Charles Joughin actor murdered

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

I heard some time ago that George Rose, the actor who played baker Charles Joughin in ANTR, was murdered in New York. There are conflicting reports on his death.

George Rose (born in 1920 as Arthur Ropes in Bicester, Oxfordshire, England), also appeared in more than twenty Broadway productions, mostly musicals, and was a two-time Tony Award winner.

He died in Rio Plata, Dominican Republic, on 5th May 1988. The circumstances of his death are unclear. He was reported as having been killed in a car accident with murder "not ruled out". Then another report says he was savagely beaten to death by his adopted son and three other men just outside his summer home in Rio Plata. Yet another story has him being murdered by his "young lover".

Can anyone categorically confirm how George Rose died?

Cheers,

Boz

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Versons 2 and 3 are probably both true. According to articles in the Dominican press, Rose was indeed murdered. The 4 men involved included his 18-year old adopted son Domingo Vazquez, the boy's natural father and an uncle. After beating him to death they tried to conceal the evidence by faking the car accident. Vazquez and his family believed that Rose was planning to 'adopt' another boy, and were concerned that Domingo might thereby lose his right to a considerable inheritance. There is clearly much to be read between the lines in this situation.

 

[Dave Gittins]

The same stories are in The New York Times. 6 May 1988, 13 May 1988 and 9 June 1988. You might find these are more available.

 

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

Thanks for the input. I found the articles concerned and further read that Rose's body was put into a car and pushed into a ravine. What a way to go for someone who's face is so familiar to us all.

 

[PRR5406]

George Rose was the original "Dolittle", Eliza's father, in "My Fair Lady". My recollection is, he was murdered by four men in a robbery attempt, in the D.R. One of the men was his gay lover.
The baker he played in ANTR always elicited sympathetic laughter when I'd show the film to my students.
Physiologically, I believe alcohol is supposed to diminish hypothermia survival time by dilating the arteries and veins.

 

[Eric Paddon]

Rose played Alfred Dolittle in the 1976 revival of "My Fair Lady", not the original 1956 production.

I saw him on-stage in his last Broadway show, "The Mystery Of Edwin Drood" just a year before he was murdered.