Jean Paul Getty's oldest son, George Franklin Getty II, was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Getty Oil Company in 1967. This would normally be a sign of affection and trust from his father, but as Vanity Fair reports the opposite was true: Jean Paul Getty thought very little of his son's business skills, and frequently made decisions without consulting him. This made George little more than a figurehead. And he wasn't close to his father, either, famously calling him "Mr. Getty" and revealing he didn't see much of his dad after the age of 10—most of their contact was via letter.
All of this conspired to make George incredibly unhappy. Forbes notes George was actually a pretty successful businessman, holding director roles with both Bank of America and Douglas Aircraft. But his father's low opinion ruined his confidence, and by the early 1970s George began drinking heavily. He quickly moved on to pills and other drugs.
On June 6, 1973, George and his wife fought bitterly. George locked himself in his bedroom and began drinking and taking pills. There are reports he fired a shotgun into the air and threatened to kill everyone, and then he stabbed himself in the belly with a barbecue fork. Eventually he passed out and slipped into a coma. The family, worried about the scandal, delayed medical care by taking him to a distant private hospital, where he soon died.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
