2/8/11

J. PAUL GETTY III- RIP




J. Paul Getty III, the grandson of the billionaire oil tycoon who shared his name, has died in Britain. He was 54.
His son, actor Balthazar Getty, confirmed Tuesday that his father died Saturday surrounded by his family at his English mansion in Buckinghamshire, northwest of London. The cause of death was not disclosed.
According to Britain's Telegraph newspaper, Getty was expelled from seven schools. He was branded "the Golden Hippie" by the press due to his bohemian lifestyle, left-wing friends and long red locks.
His grandfather, J. Paul Getty, founded the Getty Oil Company. He was reputedly the world's richest man when he died in 1976.
'Little pieces'
In 1973, the 16-year-old Getty was abducted in Rome, Italy. Gangsters demanded $17 million for his release. When the Getty family refused to pay up, the kidnappers cut off the teenager's ear and mailed it to an Italian newspaper.
"This is Paul's ear," an accompanying note read. "If we don't get some money within 10 days, the other ear will arrive. In other words he will arrive in little pieces."
However, Getty's grandfather remained reluctant to fund the ransom-
"I have 14 grandchildren, and if I pay a penny of ransom, I'll have 14 kidnapped grandchildren," he said in a statement at the time.
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