KatoeyLover69
09-02-2007, 06:18 PM
Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 9 February 2007 :-
US model Anna Nicole Smith dies in Florida at 39
Hollywood, Florida- US model and reality TV star Anna Nicole Smith died Thursday after being found unconscious in a Florida hotel room, police said. She was 39.
The buxom, platinum-blonde former Guess fashion spokeswoman and Playboy Playmate was found unconscious in a room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, north of Miami, Seminole police chief Charlie Tiger said.
Paramedics did CPR on the Texan model-actress who was taken to a local medical centre, he said.
"The cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner. The Broward County medical examiner and Seminole police department will continue its investigation into this matter," Tiger added.
Broward medical examiner Joshua Perper did not say when an autopsy would be completed.
"Sometimes it requires additional microscopic examination ... we want to make sure that our job is going to be done so there are not going be questions left," Perper told local television.
Tiger said Smith checked into the hotel Monday, accompanied by her lawyer and companion Howard Stern. He said Smith's private nurse found her, that a bodyguard performed CPR on her and that she died at the medical centre.
Another Smith attorney, Ron Rale, said he did not know the cause of death for Smith, who had been living in the Bahamas.
Her son Daniel, 20, died in September in the Bahamas, just days after Smith gave birth to a girl whose paternity has been disputed by a former boyfriend and Stern.
It was a tragic end to one of US pop culture's larger-than-life Cinderella stories.
Smith was born Vicki Lynn Hogan November 28, 1967, in Mexia, Texas. Her parents divorced, and she was raised by her mother and aunt. She first wed at 17 and had her son Daniel, divorcing soon after his birth.
After working as a Wal-Mart cashier and waiting on tables, she started working as an exotic dancer in Houston. There she met wheelchair-bound oil billionaire J. Howard Marshall, whom she would woo and wed.
On June 27, 1994, 26-year-old Anna Nicole married the 89-year-old Marshall, who died the following year. A protracted court battle with her stepson E. Pierce Marshall over her late husband's fortune then followed. A settlement has not yet been reached.
Modeling for Guess Jeans, she replaced Claudia Schiffer. Smith was also voted Playboy Playmate of the Year 1993. She appeared in some Hollywood films including "Naked Gun 33-1/3."
Later she starred in the reality TV show "The Anna Nicole Smith Show" (2002-2004), which followed her musings at work and at home, and weight gain that reportedly was behind the show being cancelled. Smith also worked as spokeswoman for TrimSpa, a weight loss treatment.
Smith's former lawyer, Lenard Leeds, said she had emulated her idol Marilyn Monroe in death.
"She wanted to be like Marilyn her whole life and ironically died in a similar manner," he said. Leeds said that Smith had embraced the media spotlight earlier in her career "but later in life it became her worse enemy."
A statement posted on Smith's website in September had spoken of the model's sorrow at the death of her son. "Anna Nicole is absolutely devastated by the loss of her son. He was her pride and joy and an amazing human being," the statement said.
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner expressed his sadness at Smith's death; she posed regularly for his magazine during the 1990s.
In a statement released by Playboy's offices in Los Angeles, Hefner described Smith as a dear friend.
"I am very saddened to learn about Anna Nicole's passing," Hefner said in a statement. "She was a dear friend who meant a great deal to the Playboy family and to me personally.
The animal protection group PETA said Smith "was a great friend to animals and used every opportunity to speak out against senseless cruelty.
"We always thought Anna Nicole was a perfect fit for PETA because, just like us, she not only hated cruelty to animals and loved her dog but also couldn't be ignored."
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork
US model Anna Nicole Smith dies in Florida at 39
Hollywood, Florida- US model and reality TV star Anna Nicole Smith died Thursday after being found unconscious in a Florida hotel room, police said. She was 39.
The buxom, platinum-blonde former Guess fashion spokeswoman and Playboy Playmate was found unconscious in a room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, north of Miami, Seminole police chief Charlie Tiger said.
Paramedics did CPR on the Texan model-actress who was taken to a local medical centre, he said.
"The cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner. The Broward County medical examiner and Seminole police department will continue its investigation into this matter," Tiger added.
Broward medical examiner Joshua Perper did not say when an autopsy would be completed.
"Sometimes it requires additional microscopic examination ... we want to make sure that our job is going to be done so there are not going be questions left," Perper told local television.
Tiger said Smith checked into the hotel Monday, accompanied by her lawyer and companion Howard Stern. He said Smith's private nurse found her, that a bodyguard performed CPR on her and that she died at the medical centre.
Another Smith attorney, Ron Rale, said he did not know the cause of death for Smith, who had been living in the Bahamas.
Her son Daniel, 20, died in September in the Bahamas, just days after Smith gave birth to a girl whose paternity has been disputed by a former boyfriend and Stern.
It was a tragic end to one of US pop culture's larger-than-life Cinderella stories.
Smith was born Vicki Lynn Hogan November 28, 1967, in Mexia, Texas. Her parents divorced, and she was raised by her mother and aunt. She first wed at 17 and had her son Daniel, divorcing soon after his birth.
After working as a Wal-Mart cashier and waiting on tables, she started working as an exotic dancer in Houston. There she met wheelchair-bound oil billionaire J. Howard Marshall, whom she would woo and wed.
On June 27, 1994, 26-year-old Anna Nicole married the 89-year-old Marshall, who died the following year. A protracted court battle with her stepson E. Pierce Marshall over her late husband's fortune then followed. A settlement has not yet been reached.
Modeling for Guess Jeans, she replaced Claudia Schiffer. Smith was also voted Playboy Playmate of the Year 1993. She appeared in some Hollywood films including "Naked Gun 33-1/3."
Later she starred in the reality TV show "The Anna Nicole Smith Show" (2002-2004), which followed her musings at work and at home, and weight gain that reportedly was behind the show being cancelled. Smith also worked as spokeswoman for TrimSpa, a weight loss treatment.
Smith's former lawyer, Lenard Leeds, said she had emulated her idol Marilyn Monroe in death.
"She wanted to be like Marilyn her whole life and ironically died in a similar manner," he said. Leeds said that Smith had embraced the media spotlight earlier in her career "but later in life it became her worse enemy."
A statement posted on Smith's website in September had spoken of the model's sorrow at the death of her son. "Anna Nicole is absolutely devastated by the loss of her son. He was her pride and joy and an amazing human being," the statement said.
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner expressed his sadness at Smith's death; she posed regularly for his magazine during the 1990s.
In a statement released by Playboy's offices in Los Angeles, Hefner described Smith as a dear friend.
"I am very saddened to learn about Anna Nicole's passing," Hefner said in a statement. "She was a dear friend who meant a great deal to the Playboy family and to me personally.
The animal protection group PETA said Smith "was a great friend to animals and used every opportunity to speak out against senseless cruelty.
"We always thought Anna Nicole was a perfect fit for PETA because, just like us, she not only hated cruelty to animals and loved her dog but also couldn't be ignored."
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork