The Silver Screen Oasis

That's really tragic, I'm glad I didn't know until I'd watched some of his films, I can see his performances without having known that as an aside.

you're right, Alison, I can't look at Gig Young now, since I learned some time ago that he was a murderer.

That's how I feel about Claudine Longet, it's hard for me to see her as this innocent starlet anymore.

I don't know about Claudine Longet either. Does anyone know what turned Gig Young into a murderer? Is it something we'll never know the answer to?

Claudine Longet was involved in an affair with a famous skier, who she ultimately shot to death. I don't actually know why or any of the details. I believe she was still married to Andy Williams at the time.

Who can forget The Claudine Longet International Skiing Tournament, one of SNL's first controversial skits? "He takes the turn, picks up speed and...he seems to have been accidentally shot by Claudine Longet!"

JackFavell wrote:Claudine Longet was involved in an affair with a famous skier, who she ultimately shot to death. I don't actually know why or any of the details. I believe she was still married to Andy Williams at the time.

Claudine Longet was divorced from the singer Andy Williams in the mid-70s when Spider Sabich was killed in Aspen. Sabich and Longet were involved in a tempestuous affair and their behavior may have been exacerbated by drug use and personal emotional problems when the skier was shot in what may or may not have been an accident in his home. Longet testified that he was showing her how to use a gun for her own protection in his absence when it went off, (he was going away at the time or they were in the process of a long, messy breakup). Nevertheless, mishandling of evidence by the prosecution and a strong defense led to Longet being acquitted of murder but convicted of misdemeanor criminal negligence (the judge allowed time already served to cover the sentence of one month jail time).

Andy Williams behaved in a very circumspect manner during all of this brouhaha, trying to protect his children by Longet and to assist his ex-wife as much as he could. Eventually Longet and her defense lawyer married and the Sabich family settled a civil case out of court with Longet with the agreement that she would never write or speak about the tragedy publicly again. This case was one of many that was conflated thanks to the media and the public's prurient interest in the foibles of the famous.

Thanks Moira! All I remember was that Andy Williams behaved beautifully throughout the whole thing. I think I was 9 years old or so when it happened, it was the first really blown up celebrity story I remember.

I didn't even know she'd been married to Andy Williams, I must have lived in a bubble until I got to about 10, then I remember John Lennon getting shot (who wouldn't at 10) but I don't know anything about Gig Young or Claudine Longet. After John Lennon got shot, it was about the time I started actually listening to the news, before that I don't really remembering the news effecting me.

I didn't remember the Gig Young story either. I don't know if I forgot or I never knew it in the first place!

That's how I feel about Claudine Longet, I can't remember if I ever knew she was married to Andy Williams but I didn't know about the skier.