Laurie Bird

Laurie Bird - who was born on September 26th, 1952, in Glen Cove, New York, U.S.A. - was an American actress and photographer.  When she was only three years old, Bird's mother committed suicide at the age of 26.  Her disciplinarian father, an electrical engineer, severely restricted Bird's social activities, resulting in her running away from home many times.  In response, he had her placed in an institution for neglected girls.  Bird attended Jamaica High School in Queens, New York, until she was fifteen.  Described by Hollywood columnist Dick Kleiner as "look[ing] like an innocent Hayley Mills", Bird made her acting debut in the 1971 Monte Hellman-directed film, Two-Lane Blacktop, in which she appeared alongside James Taylor, Warren Oates, and Dennis Wilson.  Following this success, Bird appeared in another Monte Hellmann film, 1974's Cockfighter, again starring alongside Warren Oates.  Although this film was less commercially-successful, film critic Michael Atkinson was later to say, in his 2008 book Exile Hollywood, "In two films, she made more of an impression, left more of a synaesthetic presence, then many actors do in a career".  During this time, she developed a romantic relationship with Monte Hellman.  Bird was also the stills photographer on Cockfighter.  In 1977, she performed in her third and final film, taking a minor role as Paul Simon's girlfriend in the Woody Allen comedy, Annie Hall.  From 1974 until 1979, Bird was in a relationship with Simon's frequent musical collaborator, Art Garfunkel, the couple sharing an apartment together.  She appeared on the cover of Garfunkel's 1975 album, Breakaway, and also shot the cover photo for his 1977 album, Watermark.  On June 15th, 1979 - whilst Garfunkel was in France, making the Nicolas Roeg movie Bad Timing - Bird died from a deliberate overdose of Valium at their penthouse in Manhatten, New York City, U.S.A.  Deeply affected by her death, Garfunkel later said, "She was beautiful, in a lonesome, haunted way, and I adored her.  But I wasn't ready for marriage and she wasn't very comfortable being Laurie.  She wasn't happy with herself.  Her mother died by suicide at 26, and so did she".  Garfunkel dedicated his 1981 album, Scissors Cut, to Bird, with a photo of her appearing on its back cover.  Monte Hellman dedicated his 2010 film, Road To Nowhere, to her, also.  Laurie Bird was just 26 years old.