Anthony Dryden Marshall
A diplomat and theatrical producer whose life was upended by a sensational conviction for exploiting his wealthy philanthropist mother.
1924–2014 (age 90)·American diplomat·Birthday: May 30·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Anthony Dryden Marshall lived a life that seemed plucked from a Gilded Age novel, moving between the worlds of international diplomacy and New York high society. Born into immense wealth as the son of Brooke Astor, he served as a CIA officer and later as a U.S. ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago and Kenya under President Nixon. His second act as a Broadway producer yielded a Tony Award, but his legacy was irrevocably defined by his final years. In a dramatic and very public family rift, he was convicted in 2009 for scheming to defraud his aging mother, the beloved socialite and philanthropist, by altering her will. The trial exposed painful family divisions and the vulnerabilities of the elderly rich. Sentenced to prison at age 89, he served only weeks before being released on medical parole, his story ending as a stark, real-life morality tale about inheritance and influence.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Anthony was born in 1924, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anthony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1924
#1 Movie
The Sea Hawk
Anthony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1924Born
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1929Started school
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1937Became a teenager
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1940Could drive
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1942Could vote
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Turned 21
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1954Turned 30
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 40
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 50
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 60
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 70
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 80
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Died at 90
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Served as the United States Ambassador to Kenya from 1973 to 1977.
- Won a Tony Award in 1967 as a producer of the Broadway play 'The Homecoming'.
- Was a decorated U.S. Marine Corps officer who served in World War II.
Did You Know?
His mother, Brooke Astor, was a famed philanthropist who gave away nearly $200 million to New York City institutions.
He was a competitive sailor and once won the Newport-to-Bermuda race.
The legal proceedings against him were one of the longest criminal trials in New York State history at the time.
“Diplomacy is about understanding a country's character, not just its government.”
