Anna Nicole Smith, American model and actress (b. 1967)

Who Was Anna Nicole Smith?

Born Vickie Lynn Hogan on November 28, 1967, Anna Nicole Smith captivated the public as an American model, actress, and television personality whose life, marked by both extraordinary fame and profound tragedy, unfolded under an intense media spotlight. Her striking resemblance to Marilyn Monroe and her larger-than-life persona quickly made her a pop culture icon.

The Iconic Model and Television Personality

Smith's journey to widespread recognition began with her appearances in Playboy magazine, culminating in her being crowned the coveted 1993 Playmate of the Year. This achievement launched her into the high-fashion world, where she became particularly renowned for her campaigns with Guess jeans. Her voluptuous figure and distinctive blonde bombshell image for brands like Guess, H&M, and Heatherette cemented her status as a supermodel of the 1990s. Beyond modeling, Smith transitioned to acting, appearing in films such as "The Hudsucker Proxy" and "Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult." Later in her career, she embraced reality television, starring in "The Anna Nicole Show," which offered a glimpse into her eccentric daily life and further cemented her polarizing public image.

Personal Life, Marriages, and Public Scrutiny

Anna Nicole Smith's early life saw her drop out of high school at the age of 14 in 1982. She married her first husband in 1985 and divorced in 1993. In 1994, her life took a dramatically public turn with her marriage to 89-year-old oil billionaire J. Howard Marshall II, a union that garnered immense media attention due to their 63-year age difference. This highly publicized marriage sparked widespread speculation that Smith married him solely for his immense wealth, a claim she consistently denied throughout her life. Marshall, who founded Koch Industries predecessor Great Northern Oil Company and was estimated by Forbes to be worth $1.6 billion at the time of his death, undeniably brought a new level of financial complexity and public interest into Smith's world.

The Lengthy Legal Battle for Inheritance

Following J. Howard Marshall's death in 1995, just 14 months after their marriage, Anna Nicole Smith became embroiled in a protracted and highly complex legal battle over a share of his vast estate. This contentious dispute pitted her against Marshall's son, E. Pierce Marshall, and became a defining feature of her later life, dragging on for over a decade. The legal saga notably reached the Supreme Court of the United States on two separate occasions, setting important legal precedents. The first case, Marshall v. Marshall (2006), centered on a question of federal jurisdiction over state probate matters, specifically whether federal courts could hear a tortious interference claim against an inheritance. The second, Stern v. Marshall (2011), addressed the authority of bankruptcy courts to rule on counterclaims related to an estate. Despite initial favorable rulings in lower courts, including a California jury awarding her $474 million (later reduced), the Supreme Court ultimately ruled against Smith's claim, effectively denying her any portion of J. Howard Marshall's estate. The legal proceedings continued even after her death, carried on by her estate, before ultimately concluding with no inheritance for Smith.

Tragedy and Final Years

The final months of Anna Nicole Smith's life were overshadowed by profound personal tragedies and intense media scrutiny. In September 2006, just days after she gave birth to her daughter Dannielynn in the Bahamas, her 20-year-old son, Daniel Wayne Smith, tragically died from an accidental overdose of a combination of methadone and antidepressants. This devastating loss plunged Smith into deep grief and was widely reported to have severely impacted her mental and physical well-being. Simultaneously, she became the focus of a highly publicized paternity and custody battle over her newborn daughter, Dannielynn Birkhead, involving her former boyfriend Larry Birkhead and her attorney Howard K. Stern. On February 8, 2007, at the age of 39, Anna Nicole Smith died in a Hollywood, Florida, hotel room. Her death was ruled an accidental overdose, resulting from a complex combination of nine prescription drugs, including chloral hydrate. Her passing, so soon after her son's and amidst such personal turmoil, brought her extraordinary life story to a tragic close, leaving behind a legacy that continues to fascinate and be analyzed.

Frequently Asked Questions About Anna Nicole Smith

What was Anna Nicole Smith's birth name?
Anna Nicole Smith was born Vickie Lynn Hogan.
How did Anna Nicole Smith first become famous?
She first gained widespread popularity as the 1993 Playmate of the Year for Playboy magazine, which led to high-profile modeling campaigns, notably with Guess jeans.
What was the nature of her legal battles after J. Howard Marshall's death?
Following the death of her billionaire husband, J. Howard Marshall II, Anna Nicole Smith engaged in a lengthy and complex legal battle for a share of his estate, which ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court twice but resulted in her not inheriting from the estate.
What was the cause of Anna Nicole Smith's death?
Anna Nicole Smith died in February 2007 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.
Who is Dannielynn Birkhead?
Dannielynn Birkhead is Anna Nicole Smith's daughter. Her paternity was the subject of a highly publicized legal battle, which ultimately confirmed Larry Birkhead as her biological father.