In a new book, the journalist walter kirn writes of his friendship with the murderer clark rockefeller. Even though i knew much about the fictitious life of clark rockefeller, there were still. My name is clark rockefeller, and i can put an injunction on your little book, he told alma gilbert. Christian karl gerhartsreiter born february 21, 1961 is a convicted murderer and impostor. Reading true crime books is like eating junk food for me. The book begins with kirns darkly amusing trip crosscountry with a paraplegic dog, shelby, whom rockefeller is anxious to adopt. The astonishing rise and spectacular fall of a serial.
I recommend that you first read the man in the rockefeller suit. Gerhartsreiter was arrested on august 2, 2008, six days after he abducted his daughter while she was on a visit. Back at first flush, kirn had no idea how right he was. In this smart, reallife psychological thriller, the fake rockefeller is a zombie gatsby and kirn the postapocalyptic fitzgerald. Pretend rockefeller could sell a bridge over the east. Walter kirn on how he got fooled by a rockefeller impersonator. Complete with the irritating music for every scene. The astonishing rise and spectacular fall of a serial impostor. The man in the rockefeller suit audiobook, by mark seal. 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. It stars eric mccormack as christian gerhartsreiter clark rockefeller. Clark rockefeller news from united press international. After fleeing his german hometown, he developed a series of false.
Christian gerhartsreiter was a man of many identities but to most he was clark rockefeller. View the profiles of people named clark rockefeller. Jun 03, 20 walter kirn on how he got fooled by a rockefeller impersonator. He was first elected to the senate in 1984, while in office as governor of west virginia 197785.
The first rockefeller to emigrate to america 1723 was johann peter rockenfeller 1710, segendorf, neuwied. Ripley, the unbelievable thirtyyear run of a shapeshifting con man. I strongly recommend that these two books are read together. A journalist for thirtyfive years, mark seal is a contributing editor at vanity fair and the author of wildflower. Yale, julia worked as an assistant to the publisher at algonquin books and was. 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. But in spite of his connection to one of the richest families in the world, clark funded a lavish lifestyle completely on his wifes income. On a sunny sunday last july, clark rockefeller left his stately. In a vanity fair piece that reads like fiction, mark seal tells the story of a. It was as clark rockefeller, apparent member of americas aristocracy, that in 1993 he met sandra boss, a graduate of stanford university and.
In addition to clark rockefeller, gerhartsreiters aliases include chris c. Steven clark rockefeller born april 19, 1936 is a fourthgeneration member of the rockefeller family, and a former dean of middlebury college. Godfrey lewis rockefeller was a son of distant cousins william rockefeller 17501793 and christina rockefeller 17541800. So when seal began conducting research for what would become the book the man in the rockefeller suit, he found himself in the company of pleasant people who were articulate in their stories about the diminutive oddball in khakis, polo shirts, boat shoes no socks, ever and a prep school accent. Mark seal on the murder verdictand what became of the victims wife. In 1995, a successful businesswoman named sandra boss married a man named clark rockefeller. Mar 07, 2014 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. The film is based on the life of christian gerhartsreiter, a german con artist who for years impersonated many people, at one point. Sep 12, 2008 the many faces of clark rockefeller the latest on the imposter, recently convicted of kidnapping his daughter below. Christian karl gerhartsreiter born february 21, 1961 is a german man who moved to the united states as a teenager to study, and thereafter.
Jun 14, 2011 texas writer mark seals new book is rockefeller centered. The screenplay, by edithe swensen, appears to have been produced by taking the long january 2009 vanity fair article the man in the rockefeller suit and running it through a juicer the. It stars eric mccormack as christian gerhartsreiterclark rockefeller and sherry stringfield as sandra boss. In the end, the killers con says more about his victims than himself. Texas writer mark seals new book is rockefeller centered. Join facebook to connect with clark rockefeller and others you may know. Kirn has volunteered to drive shelby from montana to rockefeller in new york city. Godfrey lewis rockefeller was a son of distant cousins william rockefeller 17501793 and. The book follows the story of gerhartsreiter, otherwise known as clark rockefeller, and the story of his elaborate cons which eventually lead to his arrest after he kidnapped his own sevenyearold daughter near his home in bostons beacon hill neighborhood.
All the imposter needs is some kind of initial agreement that he is who he says he is. The true story of a murder, a mystery, and a masquerade is my book groups pick this january. The astonishing rise and spectacular fall of a serial impostor seal, mark on. Students of tabloid scandals may remember the 2008 case of clark rockefeller, an imposter who pretended to be a member of the famous family, kidnapped his own daughter, was caught and sent to jail, and is now charged with an earlier murder. Mark seal is a contributing editor at vanity fair, where his piece on. Talking to people familiar with the case and analyzing the weeks of testimony, mark seal looks at christian gerhartsreiters firstdegreemurder verdict. Mar, 2010 the screenplay, by edithe swensen, appears to have been produced by taking the long january 2009 vanity fair article the man in the rockefeller suit and running it through a juicer the. Mar 19, 2018 in 1995, a successful businesswoman named sandra boss married a man named clark rockefeller. Lawyer for man who calls himself clark rockefeller says it doesnt matter what the man whose real name is gerhartsreiter did, but what his state of mind was at the time. When the imposter who masqueraded as clark rockefeller was found guilty of firstdegree murder yesterday, i thought immediately of the victims. The man who once called himself clark rockefeller is now on trial in. The career con man who convincingly passed himself off as rockefeller was born in a small village in germany. While i waited for it, drinking cold coffee in my messy office above a westernclothing store, i asked clark what he did for work.
Writer kirn was a friend of clark rockefeller or the man he who knew by. Born in germany, he is currently serving a prison sentence in california. An extraordinary life and untimely death in africa, 2009 unravels the complex case of clark rockefeller, a fiendishly clever con man who, over the course of three decades, insinuated himself into the highest echelons of. Walter kirn, author of blood will out in 1998, the novelist befriended a rich, eccentric, artloving rockefeller or so he thought. Aug 24, 2008 it was as clark rockefeller, apparent member of americas aristocracy, that in 1993 he met sandra boss, a graduate of stanford university and the harvard business school and seven years his. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Seal was a 2010 national magazine award finalist for his vanity fair profile of clark rockefeller. An extraordinary life and mysterious death in africa, about the murdered wildlife filmmaker and naturalist joan root. Vanity fair confidential the counterfeit rockefeller tv. Mark seal is a contributing editor at vanity fair, where his piece on gerhartsreiter was a finalist for a 2010 national magazine award. The big short 6 jared vennetts pitch to front point partners jenga blocks scene duration. California, backyard, encased in book bags from universities where the.
It stars eric mccormack as christian gerhartsreiter clark rockefeller and sherry stringfield as sandra boss. What drew you to christian karl gerhartsreiters story. Its such an honest book that i feel kirn is finally too hard on himself for believing rockefellerkirn is a writer, after all, and he has to follow the story before it even takes shape as a. Clark rockefeller story, which offers multiple thrills. As rockefeller was proud of boasting, he was a descendant of the famous rockefeller family. It plays out very much like a tv crimesolving show. A faux rockefeller fooled the author of blood will out for years, until it became clear christian gerhartsreiter was a liar and a killer. The many faces of clark rockefeller the latest on the imposter, recently convicted of kidnapping his daughter below. Christian karl gerhartsreiter, who called himself clark rockefeller. While i waited for it, drinking cold coffee in my messy office above a westernclothing store, i. He was subsequently convicted of the custodial kidnapping of his daughter. Mar 16, 2014 in a new book, the journalist walter kirn writes of his friendship with the murderer clark rockefeller. Clark to agree to a decision which would eventually lead to the creation of the multimillion dollar company standard oil. In his late teens, gerhartsreiter moved to the us, where he lived under a succession of aliases while variously claiming to be an actor, director, art collector, a physicist, a ships captain, a negotiator of international debt.
Reading blood will out, one begins to understand how so many people were duped by clark rockefeller. Steven clark rockefeller born april 19, 1936, a fourthgeneration member of the rockefeller family and a former dean of middlebury college, is a philanthropist who focuses on education, planned parenthood, human rights and environmental causes. Inside the rockefeller art scandal artnet magazine. Blood will out by walter kirn in 2008, clark rockefeller kidnapped his daughter and led police on a weeklong chase. Clark rockefeller gets 27 years for murder the boston. An extraordinary life and untimely death in africa, 2009 unravels the complex case of clark rockefeller, a fiendishly clever con man who, over the course of three decades, insinuated himself into the highest echelons of american society using only his wits and a borrowed name. Pretend rockefeller could sell a bridge over the east river. When he crosses paths with police investigator george mueller, they begin a cat and mouse game that leaves officials wondering what it will take to stop the frenchman dead in his tracks.
After writing this book, what image of the man did you walk away with. Janet maslin in this smart, reallife psychological thriller, the fake rockefeller is a zombie gatsby and kirn the postapocalyptic fitzgerald. Log in or sign up for facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. Clark rockefellers real name christian karl gerhartsreiter was from germany and he came to this country in 1978. The man in the rockefeller suit summary supersummary. It all came apart in 2007, when the man known as clark rockefeller was. Walter kirns memoir about clark rockefeller, blood will. Clark rockefeller gets 27 years for murder the boston globe. The duo financed and joined with chemist samuel andrews in starting the oil refining business andrews, clark, and co. Dec 03, 2008 my name is clark rockefeller, and i can put an injunction on your little book, he told alma gilbert. Despite ostensibly sharing a single topic, they have very little overlap in specifics. The many faces of clark rockefeller dateline nbc crime.
Walter kirns memoir about clark rockefeller, blood will out. Students of tabloid scandals may remember the 2008 case of clark rockefeller, an imposter who pretended to be a member of the famous family, kidnapped his own daughter, was caught and sent to jail, and is. From german kid to rockefeller scion for three decades, christian gerhartsreiter claimed to be someone else. The story of clark rockefeller is a strangerthanfiction twist on the classic american success story of the selfmade manbecause clark rockefeller was totally made up. Mark seal gives his thoughts on the conartist christian karl gerhartstreiter aka clark rockefeller and discusses his book the man in the rockefeller suit. Mar 09, 2014 reporter reveals how fake rockefeller duped him.