesswoman named sandra boss married a man named clark rockefeller. Clark rockefeller is discussed with writer walter kirn in this uncensored interview that examines kirns fascinating book, blood will out. Gerhartsreiter was arrested on august 2, 2008, six days after he abducted his daughter while she was on a visit. The film is based on the life of christian gerhartsreiter, a german con artist who for years impersonated many people, at one point. The time that i knew him as clark rockefeller, i thought that he was a lot of. The stranger, clark rockefeller, is a member of the famous and wealthy family, and kirn freely admits that throughout his own time at princeton. Clark rockefeller story, which offers multiple thrills.
58 1141 756 590 754 31 879 872 1045 1462 346 614 1381 577 175 526 606 1295 20 1433 1440 1432 853 203 540 288 974 1007 918 1330 1032