View source for Bernard Lafferty

{{Short description|Irish butler (1945–1996)}}
{{distinguish|Bernard Cafferty}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bernard Lafferty
| image = 
| image_size = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| birth_name = 
| birth_date = {{birth date|1945|4|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Creeslough]], [[County Donegal]], Ireland
| death_date = {{death date and age|1996|11|04|1945|11|01|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Beverly Hills, California]], U.S.
| occupation = [[Butler]], heir to [[Doris Duke]]
| spouse = 
| children = 
| parents = 
| relatives = [[Jim McCalliog]] (cousin)
}}

'''Bernard Lafferty''' (14 April 1945 – 4 November 1996) was an Irish butler and heir to American tobacco heiress and philanthropist, [[Doris Duke]]. Duke hired Lafferty in 1987 and named him the executor of her $1.2 billion estate six months prior to her death in October 1993. Their unorthodox relationship sparked controversy and speculation, although no charges were ever filed against Lafferty regarding her death.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/05/nyregion/bernard-lafferty-the-butler-for-doris-duke-dies-at-51.html|title=Bernard Lafferty, the Butler For Doris Duke, Dies at 51|last=Stout|first=David|date=November 5, 1996|website=www.nytimes.com|archive-date=July 9, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Richest Girl in the World: The Extravagant Life and Fast Times of Doris Duke|url=https://archive.org/details/richestgirlinw00mans|url-access=registration|last=Mansfield|first=Stephanie|publisher=G.P. Putnam's Sons|year=1992|isbn=9780399136726 }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/did-butler-do-it-185074|title=DID THE BUTLER DO IT?|last=PEYSER|first=MARC|date=February 19, 1995|work=Newsweek|archive-date=1995}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biography.com/people/doris-duke-9542083|title=Doris Duke Biography.com|last=A&E Television Networks|date=November 13, 2017|website=www.Biography.com|archive-date=January 28, 2018}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Bernard Lafferty was born on April 14, 1945, in [[Creeslough]], [[County Donegal]], [[Ireland]]. He was the only child of Edward Lafferty (1901-1964) and Angela McCalliog (1915-1965). He was a first cousin of Scottish former footballer [[Jim McCalliog]]. He moved to Glasgow, Scotland, with his mother shortly after his father's death in September 1964. Lafferty was orphaned at 20 years old when his mother was hit by a motorcycle the following August.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://creesloughview.com/2018/08/09/from-creeslough-to-hollywood-the-life-of-bernard-lafferty/|title=From Creeslough to Hollywood- The life of Bernard Lafferty - The Creeslough View|date=2018-08-09|work=The Creeslough View|access-date=2018-08-27|language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Career and Doris Duke==
Lafferty emigrated to the United States to live with his aunt in Philadelphia around 1980. Lafferty became the [[Maître d'hôtel|maître d']] at [[The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel]]. He befriended many famous and influential people during his tenure, including [[Sophia Loren]], [[Elizabeth Taylor]] and [[Peggy Lee]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

{{cns|date=December 2020|text=In 1987, Lafferty was hired by tobacco heiress, socialite, and philanthropist, [[Doris Duke]] as her personal butler at "[[Duke Farms]]", her home in [[Hillsborough, NJ]]. Lafferty soon endeared himself to Duke, becoming her closest confidant and travelling with her worldwide during his six years as her employee. Although Duke was a public figure, she spent her twilight years privately and mostly with Lafferty. Much of what actually transpired between must be left to speculation, but the consensus is they maintained a relatively healthy friendship.}}

Duke made Lafferty the executor of her estate six months before she died in 1993. After Duke's death, Lafferty managed her many philanthropic endeavors as directed in her will. Lafferty relinquished control as co-executor of the Duke estate in a 1995 settlement with Duke's disinherited adopted daughter.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/23416/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-doris-duke|title=5 Things You Didn't Know About Doris Duke|date=2009-12-04|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en}}</ref>

== Death ==
Lafferty purchased a $2.5 million mansion in [[Bel Air, Los Angeles|Bel Air]], where he resided until he died, three years later in his sleep of a heart attack in 1996. As specified in his will, Lafferty's ashes were scattered off Hawaii, where he had previously scattered Duke's ashes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1996-11-05/news/mn-61438_1_butler-made-wealthy-by-heiress|title=Butler Made Wealthy by Heiress Dies|last=LIEBERMAN|first=PAUL|date=November 5, 1996|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=January 28, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/flamboyant-life-and-death-of-a-billionaire-butler-1.104272|title=Flamboyant life and death of a billionaire butler|last=Sheridan|first=Kathy|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2019-09-06}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
In 1999, Lafferty was portrayed by [[Richard Chamberlain]] in a four-part television miniseries titled, ''[[Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke]]''.

In 2007, HBO Films produced a semi-fictional film about Duke and Lafferty in a movie titled ''[[Bernard and Doris]]'', starring [[Susan Sarandon]] and [[Ralph Fiennes]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/bernard-doris-125912|title=Bernard and Doris|last=Garron|first=Barry|date=February 5, 2008|work=The Hollywood Reporter www.hollywoodreporter.com|access-date=January 28, 2018}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lafferty, Bernard}}
[[Category:American butlers]]
[[Category:People from County Donegal]]
[[Category:American tobacco industry executives]]
[[Category:People from Hillsborough Township, New Jersey]]
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:Irish philanthropists]]
[[Category:Irish emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:People from Beverly Hills, California]]
[[Category:20th-century American philanthropists]]