Alfred S. Bloomingdale
Encyclopedia
Alfred Schiffer Bloomingdale (April 15, 1916–August 23, 1982) was an heir to the Bloomingdale's department store
fortune, and the celebrated lover of murder
ed Hollywood model Vicki Morgan
.
Born into great wealth in New York City
, the grandson of a co-founder of the famous department store, Lyman G. Bloomingdale
, as a young man he had a keen interest in theater and between 1941 and 1945 was involved in the direction and/or production of several Broadway
shows. During that period he was married briefly to an actress.
Bloomingdale attended Brown University
in Providence, Rhode Island
, where he was a member of the football team as well as Delta Kappa Epsilon
fraternity (Upsilon chapter).
To facilitate the need of his wealthy friends who liked to patronize New York city's upscale restaurants following a night at the theater, Bloomingdale launched a credit card
business called "Dine and Sign" that meant people on a night out no longer needed to carry large sums of cash. In 1951, he merged his company with Diners Club
and joined the rapidly growing business as an executive, becoming chairman of the board of directors in 1964. In 1969, he left Diners Club, acquiring its "International Floatels" division.
Along with his wife, Beverly Hills socialite Betsy Bloomingdale, Alfred Bloomingdale became a friend and confidante of Ronald
and Nancy Reagan
. Following his election to the U.S. presidency, in 1981 Reagan appointed Bloomingdale to the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
and the following year named him a member of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.
Bloomingdale became a Roman Catholic and was a member of the Knights of Malta.
The Bloomingdales maintained homes in New York, the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles, and an apartment in the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. They had three children.
While in Los Angeles
, 54-year-old Alfred Bloomingdale began an affair with 18-year-old Vicki Morgan
. For 12 years, Bloomingdale kept her in a luxurious apartment, showering her with expensive clothing, jewelry, and cars.
Alfred S. Bloomingdale died of throat cancer
in 1982 in Santa Monica, California
, aged 66. Newspaper headlines soon screamed with stories of his affair with Vicki Morgan as a result of unsubstantiated details provided in her unsuccessful multi-million dollar palimony
lawsuit, which she filed after Betsy Bloomingdale refused to pay for Morgan's silence, and cut off all funds from the Bloomingdale estate that had been going to Morgan.
Although the case against Bloomingdale's estate was quickly dismissed by the courts, the entire affair was soon back in the headlines when Morgan was murdered in a brutal attack by her roommate less than a year after Alfred S. Bloomingdale had been interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery
in Culver City, California
.
Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's is an American department store owned by Macy's, Inc. .Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side...
fortune, and the celebrated lover of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed Hollywood model Vicki Morgan
Vicki Morgan
Vicki Morgan was a model and a high-profile murder victim.-Background:...
.
Born into great wealth in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the grandson of a co-founder of the famous department store, Lyman G. Bloomingdale
Lyman G. Bloomingdale
Lyman G. Bloomingdale was an American businessman who in April 1872, with his brother Joseph, founded Bloomingdales Department Store on 56th Street in New York City....
, as a young man he had a keen interest in theater and between 1941 and 1945 was involved in the direction and/or production of several Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
shows. During that period he was married briefly to an actress.
Bloomingdale attended Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, where he was a member of the football team as well as Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon is a fraternity founded at Yale College in 1844 by 15 men of the sophomore class who had not been invited to join the two existing societies...
fraternity (Upsilon chapter).
To facilitate the need of his wealthy friends who liked to patronize New York city's upscale restaurants following a night at the theater, Bloomingdale launched a credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
business called "Dine and Sign" that meant people on a night out no longer needed to carry large sums of cash. In 1951, he merged his company with Diners Club
Diners Club
Diners Club International, founded as Diners Club, is a charge card company formed in 1950 by Frank X. McNamara, Ralph Schneider and Matty Simmons...
and joined the rapidly growing business as an executive, becoming chairman of the board of directors in 1964. In 1969, he left Diners Club, acquiring its "International Floatels" division.
Along with his wife, Beverly Hills socialite Betsy Bloomingdale, Alfred Bloomingdale became a friend and confidante of Ronald
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
. Following his election to the U.S. presidency, in 1981 Reagan appointed Bloomingdale to the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
The President's Intelligence Advisory Board is an advisor to the Executive Office of the President of the United States. According to its self-description, it "...provides advice to the President concerning the quality and adequacy of intelligence collection, of analysis and estimates, of...
and the following year named him a member of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.
Bloomingdale became a Roman Catholic and was a member of the Knights of Malta.
The Bloomingdales maintained homes in New York, the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles, and an apartment in the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. They had three children.
While in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, 54-year-old Alfred Bloomingdale began an affair with 18-year-old Vicki Morgan
Vicki Morgan
Vicki Morgan was a model and a high-profile murder victim.-Background:...
. For 12 years, Bloomingdale kept her in a luxurious apartment, showering her with expensive clothing, jewelry, and cars.
Alfred S. Bloomingdale died of throat cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
in 1982 in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, aged 66. Newspaper headlines soon screamed with stories of his affair with Vicki Morgan as a result of unsubstantiated details provided in her unsuccessful multi-million dollar palimony
Palimony
Palimony is a popular term used to describe the division of financial assets and real property on the termination of a personal live-in relationship wherein the parties are not legally married. The term is a portmanteau of the words pal and alimony...
lawsuit, which she filed after Betsy Bloomingdale refused to pay for Morgan's silence, and cut off all funds from the Bloomingdale estate that had been going to Morgan.
Although the case against Bloomingdale's estate was quickly dismissed by the courts, the entire affair was soon back in the headlines when Morgan was murdered in a brutal attack by her roommate less than a year after Alfred S. Bloomingdale had been interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery
Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City
Holy Cross Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery at 5835 West Slauson Avenue in Culver City, California, operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles....
in Culver City, California
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
.