Brooke Astor | Fame, Fortune & Elder Financial Abuse

Before there was Kim Kardashian, Nicole Richie, and Paris Hilton, in the 1940’s the socialite celebrity who was famous for being famous was Brooke Astor. By the time she died in 2007 at the age of 105, she was best remembered for two things: First, she was a philanthropist of the first order who donated and raised money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The New York Public Library and many other important institutions. Speaking of her philanthropy, Brooke once famously said: “Money is like manure; it’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around.”
Second, and unfortunately for her legacy of good work, she is also remembered for being the victim of elder financial abuse.
Brooke had only one child in her life, a son named Anthony (aka Tony), who was born when she was 22. Unfortunately for her, Tony was to make her final years bitter, unpleasant and scandalous.
Brooke’s first marriage ended in divorce in 1930, and two years later she married a wealthy investment banker named Charles Marshall. It was a good match and Brooke’s son, Tony, took Marshall’s last name. She and Marshall were happily married for 20 years until he died, following which she married Vincent Astor, the primary heir to the Astor family fortune.
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[@BrigidSamhain]

thank you for showing compassion for the abused and voiceless

[@paulsharkey6673]

I lived right down the block from the Brooke Astor Estate in Briarcliff Manor, NY.

[@paulsharkey6673]

I was five houses down on Scarborough Rd. The amazing thing is the house I lived in, 508 Scarborough Rd, was the house in the movie American Gangster with Denzel Washington. It was the big white house that he bought his mom as a gift. The Astor Estate was huge. The house itself was small, but the property was like 60 acres I believe. The house I lived in was no slouch either.

[@Zzoarqg]

@@paulsharkey6673 How was you tax return this year?

[@paulsharkey6673]

Okay...

[@henrylivingstone2971]

@@paulsharkey6673
Didn’t Briarcliff manor burn down?

[@mrsbluesky8415]

Tony was an elderly man himself. Why didn’t he have more compassion for his own elderly mother ?!

[@cmcb09]

Part of it was driven by his wife, Brooke loathed her and essentially considered her money-grubbing trash.

[@stephanebelizaire3627]

BRAVO !

[@elvisjordan8908]

MRS. VINCENT ASTOR STILL HAS UNCLAIMED IN A STORAGE FACILLITY IN QUEENS 38-20 REVIEW AVE Long Island CITY, NY 11101.

[@cunderw12]

The fact that these families decide to just donate all their fortunes after passing is crazy. And then with that donated money they build a museum/school/hospital as a means to make more money off the very generous donation.

[@user-kb8qw7dy4t]

It's not crazy. What good is all that money when you're dead? This way, the legacy of their name lives on.

[@franciehartsog1347]

Ty! Subscribed!

[@Unxpekted]

Ahh good ol' bloodline of the Illuminati

[@andrewajjones122]

Tongue in cheek right?

[@chadkosakowski5379]

Many inconsistencies with the facts!

[@conservativeforcalifornian9882]

Chad Kosakowski like what?

[@chadkosakowski3327]

Brooke Astor was not famous until she married Vincent in 54 she lied fallow til his death in 59 then her fame and notoriety blossomed

[@djzpt2]

You have great videos. Please, please, please the next time you decide to do another one, call me. Let me do it for you. The audio sounds like you are talking through a tin can! It's irritating.

[@rsreatheaers2489]

Jack Astor HahahaHhaaaa

[@aann7132]

She wasn’t even cute...