Cathy had a number of strikes against her. Peter and Annemarie (Brenning)’s marriage was in trouble as early as 1956. Finally, they separated in 1962, when Cathy was nine years old. She was only 11 when her father died of a stroke on March 23, 1964. Annemarie was an alcoholic and died a few years later on April 26, 1971. What to do with Cathy? No one seemed to want her. Finally, Celia Lovksy, Peter’s first wife, offered theater and film critic James Powers (who was married to Karen Verne until her death in 1967) the upstairs of her house on Crescent Heights if he would adopt Cathy. He did and Celia moved into the basement. (Cathy thought of Celia [“Mumili”] as a grandmother. As such, she functioned as a hub for the Lorre family, connecting all to the center, even the actor’s second and third wives.)
Catharine nearly fell victim to "Hillside Stranglers" Angelo J. Buono and Kenneth A. Bianchi, who approached her one night in 1977 intending to abduct and murder her as they had and would do to ten women before the law caught up with them. Learning she was Peter Lorre's daughter, they just let her go. They were movie fans and liked Lorre's work. Catharine was 25 at the time. After the capture of Bianchi and Buono, and their photographs were made public, Catharine realized who they were. Later in interviews, Catharine stated that she never felt threatened by either man: She believed it to be a casual and friendly encounter. Bianchi and Buono stated that the only reason her life was spared was because Peter Lorre was her father.
In 1980, Catharine got married and had a few happy years, but her husband lost his life in a tragic motorcycle accident, leaving her a widow.
Catherine never took care of herself with no real parental guidance around and, she suffered from juvenile diabetes- As she grew older, complications from her diabetes took a greater toll until in her final year she was hospitalized at Harbor General. At that point, she was suffering vision and circulation problems. She spent upwards of a year there and died shortly after. She died of sepsis and encephalomalacia, complications from diabetes, on May 7, 1985, at age 32.
Sadly, unbeknownst to family and friends, she remained in the morgue for nearly a month before funeral arrangements were made. Only a few people attended her funeral. The only people at her funeral were Larry Lorre, Cathy’s cousin; Peter Lorre’s attorney, Robert Shutan; his son Peter Shutan (named after the actor); and Cathy’s nurse. She was buried at Inglewood Cemetery on June 4, 1985. It seemed like at every turn Cathy had bad things happen to her. The pain that she endured in her short 32 years seems overwhelming, but hopefully she did have some happiness and she is at peace now...
This is tragic. :( Poor woman.
ReplyDeleteWhoa – what a tragic story. Hopefully she did have some happy years.
ReplyDeleteDid she have any children? I'm wondering if Peter has any heirs.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a sad story especially the part about "No one seemed to want her".
That is so sad her dad was a great actor and brilliant
DeleteCathy was a friend of mine at Bancroft Jr. High school in LA. We had homeroom together and probably a few classes. I remember where she lived because we probably dropped her off at home after getting together after school. I remember her being diabetic and she was probably the first person I knew who was diabetic. She was a very nice person and I was sorry we lost touch when we went to different high schools. Reading her story broke my heart and I wished we had kept in touch.
DeleteSounds like you were a wonderful friend to her.
Deletewow super sad....such a tragic life.may she be resting in peace now...so sad
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DeleteAnonymousJuly 30, 2020 at 10:23 PM
Sounds like you were a wonderful friend to her.
Sorry but I hardly see how rebruford acted as a good friend. It sounds like this person was simply a casual acquaintance. Cathy could have benefited greatly from actual friends.
You sound like you could benefit from a friend. Why criticize things that don't need criticizing? Be nice.
DeleteUnfortunately she never had any children.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the update. I never knew the sadness attached to Peter Lorre and his only child.
DeleteHi David, My name is Kristin Baker now Hudson. I am Allen Bakers Daughter who was married to Catherine. She did have a very tragic life! I remember her telling me stories when I lived with them. The year and a half that I lived with them before my father died, were not all that great either. She was a very unhealthy diabetic, that had us in and out of hospital a lot of the time. 2 weeks before my father died, he told me he was going to divorce her, after only being married for just over a year. She lost touch with petty much everyone after my father died. They were in a motorcycle club, that I kept in contact with for many years, and I don't believe any of them talked with her much after. I didn't know she had died for at least 6 months after.
DeleteHi Kristin! Thank you for your memories. I am sorry your father died so young. You must have gone through a lot as well. How old were you when your father died?
DeleteNot having children is neither fortunate nor unfortunate...just like having children
DeleteShe looks very pregnant in the above picture
DeleteShe does look pregnant in the above photo and appears to be wearing a wedding ring.
DeleteGod bless Catherine, my heart goes out to her. So sad.🌹
ReplyDeleteI knew Cathy during elementary and Junior high and she was always a bit of a loner but we would talk occasionally...ran into her a few times in early 70's in Hollywood then lost contact with her later on
ReplyDeleteI always loved lorre and Vincent price together in movies. always a laugh and very entertaining
ReplyDeleteI loved Cathy very much. We were school mates at a small private high school. G-d rest her loving soul.
ReplyDeleteThat is very kind.
DeleteI'm sure where she is now, that it's appreciated.
Yes, very sad. And G-d rest her loving soul.
Very Sadd!
ReplyDeleteI knew Cathy thru her husband Alan...Alan was killed by a truck when he lost control while test riding a honda motorcycle. He was a test rider for honda development motorcycles..his father had passed away and left them with a huge property in Redondo Beach Ca...I helped Cathy for a short while after Alans death as she was confined to bed and then lost touch......
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad...still if she were such good freinds with bogart's daughter I wonder why they didn't reach out..makes you wonder...middle class folks are apt to go there with no thought for expenses...
ReplyDeleteJudgy
DeleteThe Hillside straglers did NOT spare her out of any admiration for her Father's acting. They spared her because she would have made a high profile target that would have drawn too much attention, thus they would've been captured even soner.
ReplyDeleteWhat? Did the Hillside Stranglers tell you that or is it just your assumption? I do believe I've heard they were movie buffs. Such evil incarnate.
DeleteBianchi told that during interrogation when he tried to avoid the death sentence and started incriminating Buono.
DeleteI knew Catherine (Cat) from around Hollywood in the '70s. She used to hang out with a pool player named Bruce, at the old Ye Billiard Den in West Hollywood. She was a really nice and down to earth person, and we were friendly until I moved away. May she rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteMay she rest in everlasting peace, bless you dear Catherine.
ReplyDelete"No one seemed to want her." A very sad life story indeed 😢
ReplyDeleteA few corrections/additions:
ReplyDeleteLorre and Annemarie met at Wiggers Kurheim, a health resort, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1950. Cathy was born June 22, 1953. Stephen D. Youngkin, author of "The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre", and a close friend, also attended her funeral. Alan was Cathy’s second husband. By her first husband, she conceived a child, which died in infancy of a severe heart condition. Alan was a very nice guy, though admittedly beleaguered by Cathy’s chronic health problems.
Thank you for the info!
DeleteIt always bothers me when a person is discarded. I am from an error where,all of the actors and actresses, like Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lord's were honored. They brought so much entertainment. I wished Cathy could have had more joy during her short life. I was born the same year she was. Today, I will appreciate life more. RIP Cathy.
ReplyDeleteSuch a Shame. Heartbreakingly tragic.
ReplyDeleteRest in peace Catherine, Peter & her husband.
Close friends with my sister Jackie. Yes, she was totally her dad and the only person in this world that could say Humphrey was my godfather.
ReplyDeleteIt amazes how someone with such a famous father was just discarded by so many people. Did he have no close friends in Hollywood to help make sure his daughter was alright? All those people with money and no one made sure she was taken care of.
ReplyDelete