Burstyn Feared Death As Abusive Husband Stalked Her
01 December 2006
Burstyn Feared Death As Abusive Husband Stalked Her
Ellen Burstyn once feared for her life on the Broadway stage when her estranged and deranged husband called out to her from the darkness of the audience.
The actress had to hire security guards to keep her abusive husband NEIL BURSTYN away from the theatre, but somehow he found his way into the balcony while the actress was performing SAME TIME NEXT YEAR onstage with co-star Charles Grodin.
She says, "He stalked me for 10 years, so I had to have bodyguards. I was opening on Broadway with bodyguards... I was onstage in the matinee and we were looking at each other and suddenly I heard from the top balcony, 'Ellen.'
"Charles and I both knew that it was Neil... When it's just black out there and a crazy person is out there, he could have a gun... I thought that was going to be the end of the story - that eventually he'd kill me."
In her revealing new memoirs LESSONS IN BECOMING MYSELF, Burstyn recalls one time her violent ex burst into her apartment and raped her.
She says, "When I told the police it was my husband, he said, 'No crime had been committed.'"
Neil Burstyn killed himself in 1978 and his parents immediately blamed her for the suicide.
The actress adds, "They sent me a telegram that said, 'Congratulations, you've won another Oscar, Neil killed himself.' I know they were just speaking out of their pain... I knew it then."
The actress had to hire security guards to keep her abusive husband NEIL BURSTYN away from the theatre, but somehow he found his way into the balcony while the actress was performing SAME TIME NEXT YEAR onstage with co-star Charles Grodin.
She says, "He stalked me for 10 years, so I had to have bodyguards. I was opening on Broadway with bodyguards... I was onstage in the matinee and we were looking at each other and suddenly I heard from the top balcony, 'Ellen.'
"Charles and I both knew that it was Neil... When it's just black out there and a crazy person is out there, he could have a gun... I thought that was going to be the end of the story - that eventually he'd kill me."
In her revealing new memoirs LESSONS IN BECOMING MYSELF, Burstyn recalls one time her violent ex burst into her apartment and raped her.
She says, "When I told the police it was my husband, he said, 'No crime had been committed.'"
Neil Burstyn killed himself in 1978 and his parents immediately blamed her for the suicide.
The actress adds, "They sent me a telegram that said, 'Congratulations, you've won another Oscar, Neil killed himself.' I know they were just speaking out of their pain... I knew it then."
Contactmusic
| Comment on this article |
More Ellen Burstyn News
|
Sean Combs to star in Draft Day |
|
Barbara Marshall to pen Exorcism Diaries |
|
Ellen Burstyn Struck Down With Bronchitis |
|
Maggie Grace Set For Broadway Bow In Picnic |
Ellen Burstyn Related Articles
|
The Last Picture Show Movie Review |
|
W. Movie Review |
|
The Fountain Movie Review |
|
The Wicker Man (2006) Movie Review |
The Great Gatsby Movie Review 
![James Franco Takes On Faulkner In 'As I Lay Dying' [Trailer & Pictures]](http://images.contactmusic.com/images/home/jim-parrack-james-franco-as-i-lay-dying-600.jpg "James Franco Takes On Faulkner In 'As I Lay Dying' [Trailer & Pictures]")
![Kanye West Teases New Material From Inside A Pyramid At Surprise NYC Show [Video]](http://images.contactmusic.com/images/home/kim-kardashian-and-kanye-west-are-seen_5902594.jpg "Kanye West Teases New Material From Inside A Pyramid At Surprise NYC Show [Video]")
![Rita Ora - Who Knew Rita Ora Was Dating DJ Calvin Harris? [Pictures]](http://images.contactmusic.com/images/home/rita-ora-calvin-harris-celebs-at-nobu-berkeley_3668303.jpg "Rita Ora - Who Knew Rita Ora Was Dating DJ Calvin Harris? [Pictures]")
![Emma Watson Stuns In Christopher Kane At Cannes Film Festival [Pictures]](http://images.contactmusic.com/images/home/emma-watson-the-bling-ring-photocall_3666200.jpg "Emma Watson Stuns In Christopher Kane At Cannes Film Festival [Pictures]")
![Pregnant Kim Kardashian Still Strutting Around In Heels [Pictures]](http://images.contactmusic.com/images/home/kim-kardashian-kim-kardashian-seen-shopping-with_3667494.jpg "Pregnant Kim Kardashian Still Strutting Around In Heels [Pictures]")
Comments