Buzz
From the moment people of influence and distinction emerged, so too did the need for their protection. While films and TV shows may portray bodyguard life as thrilling and glamorous, it often involves a mixture of monotony and peril, long shifts filled with vigilance and anticipating danger. Here are 10 interesting facts about bodyguards, including stories of men who protected powerful figures, as well as those who betrayed their employers.
10. Hitler’s Personal Bodyguard
Rochus Misch, a member of the SS, was one of Adolf Hitler’s trusted bodyguards during World War II. Misch was particularly close to the dictator, recalling that Hitler gifted him 1,000 marks and 40 bottles of wine for his wedding in 1942. He claimed to have been present during the 1944 ‘July Plot’ aimed at assassinating Hitler and was in the bunker when Hitler and his wife Eva Braun ended their lives. After the war, Misch was captured by the Soviets, tortured, and sentenced to hard labor. He was released after serving eight years and later ran a store with his wife Gerda in Berlin.
Although Gerda’s Jewish heritage was kept secret until 2009, Rochus Misch has often been considered one of the most ardent defenders of Hitler and a notorious Holocaust denier. In a 2005 interview, he famously stated, “I ask you, if Hitler really did all the terrible things people now say he did, how could he have been our Fuhrer? How is that possible?” The last living survivor of Hitler’s bunker, Misch passed away in 2013 at the age of 96.
9. The Scope of a Bodyguard's Duties
Being a bodyguard is often seen as an exciting profession, filled with moments of danger where a bodyguard must be ready to protect their charge at all costs. However, a bodyguard who is constantly required to resort to violence is likely failing at their job. A skilled bodyguard spends most of their time preparing for any potential situation and adhering to strict protocols.
For example, when a security team member is assigned the role of driver, their only focus is to remain behind the wheel, regardless of what’s happening outside the vehicle. They are tasked with memorizing the primary routes, knowing alternative paths for emergencies, and being familiar with the locations of safe houses. They are also instructed to keep the car’s gas tank full and the engine running, always prepared for a quick getaway. While this may seem like the job of a mere taxi driver, it is an essential part of ensuring a fast and efficient evacuation.
8. Al Capone’s Brother: A Contrasting Path
Al Capone came from a large Italian family, with nine siblings. While two of his brothers, Ralph and Frank, followed him into the world of crime, his brother James chose a radically different path. After leaving home as a teenager, James served in World War I and later changed his name to Richard Hart, possibly to distance himself from his infamous older brother, Al. As Al’s criminal empire started growing, James reinvented himself. Oddly enough, he became a federal Prohibition agent in Homer, Nebraska. His striking Wild West persona, marked by carrying twin pearl-handled pistols, earned him the nickname 'Two Gun Hart.'
Hart eventually went on to work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, where his mission was to reduce alcohol distribution on Native American reservations. In the summer of 1927, Hart was assigned to a special duty as part of a security team for President Calvin Coolidge and his wife during their visit to the Black Hills in South Dakota. The irony is almost too striking—while one brother was tasked with guarding the President of the United States, the other was running one of the most notorious crime syndicates in American history.
7. Trevor Rees-Jones
Most bodyguards rarely face danger beyond the occasional challenge of navigating a crowd of autograph hunters, but the threat is always present. Few understand the potential risks better than Trevor Rees-Jones, who served as a bodyguard for Dodi Fayed, the Egyptian heir. On August 31, 1997, Rees-Jones was traveling in a Mercedes Benz with Dodi Fayed, Princess Diana, and their driver Henri Paul. The car was speeding at 100 kilometers per hour (65 mph) in an effort to escape paparazzi when it crashed into a wall. Tragically, none of the passengers were wearing seat belts.
Both Fayed and Paul died instantly, and Diana passed away soon after from severe internal injuries. Rees-Jones’ survival seemed miraculous, a testament to modern medicine. Despite the airbags deploying, his face was horribly crushed. Dr. Luc Chikhani, the attending plastic surgeon, recalled, “We’d never seen a case like this. All the bones were shattered. His profile was completely flat.” His mother only recognized him by the scars on his legs.
It took over 11 hours of surgery to reconstruct Rees-Jones’s face, using more than 30 titanium plates and screws to rebuild it, guided by family photos for reference. Even years later, he carries deep scars, and his memories of that fateful night are unclear. However, he does recall Diana calling out for Dodi after the crash.
Conspiracy theories swirled around the crash, with some, including billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed, claiming the incident was a covert operation orchestrated by MI6 on orders from the British royal family. In reality, the cause was far more straightforward: the driver, Henri Paul, was intoxicated and under the influence of prescription drugs that reacted negatively with alcohol.
6. Walter Thompson: Churchill’s Guardian
Winston Churchill was one of the most photographed figures during World War II. A closer look at these images often reveals a quiet, watchful figure lurking in the background: Walter Thompson, Churchill’s personal bodyguard. Thompson dedicated 18 years of service to Churchill, working with him during two separate terms from 1921 to 1945.
Few people in the world carried a greater target on their back than Winston Churchill. In the 1920s, while serving as Secretary of State for the Colonies and overseeing Ireland, he was marked by the IRA. Later, during World War II, Churchill was the subject of multiple assassination attempts, with a bounty on his head from various groups, including the Nazis, nationalist factions, and even lone extremists. In 1940, Thompson stepped in to protect Churchill when Countess Helene de Portes, the mistress of French prime minister Paul Reynaud, tried to attack him in a fit of fury.
Despite his steadfastness, the constant pressure of the job eventually took its toll on Thompson, leading to a nervous breakdown and the end of his first marriage. After retiring from his post at the close of World War II, Thompson was awarded the British Empire Medal and later wrote a successful autobiography about his life and experiences. Churchill, who lived to the age of 90, likely owed his longevity, at least in part, to the vigilance of his dedicated bodyguard.
5. Michael Clarke Duncan and The Notorious B.I.G.
Michael Clarke Duncan, known for his towering presence, is perhaps best remembered for portraying the gentle, magical giant in The Green Mile. Duncan began his career in the mid-1990s, securing small roles on TV shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Married With Children. At the same time, he made ends meet by working as a bodyguard for some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
One of the stars Duncan protected was rapper Christopher 'Notorious B.I.G.' Wallace. In early 1997, as the East Coast/West Coast rap rivalry escalated following the death of Tupac Shakur, Wallace increased his security. Duncan was scheduled to guard him on the night of March 8, but switched shifts with a colleague who was working security for Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds. That night, at 12:45 AM, the Notorious B.I.G. was tragically shot and killed inside his GMC Suburban in Los Angeles after attending a party hosted by VIBE magazine. Duncan learned of the heartbreaking news the next morning and decided that would be his final night as a bodyguard.
4. Female Bodyguards
For many years, female bodyguards were a rarity in the industry. However, their presence has steadily increased in recent times. One of the most well-known examples is Muammar Gadhafi, the deposed Libyan dictator, who famously employed an all-female security force called the 'Amazonian Guard.' According to one of these women, the main advantage of having female bodyguards is their ability to blend seamlessly into their surroundings.
Female bodyguards have become especially sought after by Arab clients, particularly those who prefer to avoid having unrelated men around female family members for cultural and religious reasons. They are also gaining popularity in places like China and Russia, as evidenced by Anna Loginova, a model-turned-bodyguard, who worked with clients such as Russian boxer Kostya Tszyu. Tragically, despite her extensive training, Loginova was killed in a carjacking incident in 2008 while protecting her own Porsche Cayenne.
3. Lincoln’s Missing Bodyguard
The Secret Service was established in 1865, the very year President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. However, its original mission wasn’t to protect the President, but to combat the circulation of counterfeit money. On the night of his death, Lincoln’s security consisted of just one police officer, John Parker. Even though he had survived a prior assassination attempt, Lincoln didn’t seem overly concerned about his protection. Regrettably, Parker was far from the ideal choice for this duty, as he had a history of drinking and dozing off while on duty.
During the performance at Ford’s Theatre, Parker had been assigned a seat from which he could keep watch over the President. Yet, instead of staying on guard, he opted to go for a drink at the nearby Star Saloon during the intermission. When Booth made his move, Parker was nowhere to be found. Historians continue to debate whether his presence would have made a difference—given that Booth was a renowned figure at the time, he might have been granted access to Lincoln, much like how Tom Hanks or Denzel Washington could be allowed to meet President Obama today.
Despite his grossly negligent actions, Parker kept his position and was even assigned to guard Mrs. Lincoln on at least one occasion. Mrs. Lincoln reportedly scolded him harshly for his role in her husband’s death. Three years later, Parker was caught sleeping on the job again, leading to his dismissal from the police force.
2. Rosey Grier
During his early years, Roosevelt 'Rosey' Grier was a standout defensive tackle with the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Rams. After retiring from football, he found inspiration in Robert Kennedy’s civil rights efforts, which led to a close friendship between the two. On the night Robert F. Kennedy was tragically assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, Grier was working as a bodyguard for Kennedy's wife, Ethel. As he walked a few steps behind Ethel, chaos broke out, causing her to collapse. Rosey rushed to help, but upon entering the kitchen, he discovered that Robert had already been shot.
Rosey Grier, despite the intense scene, managed to disarm the assassin and prevent him from falling victim to a violent mob. Grier was deeply affected by the loss, later reflecting, 'When Bobby Kennedy died, it changed my life completely. It was a tragedy for his children, his family, and all of us. I left football behind and dedicated myself to helping young people escape the path of violence. Now, I’m a minister, working to improve the community. Bobby taught me that individuals can make a difference. That was his inspiration, and a message from God to all of us.'
1. Assassins
The process of selecting bodyguards involves rigorous scrutiny, not just assessing their defensive skills but also their loyalty. After all, you're entrusting your life to them. This critical selection has occasionally gone wrong. One of the most infamous cases was the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who was killed on October 31, 1984, by her own bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, both of whom were Sikhs.
Although Satwant had only recently begun his job as a guard, Beant had been acquainted with Gandhi for a decade. The two men were arrested, and during their detention, they reportedly attempted to assault other officers before being shot. Beant died in the confrontation, while Satwant survived, only to be executed later. This assassination was driven by the ongoing tensions between India's small Sikh minority and the Hindu majority.
In 2011, Pakistani Governor Salman Taseer was murdered by his own bodyguard, 26-year-old Mumtaz Qadri. Qadri allegedly killed Taseer in response to the governor's stance against capital punishment for those who insulted Islam. Some members of the Muslim community consider Qadri a hero, and a mosque is currently under construction in Faizabad, Pakistan, to honor him.
