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Heath Ledger: Olsen Twin Called Before 911; Plus, Jack Nicholson's Warning
Heath Ledger by J. Vespa/WireImage.com
As police await toxicology reports that could shed light on Heath Ledger's cause of death in a way the autopsy report couldn't, new details have surfaced on how Weeds' star Mary-Kate Olsen figures into this tragic tale. As detailed in a timeline released by the NYPD, the masseuse who discovered Ledger's lifeless body first speed-dialed Olsen, a friend of Ledger's, because the employee "knows that when something goes bad, you call insiders first to see how to handle things," a source tells the New York Daily News.
As Olsen dispatched her security team to Ledger's residence, the masseuse tried to rouse the actor. When she couldn't, she phoned Olsen back to say she was alerting 911.
As previously reported, no illegal drugs were found on the premises, and a rolled-up $20 bill discovered near Ledger's body tested clean of drug residue. Six prescription medications recovered from the scene included pills to treat insomnia and anxiety, and an antihistamine.
Elsewhere, Jack Nicholson who, like Ledger in The Dark Knight, once played the maniacal and dark Joker on the big screen raised eyebrows on Wednesday by telling reporters in London, "Well, I warned him," when asked about Ledger's death. Though Nicholson did not elaborate, he could have been alluding to the intensity that comes with playing "a psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy," as Ledger recently characterized the role. Working off two hours of sleep a night, Ledger had said, "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going."
Related:
News: Heath Ledger Autopsy "Inconclusive"
Ausiello: Grieving Heath Ledger via Ennis Del Mar
Watch video: News coverage of Ledger's shocking death
Watch video: Clips from Ledger's films
Photo gallery: Heath Ledger's life in pictures
Photo gallery: Stars and friends tribute Ledger
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Jan 24, 2008 8:52 AM
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That comment makes me really not like Jack Nicholson. What a jerk think to say.
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Jan 24, 2008 9:15 AM
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We really don't know what Jack Nicholson meant by his remark. It could have been a number of things. I have friends I have warned about problems who have chose to ignore the advices. You can only warn someone, but it up to them to deal with their problems. I find it much more disturbing to hear that Mary-Kate Olsen sent her team to the apartment before sending for 911. It reeks of coverup more than recovery.
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Jan 24, 2008 9:24 AM
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i saw in an interview where he was referring to ambien
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Jan 24, 2008 9:41 AM
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I dont think what Jack Nicholson said was insensitive. We don't know the extent of their relationship and sometimes when someone hurts themselves as a result of their own actions a person who truly cares for them can respond in anger. He may be disappointed in him.
Also the employee who called Mary-Kate first was probably only acting as she was told to by Heath. What if he had just passed out. If she called the police 1st it would have been a media scandal. Like the insider said, those in the know handle things differently. However, because she couldn't revive him she had to call 911. But I understand why calling 911 is not the first response for a celebrity.
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Jan 24, 2008 10:19 AM
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I don't know exactly what Jack Nicholson meant by that and I'll be interested to find out, but I'll say this ... (and I know this isn't exactly what he said, but it seems clear to me that this was how he meant it) you never tell anyone "I told you so."
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Jan 24, 2008 10:20 AM
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Well, he should have explained what he meant, at least a little. Cause it sounds pretty callous to me.
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Jan 24, 2008 10:32 AM
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First off, who cares what Jack says. He just thinks he is something and doesn't care what he says to people.
Why in the world would you not call 911 if someone is unresponsive? You call an Olsen twin instead? Twice? GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
Just because you are a celebrity someone is not to call 911 first? You call insiders? Who makes this stuff up? Is that what it says in their union book or something?
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Jan 24, 2008 10:37 AM
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I agree Shannonm93. That was my exact thought when I read the quote. He just said I told you so. Since Jack like the rest of us does not know Heath Ledger's cause of death that remark was uncalled for. I don't care if he always says what he thinks. There is no excuse for saying something like that. Sometimes people should actually think before speaking.
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Jan 24, 2008 11:11 AM
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It is a jerky thing to say no matter what the context. Kind of like saying "Well I told him if he didn't wear his seatbelt he'd die." But Jack is the guy who was accused of beating up a prostitute after he refused to pay her for 'services rendered,' so what else would we expect from him? Sensitivity wouldn't appear to be his strong suit.
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Jan 24, 2008 11:25 AM
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It's clear the housekeeper's irresponsibility contributed to this tragedy. Hm, your boss is deathly ill -- I think I'll call an Olsen Twin! Do they have super powers? Jesus, how stupid is that housekeeper?
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Jan 24, 2008 11:28 AM
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TV Guide...I'm disappointed. I don't know which of your "staff" wrote this but it is not accurate with respect to the calls placed to Ms. Olsen.
According to AP articles on CNN and other news sites, it was NOT the housekeeper that phoned Mary-Kate Olsen. It was the masseuse that called Mary-Kate using Heath Ledger's phone.
Upon realizing that this was an actual emergency, the masseuse called MKO back and told her that she was going to call 911.
TV Guide...the above is just sloppy reporting and your "staff" should be above that. For shame!
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Jan 24, 2008 11:29 AM
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Actors keep dying because those around them don't want a "scandal." But this happens to regular people too - kids die after partying too hard all the time because their friends waited too long to call cops for fear of getting in trouble. It's bad enough when a kid does it, but an adult should know better. Would you rather be dead or in trouble?
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Jan 24, 2008 11:31 AM
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Here is a condensed AP article:
Police provided an in-depth timeline Wednesday of Heath Ledger's final moments, revealing the chaos that filled his Manhattan apartment in the moments after the Australian-born actor died.
Police said Ledger probably died sometime between 1 and 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday of what authorities say may be an accidental drug overdose.
Ledger's housekeeper, Teresa Solomon, arrived at his apartment with her own key and let herself in. At 1 p.m., she went to his bedroom to change a light bulb, and she saw Ledger sleeping and heard him snoring. She left the room without thinking anything was wrong.
At 2:45 p.m., a masseuse named Diana Wolozin showed up for her massage appointment with Ledger, who didn't answer when she knocked on his door.
She then tried to call him on his cell phone but again got no response. She went into the bedroom, set up her massage table and again tried to wake Ledger.
Wolozin told police that Ledger was cold to the touch, but she just assumed he was unconscious. She proceeded to grab his cell phone and call to former Full House star Mary-Kate Olsen, whose number is programmed. Wolozin knew that Olsen and Ledger were friends, and she asked Olsen for advice.
Olsen, who also lives in Manhattan but was in California at the time, said she would send over her private security guards to help. In the ensuing moments, Wolozin realized that Ledger might be dead, and called 911.
The emergency operator provided Wolozin directions on how to do CPR, but it was too late.
Paramedics arrived minutes later at about the same time as Olsen's security guards.
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Jan 24, 2008 11:32 AM
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Forget Jack Nicholson, I'm still stumped by the Travolta connection to Ledger. Right after the news broke about Heath all the papers were carrying quotes from Travolta: "Actors need other actors to be inspired by, and he was my actor."
Nice words, but I don't get his connection to Ledger. Were they buddies? Had they been in a movie together I don't remember? Or is it just news because one famous person is commenting on another famous person?
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Jan 24, 2008 11:36 AM
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