Carol Wayne

[LutherHeggs]

E! Mysteries & Scandals did an episode on Carol Wayne - 60s game show and sitcom star.

All that was discovered by producers is that in 1985, Carol Wayne and her companion Ed Durston had to leave their posh resort Las Hadas hotel in Manzanillo (they wanted to extend stay but hotel was booked-- or they ran out of money?) and when Carol was not happy with the nearby hotel option (2 star) she stormed off in a huff.

Ed went to airport with her luggage - hoping she would show up for their planned flight. She never did. She turned up days later - dead - floating in the shallow bay.

Supposedly Ed Durston came home to LA very shook up (according to his ex wife) and had no idea where Carol had gone. Ed Durston was never questioned in her death as a potential murderer. His ex-wife told E! producers (off camera) that she knew in her heart Ed did not harm Carol - and he had been genuinely worried for her safety (Ed Durston was the guy with Dianne Linkletter the night she jumped out the window).

Carol was supposedly terrified of water (even refusing baths) according to her "personal assistant" interviewed by E! in 1999 -- So how did she get in the water?
Did she score drugs and pass out -- get abducted and raped ?
It's not hard to imagine -- a buxom blonde by herself - getting grabbed/raped and murdered in Mexico and murderer going free.

Mexican officials performed an autopsy and said she was clear of drugs or alcohol (but was this accurate or just shoddy medical techniques?) and they also ruled out foul play. It was called an accidental drowning.

Regardless of how she drowned-- her body was cremated at the request of Barry Feinstein - her ex-husband and the father of her only son, Alex.

Her look-a-like sister Nina Wayne (a 60s actress -- and mother of a daughter named Jessica with John Drew Barrymore) apparently had no say in the matter of her sister's body.

Then again...her body was horribly bloated and cremation was quick and easy -- but the cremation also destroyed her remains for any future examinations in the United States.

E! Producers supposedly found out (and this was not in the episode but was told to me) that her ex-husband Barry Feinstein had an accidental death insurance policy out on Carol -- and he was able to collect the double-indemnity money due to the Mexican Gov't findings that it was an accidental drowning and not drug/booze/murder related.

Carol had declared bankruptcy a year earlier and posed for Playboy for $$ and her drug use was escalating (she looked high as a kite as celeb judge on the Cable TV pageant "Best Chest in the West").

Carol chose the now familiar "Britney / Lohan" cure of vacationing instead of serious rehab.

It was a tragic end to a lady that brought a lot of laughs via her TV appearances.

With the cocaine addicted / over-the-hill actress dead, and the insurance money collected (on her son's behalf?) nobody asked another question about it -- until E! went around asking colleagues and friends and relatives in 1999.

Barry Feinstein would not be interviewed, and Nina Wayne refused to be filmed for the show - wanting to leave it all in the past.

[joplinfrk]

I vaguely remember her from back in the day, but I did read an interesting chapter about her in a book some time ago. What a shame.

[Lisamarie]

Okay I think its weird too, but this Ed Durston guy sounds shady to me and always has...I mean come on..he sees Dian Linkletter jumping out the window and grabs her belt loops..To me if you have two broads dying in shady ways when you were around...dunno sounds fishy to me. I mean Dian was clean they later found out and I think there is the possiblity she did have a flashback...I dunno . Im not buying this Ed guy, how many girls has he dated that died ....two and to me thats two to many. Was he married and out with Carol Wayn?? I didnt know that! I think he is shady as all hell . And I think there are more to both stories, but hey only Ed know for sure right.

[LutherHeggs]

yes , only Ed knows for sure

he was apparently divorced and a car salesman when he took up with Carol for kicks.

[Entwhistlestop]

Poor Carol. Her last movie was "Surf 2" and she was scared to swim and died in the water? And no one cared.

[Snoopy]

Hmm that Ed does sound shady I'm surprised he was never investigated in her drowning..kind of a male black widow it sounds like..very shady indeed!

[Daphne]

I completely remember Carol Wayne because she was a Johnny Carson regular (usually as dumb buxom blonde). I must say it's a bit wierd this Ed guy was present at two deaths (Linkletter/Wayne), or curiously close to each of these women.

Too bad the story was not investigated further-seems pretty shady to me.

[1karenhb]

Very interesting story. I didn't know much about here death except she drowned in Mexico under suspicious (!!!) circumstances. I only remember her from Johnny Carson's Mighty Art Players on the Tonight Show.

[Lisamarie]

I know and the Dian Linkletter story I think is bs...I dont know why..the whole belt loops thing! He sounds shandy and we are all on to him! lol!!! Wonder were he is now?? The sad thing is stupid Art Linkletter was like yeah she was a junkie and she was haveing a flashback......thanks dad!!!! I think good ole Ed is a murder! But thats just me!

[Robert Vesco]

For those who have never seen Carol Wayne, a video of her typical "Tea Time Lady" skit with Johnny Carson is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_442dZzW7R0

Rumor is that Carson and Wayne were a couple. But she was heavily into drugs, and Carson gave her an ultimatim: Drugs or Him. She chose drugs. He ended the relationship and kicked her off the Tonight Show. She went downhill from there. A shame, because she is so cute. But Carson's "tough love" approach was probably the right thing.

[ComputerGuy]

Damn. You learn so much here

[buzzzx]

Diane Linkletter committed suicide. Art brought the flashback angle into the story out of grief, as you do.

[DelightfulDeathHag]

I remember when this happened,it sounds kinda fishy to me to. I really only remember her from the Carson Show,but I thought she was pretty funny

[KELT]

The WAYNE sisters strongly resembled one another. CAROL had far more acting credits than her slightly younger sister. I remember seeing her as 'Bootsy Nightingale' a dimwitted starlet on an episode of
I DREAM OF JEANNIE (" It must be so exciting to go to outer space and see all those places like Juniper and Venus. Hmmm......Venus, the planet of love....")

CAROL was a semi-regular on a game show (name escapes me) in the mid-70s that had a format similiar to HOLLYWOOD SQUARES; She was quite good on it and she came off as being more intelligent than her established image would have you believe. This was around the time that she began doing that skit on
THE TONIGHT SHOW.

NINA, now a widow, lives in Palm Springs.

[JefeStone]

For those who have never seen Carol Wayne, a video of her typical "Tea Time Lady" skit with Johnny Carson is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_442dZzW7R0

Rumor is that Carson and Wayne were a couple. But she was heavily into drugs, and Carson gave her an ultimatim: Drugs or Him. She chose drugs. He ended the relationship and kicked her off the Tonight Show. She went downhill from there. A shame, because she is so cute. But Carson's "tough love" approach was probably the right thing.

Thanks for posting this. I havent seen this stuff since junior high.I forgot how much better Carson was than Leno. Im old enough to get all the jokes now too!

[Ruffian]

She always did play a dumb blonde. Those bangs! I'll never forget them. She was also on at least one episode of Bewitched that I remember. Apparently, from what I also remember, is that she had a genius level IQ. She was nowhere near the dolts her characters were.

Art Linkletter really loved his daughter and was in a lot of pain over her drug abuse. I don't think he did anything to malign his daughter.

[JefeStone]

I never liked Art. He reminded me of those conservatives that tell everyone how to live thier lives.

[Ruffian]

I never liked Art. He reminded me of those conservatives that tell everyone how to live thier lives.

He sure got those kids to say the darndest things, tho! LOL

[Cathy J.]

CAROL was a semi-regular on a game show (name escapes me) in the mid-70s that had a format similiar to HOLLYWOOD SQUARES; She was quite good on it and she came off as being more intelligent than her established image would have you believe. This was around the time that she began doing that skit on
THE TONIGHT SHOW.

NINA, now a widow, lives in Palm Springs.

That game show was called "Celebritity Sweepstakes". It aired on NBC in the mid 70s.

[Daphne]

I completely remember Carol Wayne because she was a Johnny Carson regular (usually as dumb buxom blonde). I must say it's a bit wierd this Ed guy was present at two deaths (Linkletter/Wayne), or curiously close to each of these women.

Too bad the story was not investigated further-seems pretty shady to me.

To clarify, Im not dissin Art, but there was a man (the Ed guy) present or involved with both women at the time of their deaths..

[Ruffian]

To clarify, Im not dissin Art, but there was a man (the Ed guy) present or involved with both women at the time of their deaths..

No worries, Daphne! And yes, I agree....either it's a really HUGE coincidence that Ed was on the fringe of two deaths or he really has bad luck. I don't believe in bad luck. LOL

[akcheckrtr]

I think I would run if I new Ed was anywhere around. Sounds like he is the kiss of death. I am still shocked he was not investigated. Sounds shady to me.

[poppie]

She was a funny lady. I am sorry her death is under such a dark cloud. Seems like no one really cared enough to find out the truth.

[Steve]

It's strange, but I was watching How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying and confused Maureen Arthur with Carol Wayne. I started thinking about Ms. Wayne and voila! I found this place.

[Gary]

It's strange, but I was watching How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying and confused Maureen Arthur with Carol Wayne. I started thinking about Ms. Wayne and voila! I found this place.

Welcome, Steve!

[Danny62]

[Nowereman]

[SIZE=3]If you watched the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson during the Seventies, you may remember sexy Carol Wayne. She was the big-busted, bubbly Matinee Lady of the 'Tea Time Movies with Art Fern' sketches that began in 1971 and stayed popular throughout the decade. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Carol Wayne was also a frequent guest on game shows like Celebrity Sweepstakes and The Hollywood Squares, she also made quite a bit of money doing personal appearances. She had the ability to make the most innocent remark seem like a dirty joke with her little girl voice, wide "innocent" eyes and ultra-ample bosom.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]It was often joked that Carol Wayne would never drown with those large breasts of hers - but ironically that's exactly how she did die. To this day, the exact circumstances leading up to her death in 1985 remain a mystery. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Carol Wayne's troubles started in 1980 when Johnny Carson threatened to quit his lucrative role as host of the popular 'Tonight' show. He demanded that NBC cut the show from ninety-minutes to sixty. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]The network was having a very bad year, and the nightly talk show was its biggest profit center at the time ('The Cosby Show' changed that situation a few years later). [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]NBC had no choice but to reluctantly agree to Carson's demand. Freeing up this time led to the creation of 'Late Night with David Letterman', which became another hot property for the network and Carson Productions - so everyone came out a winner. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Well, everyone but Carol Wayne. The new sixty-minute format meant that Carson had less time for skits starring familiar characters like Aunt Blabby, Floyd R. Turbo, and Art Fern. As a result, Carol Wayne's appearances on the 'Tonight' show became fewer and farther between.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Carol Wayne was no longer in demand for daytime game show appearances either, that genre was dying on the vine. In 1980, she divorced her husband, bestselling writer Burt Sugarman. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]In 1984 a thin, pale Carol Wayne declared bankruptcy due in large part to a cocaine and alcohol problem. It was said the entertainer was reduced to being an occasional escort for wealthy businessmen in order to make a living. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]According to published reports, Carol Wayne was on vacation in Santiago Bay, Mexico with Los Angeles car salesman Edward Durston on January 10, 1985 when (it has been reported) the couple had a argument about where they were going to stay that evening (they were scheduled to fly back to Los Angeles the next morning). [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Durston checked into a hotel and Wayne reportedly left to walk down the beach (to cool off?). That was the last time anyone saw her alive. Local fisherman Abel de Dios found her limp body floating in the shallow bay waters three days later. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Mexican authorities wondered how Carol Wayne came to drown in waters four feet deep, fully clothed. There were no cuts or abrasions, so a fall from the nearby rocks was ruled out. The coroner stated that death occurred 3 - 4 days earlier and the body tested negative for drugs and alcohol. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Suspicions were raised: Carol Wayne had to be identified by workers at the Las Hadas resort where the couple had been staying earlier in the week. When locals went to look for Wayne's traveling companion, they discovered that Edward Durston checked out three days earlier - leaving Wayne's luggage at the airport with a message that she would pick up her bags in the morning. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Carol Wayne could not swim, and reportedly did not like to go too near the water. So how did she happen to be found dead in calm and shallow waters? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]"Carol Wayne's death is unsolved, certainly," the U.S. Consular William LaCoque was quoted as saying in 1990. "But I don't think it was a drowning. A drowning, yes, of course, but there is much more to it than that." What more, we may never know. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]As an aside, many readers may remember the LSD related death of Art Linkletter's daughter Diane. She jumped (or fell) from a sixth floor apartment building in 1969. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Art Linkletter basically ended his successful television career when he started crusading against drugs with a fervor that made it hard for middle America to find the afternoon talk show host funny anymore. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Not that it necessarily means anything, but Diane Linkletter's companion the night she was killed was Edward Durston.
[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Carol Wayne's last appearance on the Tonight Show[/SIZE]


[SIZE=3]http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=AdfIhO8u3hY[/SIZE]

[Jaxxx]

Wow Edward Durston was with both these ladies, coincidence I don't know?

[Kathyf]

i did not know she died. I remember her well.

[Kathyf]

I found this
Birthplace: Chicago, ILL.
Birthday: 9-6-1942
Birth Name: Carol Wayne
Date of Death: 1-13-1985

Carol was a professional ice skater who became an actress after a career ending injury.They said she drowned in Mexico and the case is still open.

[SomeChick]

I used to love watching her on The Tonight Show as a kid. And on game shows. She played the dumb blonde so well. As a young kid, I didn't really know what that meant and she still made it funny.

I remember when Carol died too. I thought it was so odd. She really had so much going for her.

[Jack Raines]

I think [SIZE=3]Edward Durston was behind Carol's death and that of Art Linkletter's daughter.[/SIZE]

[Lifeisafataldisease]

wow, no such thing as a coincedence, if it smells like one it most likely will be!

[Jazbabee]

I knew about Durston from other stories.....wonder why the if the police have been able, or will further investigate

[Harry in Connecticut]

I remember one question Carol got on Hollywood Squares. It went something like..

Carol, Frank Sinatra came out of retirement with a best selling album. What was the title?

Carol said... "Old One Eye Is Black. No wait, that's Sammy"

[Hawk]

On the Linkletter death according to snopes the LSD thing is an urban legend...lots of info here.

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/drugs/linkletter.asp

[Robert Vesco]

Hey, guys, there's already a Carol Wayne thread:

http://www.findadeath.com/forum/show...ht=carol+wayne

[Jenny Mulhenny]

I had never heard of her, but knowing that dude was with both women when they died makes me wish Unsolved Mysteries was still on to get on his case. Maybe it would make a nice Cold Case Files episode.

[Daphne]

oh yes, I have posted on this subject many times. VERY suspicious indeed, and does anyone know where this clown Durston is?? I even sent my vote to have FAD do an indepth story on this..

[knothere]

he did it 2x n he got away with it

[Lisamarie]

I have said it before and Ill say it again...if you have not one but two broads die in weird ways......you get the guilty seal of approval from me.

[suzycreamcheese1]

I think she had a sister who was also very cute. Loved Tea Time ("no money? THAT'S when we care!")...I remember Carol played a bunny on "Bewitched".

[ROBERT63]

I think she had a sister who was also very cute. Loved Tea Time ("no money? THAT'S when we care!")...I remember Carol played a bunny on "Bewitched".

CAROL HAD A SISTER NAMED NINA WHO GUEST STARRED ON BEWITCHED AS WELL IN THE 2ND SEASON. CAROL ALSO GUEST STARRED ON "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" AS A SPOLIED PAMPERED ACTRESS WHO TRIED TO STEAL JEANNIE'S MASTER TONY [LARRY HAGMAN]

[JefeStone]

Art Fern was the man!

[Daphne]

So, does anyone have info as far as the Edward Durston and what/where he is now? I have looked and looked and hes like 'poof' nothing about him anywhere... given the fact he was on sight of two famous women's deaths, you would think we would have something! also, as far as Diane linkletters death, there is like ONE picture of her I can find-anyone have anything on her?

[Ghoulie Girl]

It really is a sad case.

Seems like no one really gave much effort in trying to answer ALL those unanswered questions.

[Lisamarie]

Di anyone read Scotts update??? Did he get in touch with this Ed guy?? I still call bullshit in the entire story!!! I think he killed her ass...I mean how come his story is now changed ...no he didint catch hold of her beltloops??? Now she is wearing jeans??? I mean something is off with this guy too many of his girlfriend die in weird ways!!! But awesome Scott dug up that commerical, she was a beautiful girl thats for sure. I still call bullshit on this guys story. And the phon call could have very well been that she hd been fighting with Ed because the opertor said she sounded under the influenece.......she could have been crying or tired....then I find it odd first she called her brother and now Ed called the brother to tell him she dropped acid and yet she comes up clean???? Like I said I call bullshit!!!!!! Who called the brother and how from that time dose she manage if good old Ed is following her everywhere dose he loose her long enough to jump out the window...and they have an eye witness!!!! I would love to get ahold of whoever that is and see exactley what he saw!!! I wonder how Ed was when he wnet downstairs ..was he calm??? Like I said I call bullshit!!!!

[Danny62]

I think alot of it has to do where she died. They really didn't have to the time or resources to investigate her death.

Yeah I think this guy is shady as hell as well.

I also think he was some what responsible for Diane Linkeletters death as well?

[Lisamarie]

me tooo!!! Let me get hold of this guy!!! I be like soo Ed date anyone intresting lateley??? Im so on to him!!

[Jigsaw]

I was flipping channels last week and one station -- I don't know which -- had a show on about LSD and the armed forces. I believe it was about a project of MK/ULTRA -- CIA brainwashing. The show said LSD does not show up in an autopsy.

Also, I saw Carol Wayne in I Dream of Jeannie. It was made in the late '60's and she was flat as a pancake -- nothing. Her breasts must have been huge implants. (She was too big, in my opinion). Also, red-headed Nina Wayne, was also flat-chested. I might be mistaken, but weren't the Wayne sisters in the Ice Capades before they became actors?

At the time of her death, Carol Wayne was reportedly a cocaine addict.

jigsaw