Susan Cabot known for appearing in such films as The Viking Women and the Sea Serpent (1957), War of the Satellites (1958) and The Wasp Woman (1960) was born Harriet Shapiro on July 9, 1927 to a Russian Jewish family in Boston, Massachusetts. Cabot’s life story is punctuated with turmoil and disappointment; as a child she was raised in eight different foster homes. She finally completed her education in New York City, and soon found employment as an illustrator of children’s books. She supplemented her income by working as a singer at Manhattan's Village Barn, and also worked in theater.
Cabot made her film debut in 1947, by chance when Kiss
of Death (1947) was filmed in New York, and she played an uncredited
part. She then worked briefly in television and was discovered by a talent scout
who asked her come to Hollywood to work for Columbia Pictures. Her time with Columbia Pictures proved unsuccessful,
and she later signed an exclusive contract with Universal Studios. While at Universal Cabot appeared in a series of
"B" western films. She grew
frustrated with the way her career was developing and asked to be released from
her contract. She then moved back to New York, where she returned to the stage in
A Stone for Danny Fisher.
In 1957 Cabot returned to Hollywood and appeared in a few
more films, including four Roger Corman films, Carnival Rock (1957), Sorority
Girl (1957), The Viking Women and the Sea Serpent (1957), War
of the Satellites (1958) and The Wasp Woman (1960) which was her
final film role.
Cabot was also romantically linked with King Hussein of Jordan
for several years. According to a Los Angeles Times article dated April 9,
1959, Cabot met Hussein at a dinner party in the Beverly Hills home of oilman
Edwin W. Pauley. Soon rumors began to
surface she is having an affair with Hussein, an affair which he flatly denied.
Allegedly the affair was broken off when Hussein discovered that Cabot was half
Jewish.
On January 27, 1964, Cabot gave birth to her only child, a
son whom she named Timothy Scott. The child was born premature and was afflicted
with dwarfism. Cabot refused to identify the father, leading some to speculate
that Timothy might be the illegitimate son of Hussein. Timothy was later prescribed growth hormones to
help combat his condition. However for reasons unknown Cabot began taking the hormones
that were prescribed for her son, which may have been a factor in her worsening
her mental condition. Actor, Christopher Jones claimed paternity of her son but
that claim remains unproven.
In 1968, Cabot married her second husband Michael Roman 10 days
after they first met. He was 25 she was 40 at the time. Michael later adopted
Timothy and his name was changed to Timothy Scott Roman. After their divorce in
1981, Roman stated "She was a good person, but she was crazy."
On December 10, 1986,Cabot, was bludgeoned to death in the bedroom of
her Encino home. She was 59 at the time of her death. Her son Timothy was
charged with first-degree murder and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He
stated that he has suffered years of mental and physical abuse by her as his
defense.
In an article published by the Los Angeles Times April 13,
1989, attorney Chester Leo Smith said in papers filed in Van Nuys Superior
Court. "For as long as I can discover, Susan Roman (Cabot) received a
regular sum of $1,500 a month from the Keeper of the King's Purse, Amman,
Jordan. There is written indication in the handwriting of Susan Roman this
money is from a trust. . . . For better or worse, it looks like child
support."
Timothy Scott Roman was given a three-year suspended
sentence and was placed on probation because he had already spent close to
three years in custody since the December 1986 death of his mother.
In a 1998 interview for "E! Mysteries &
Scandals," Timothy declared: "I never intended to hurt my
mother." He died on January 22, 2003 at age 38.
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