Acclaimed character actor Albert Dekker had a career that spanned forty years on stage and the silver screen. His filmography had more than a hundred credits, and he was praised for notable performances in many movies, including East of Eden, The Killers, Dr. Cyclops, Kiss Me Deadly, as well as in his final role in Sam Peckinpah’s classic western, The Wild Bunch. Unfortunately, he is probably more known today for his bizarre death instead of his accomplishments in life.
Dekker’s Disappearance
In addition to the acclaim earned for his acting chops, Albert Dekker (1905 – 1968) won acclaim for his moral courage. He was one of the few actors in Hollywood to dare stand up during the early Cold War’s Red Scare, and denounce the demagogic Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). That got him blacklisted in Hollywood and derailed his career for years, until the anticommunist hysteria finally waned and he was able to return to acting.
In 1968, Dekker completed his final role in The Wild Bunch, left the set, and fell off the map. Nobody heard from him for days, and friends and family grew concerned. He did not show up for a date with his fiancée, fashion model Geraldine Saunders. She called many times, but got no response. So she went to his apartment, and pinned a note on a door already covered by other notes from friends and acquaintances. When she returned later that evening and things were still the same, she convinced the building manager to let her in the apartment. She was in for a shock.
A Shocking Scene
When Geraldine Saunders and the building manager entered Dekker’s apartment, they found that the bathroom door was chained from the inside. They had to break it open, only to find a scene that was horrific, as well as bizarre and grotesque. Saunders collapsed, and the building manager needed minutes to overcome the shock and gather his wits to call the police. The duo discovered Dekker’s corpse, hanging from a leather belt. That was bad enough, but far from the worst of it.
Dekker was naked in the bathtub, with a ball gag in his mouth. A scarf covered his eyes, and his hands were cuffed behind his back. In addition to the belt around his neck, there was another belt around his waist. It was tied to a rope that bound his ankles, and that was wrapped around his wrist and clasped in his hand. Sun rays were drawn around his nipples in lipstick, which was also used to draw a vagina on his stomach. That was not all.
An Unsolved Mystery
A hypodermic needle stuck out of each of Dekker’s arms. His right butt cheek had two needle punctures, above which the word “whip” was written in lipstick. His body was covered in other words written in lipstick, including “co*ksucker”, “make me su*k”, and “slave”. Dekker’s death was initially ruled a suicide, but after S&M toys and porn were found in his apartment, it was changed to accidental autoerotic asphyxiation while pleasuring himself. Despite the coroner’s ruling, foul play was suspected and the death was and remains suspicious.
For one, Dekker’s fiancée knew that he had been keeping $70,000 cash in the apartment to buy a new house. The money was missing, and so were expensive cameras and filming equipment. In addition, it seemed highly unlikely that Dekker could have tied himself in the manner in which he was discovered all on his own. Whether he acted alone, had a partner or partners who panicked and fled when an erotic game went terribly wrong, or was murdered, Dekker’s death is a mystery that remains unsolved to this day.
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Some Sources & Further Reading
Shadows and Satin – The Life and Death of Albert Dekker
