Heath Ledger's Body Leaves Funeral Home

The Actor's Grieving Family Has Thus Far Chosen To Keep Funeral Details Private

(CBS/AP)  The body of Heath Ledger left the funeral home as the family prepared to bury the "Brokeback Mountain" actor, the same day police insisted they have no interest in interviewing actress Mary-Kate Olsen.

Details about the Australian-born actor's funeral remained shrouded in secrecy. The body was moved from the police-barricaded funeral home at about 4 p.m. Friday amid a swarm of cameras and reporters. Ledger's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said funeral arrangements "will continue to be kept private at the family's request."

Their immediate plans were not known, though Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said his government would do whatever is needed to help the family bring back his body to Australia.

---

Photos: On Losing Ledger

---

Olsen called Heath Ledger a "friend" in a brief statement released Friday, the first word from the "Full House" star since the Australian-born actor's death. Released by her publicist, the statement, in its entirety, reads: "Heath was a friend. His death is a tragic loss. My thoughts are with his family during this very difficult time."

2The NYPD denied a report Friday that they want to interview Olsen in connection with calls she received from the masseuse who found Ledger's lifeless body.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said investigators have no interest in talking to Olsen. They interviewed everyone at the scene, each of whom was cooperative. That eliminated "any need to interview Miss Olsen," he said.

On Thursday, police released a detailed timeline of the calls that were made by Ledger's masseuse on Tuesday afternoon, after he couldn't be roused for a scheduled massage.

Police said the masseuse spent nine minutes making three calls to Olsen before she dialed 911 for help. The masseuse called Olsen a fourth time after paramedics arrived.

---

Photos: Ledger's Life Cut Short

---

The details about the calls do not have any significant bearing on the investigation because authorities believe Ledger was dead at that point and they have ruled out foul play.

Also Friday, a few onlookers and a large crowd of journalists gathered outside the funeral home where Ledger's family was expected later in the day.

Ledger's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said no details about the actor's funeral would be shared with the press.

3Ledger's family placed a death notice that appeared Friday in The West Australian, a newspaper based in his hometown of Perth, remembering him as "the most amazing 'old soul' in a young man's body."

"As a close knit and very private family we have observed you so determined yet quietly traveling in your self-styled path in life, nothing would get in your way ... no mountain too tall, no river too wide," said the notice, which the newspaper said had been submitted by Ledger's relatives. ".... Our hearts are broken."

The actor's sister, Kate, said she could "hardly breathe" as she tried to write her tribute. "We were the ultimate soul mates," she said.

"You were so many things to so many people, but to me you were just my little brother."

---

Photos: A Look At Heath Ledger

---

Authorities believe Ledger was already dead while his masseuse was dialing Olsen, with the first three calls ranging from 21 seconds to more than a minute and a half.

The cause of death will not be answered for at least a week, after medical examiners complete toxicology tests. Authorities suspect a possible overdose, but nothing conclusive has been determined. Several prescription drugs were found in the Manhattan apartment where Ledger's body was found.

4Police originally said the masseuse made two calls seeking Olsen's advice about what to do, but they revised it to four after taking a closer look at Ledger's phone records. The masseuse, Diana Wolozin, apparently knew both Ledger and Olsen and knew they were friends; all the calls were made from Ledger's cell phone, police said.

At 1 p.m. Tuesday, Ledger's housekeeper went into his bedroom to change a light bulb, saw him sleeping and heard what she thought was snoring. The masseuse showed up for Ledger's massage appointment at about 2:45 p.m., knocked on his door and called his cell phone at 3 p.m. to wake him up., police said.

After setting up her massage table, she tried to wake Ledger and realized something was wrong.

That was when events took a strange turn.

At 3:17 p.m., she made a call to the Olsen twin that lasted 49 seconds. At 3:20 p.m., she made another call, lasting 1 minute and 39 seconds. At 3:24 p.m., another call to Olsen. That one lasted 21 seconds.

Then, at 3:26 p.m., Wolozin called 911.

At some point during the frenzy, Olsen, who was in California, summoned her personal security guards to the apartment to help with the situation, the New York Police Department said.

Paramedics arrived at 3:33 p.m. and actually went up in the elevator to the apartment with Olsen's security guards. Paramedics did not allow the security guards into the bedroom where Ledger died, and they declared him dead at 3:36 p.m. - 19 minutes after the first call to Olsen.

The masseuse called Olsen a final time at 3:34 p.m. The duration of that call was unknown.

The death prompted rumors that Ledger may have been depressed and taking too many pills. Haydn and Mike Ledger, two of the actor's uncles, deflected a question from a CBS The Early Show interviewer Thursday about whether their nephew had been depressed, saying that should be left to his parents to address.

"We have fond and loving memories of a very loving, gentle trickster," Mike Ledger told The Early Show. "It was his vibrance and personality that really got people together. And that certainly was a trait that he took later on in life into his career."

Ledger told The New York Times in November that his recent work on the films "The Dark Knight" and "I'm Not There" had been stressful, and that he was struggling with sleeplessness and had taken the sleeping pill Ambien.

Ledger received an Oscar nomination for his role as a gay cowboy in 2005's "Brokeback Mountain," one of several acclaimed for the actor in recent years. He plays the Joker in the Batman flick "The Dark Knight," set to come out later this year.

Before moving to Manhattan, Ledger lived with then-girlfriend Michelle Williams in a Brooklyn brownstone with a black wrought-iron fence. Ledger split last year with Williams, who played his wife in "Brokeback." The two had a daughter, 2-year-old Matilda.

Mike Ledger told The Early Show that being a father meant everything to the young actor.

"We know that Heath would have wanted to be with her forever," the actor's uncle said.

Williams and Matilda returned to their Brooklyn home Wednesday evening from Sweden. The 27-year-old actress had been there shooting scenes for the upcoming film "Mammoth," said Martin Stromberg, a spokesman for film production company Memfis Film.

Makeshift tributes and memorials continued to pile up Thursday in front of Ledger's apartment building, including candles, handwritten notes and more than 100 bouquets.

[hereticzero-2009]

too bad, he was such a good actor.

[susieq91101]

So very sad...had his whole life and career ahead of him. Prayers and thoughts to his family and friends. ~Peace to you Heath~

[realtalk5950]

Interesting.

[shaggydaddy1]

He was a great Actor. He will be missed

[denn034]

Who?

[ivandrago]

Gonna add a new dimension to watching the new Batman movie. Was the movie finished?

[ssm9451]

So young, so sad. Every good actor. My prayers to the family and friends.

[Duke Lemoyne]

My condolensces to Mr. Ledger''s family and loved ones. Unfortunately, this tragedy will be diminished by the media as it becomes the basis of countless hours of "what if?" speculation and comparison to James Dean, another young actor of potential taken much too soon. Resquiescat In Pace, Heath.

[marcodele]

"Heath, I swear...."

[dagdamfyno]

What a horrific shock. My prayers go out to his family. Unfortunately this probably won''t be the last tragedy of this sort that we hear of this year concerning young celebreties. It just continues to become increasingly worse. Hopefully this will be a wake up call to others who are slowly killing themselves.

[pywakitt-2009]

I wish his family and friends the very best. It is so sad to hear that such a good actor and a great role model is gone. There are so many other young people that could learn from his life. I hope that this was an accident and not deliberate. Either way I wish people close to him well and we all lose. There will be many to follow unfortunatly, in the way the public loves the horror of death today,and the way the media love to kill our youth!

[piercetheval]

Hollywood kills.

[jasbek]

My favorite actor of all time... rest in peace.

[apdepetris]

How awful. He still had his whole life ahead of him. I always thought he was a good actor. And to leave behind such a young daughter that will never know her father.

And just think the other day they were discussing about the AP writing an obituary for Britney Spears. Here''s one I bet they didn''t think they would be writing.

So sad - 28 is too young to die. Rest in peace.

[buddhabman]

Watch out they come in threes.

[july11920]

My prayers are for his family and child

[element51]

This kid had talent and it is sad to see another gifted young actor go so soon. His performance in "Brokeback Mountain" was wonderful and "A Knights Tale" is one of my favorite movies. I will miss seeing him in the future. Rest In Peace man and thank you for what you left us.

[sgtrds]

Incredible and shocking news! So sad! RIP to a great actor who had a huge future in front of him.

[previn2]

"In death''s release; May he find the peace; That in life he never knew..."

[mandylou4u]

His part for the movie was done so he will be in the new batman movie. Still a shame that such talent is gone. rip

[sv912]

WOW what a shocker. Great talent. I am just speechless. He will be missed. R.I.P. Thoughts and prayers to his friends and family.

[jamwah]

We need to reach out to people, depression is an illness and despite people thinking it''s a selfish act, sometimes it''s just something you can''t fight.
R.I.P. Heath, I hope you find the peace you needed xox

[ian01313]

Very sad news to recieve. I feel for those he left behind including Michelle and Matilda.
One last new movie we will see him in. But i believe no matte what once you are in gods hands no one can take you away... not even yourself!
RIP heath

[jetlizhan]

this is so, so sad. i''m so sorry for this talented young man, his family and the film industry. what a shame and a waste.

[sfden]

What a waste of such a magnificent talent. Brokeback Mountain - what he brought to that film, I have no words for. I hope he''s at peace.

[luvcomments]

vbnvbnvbn

Oh, what a huge shame for you - I feel so sorry for you in your disappointment - not. How about you go out and do what you''re writing about - something of benefit to the world?


yurpallid - you are so right !!


And, I join all others who feel awful for this young man''s family and daughter. And, he may well not have intended for this to happen. Bloody drugs.

[mika100-2009]

this is shocking his so young i just
can''t believe it dat his gone!

[lisann326]

These prescriptions drugs don''t interact well with other things including a glass of wine sometimes or a couple of beers. A friend of mine in college found her mother dead after one glass of one earlier in the night, but she took a valium before she went to bed and never woke up. It is always sad. I''m with Tom Cruise on anti-depressants too. I was prescribed those awful things and almost lost my memory/education at the same time.

[ucmelc]

Why are the great and charismatic Austrailians dying? Heath could have continued to bring so much more to the media world. I am saddened by this news as I was for the Croc Hunter. May they rest in peace and may they have planted some of their ideals and hopes and dreams in others so that it can be carried on. I will miss seeing them.

[rmsdm4]

Its funny how all his friends were "worried" about him including the mother of his child. Did any of them think to call the police and report a drug addict? If they would have cared they would have directed him to help.

[fun2fly]

Sosaid but please your a drama queen its mot just ausies it is just to much to fast to fame and not enough backbone with strong family suport.i''m sad about htis too, but one does have to wonder what has happend and what is really going on in the world when talented people dont learn from history...

[fun2fly]

Sad ... will miss his talent.

[normsw]

Sad, but it reminds me of a rock song, "another one bites the dust." Hendrix, Joplin, Elvis, and so many other talents-the list is long-left us way before their time.

[keithle1]

lisann326

"I''m with Tom Cruise on anti-depressants too."

Are you insane? You''re with Tom Cruise? Vitamins, minerals & oils are what depressed people need? Psychiatrists don''t know what they''re doing? Scientology has all the answers?
That''s what Cruise believes. Scientology has ALL the answers to ALL of our problems.

You really want to go all the way down the Scientology road?

[nothappyatall]

"As the door opened, bystanders snapped pictures with camera phones, rolled video, and said, "Hes coming out!"

How the hel1 these people even find out that fast to go there?
CBS provides a photo of the front of his APARTMENT building??? whats the deal with THAT?? who cares what the outside of his apartment building LOOKS like!

[Syndicate]

There are more important people an issues to give story time to. Can''t say I care that some actor died.

[walkedby-2009]

bad. he used to be a active member on plussingle.com. but they can not see him again.

[olebd]

Ironically, he looks like Andy Gibb in this picture who I think died of a drug overdose the year Heath was born.

[erichsh]

Heath who??? Never heard of him.

[olebd]

My bad, Andy died in 1988.

[hypnotoad72]

Accidental overdose, drug given to him by a quack, or suicide?

I feel for his family. If it was suicide, they will have twice the grievance.

The papparrazi are in it for money. Good morning, the sun is shining, this is America. Depraved, but the media loves it. Sensationalism. Or hadn''t people noticed or were too "liberal" to do anything about it?

And why are some twerps equating this suicide to a character he made in some movie, made solely because of the same sort of sensationalism hollywood adores? If Carroll O''Connor, a Democrat, could play a Republican (and then ask for more money), any one of any persuasion can play anything - even points that the person may or may not personally agree with.

It''s almost fun, to read the brainless jerks on the far right (and far left, don''t get me started on those cranks...) who really drag things out of proportion.

[hypnotoad72]

There are more important people an issues to give story time to. Can''''t say I care that some actor died.
Posted by cbscrash07
--------------------

Don''t ask anybody who''s gay and claims to be a "liberal".*

Compared to vermin like Britney, Heath was probably an okay guy. After all, the slime media never had much to say... so he does deserve some respect.

(* unless he committed suicide, but don''t ask the "liberals" to care either... they''re too busy being utterly myopic in "gay defense" mode to think.)

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by tiddsanbeer at 08:45 PM : Jan 22, 2008

Especially you would know all about it.

[ubrew12]

So very sad, he was so talented. His performance alone suggested to me that ''Brokeback Mountain'' was less about homosexuality than it was a critique of Stoicism. His characters inability to break with his stoic cowboy nature ultimately dooms his friends life, and his own...

[arthurcl1]

Keith will always be known for the best Joker in the Batman Series that will dwarf what Jack Nicholsens role as a very dark more sinister villian like the comics portrayed. He really got into his parts and liked the dark side. I guess he lived too much of it. He said he was getting very little sleep when in his parts. Maybe took too much pills. Very Sad Indeed for such an up and coming actor.

[shanev137]

Wow. That''s pretty sad.

[yongamerica]

Who? and does anyone really care?

[keithle1]

Stay away from sleeping pills.

[rudy654-2009]

I love the way the media leads us to conclusions. He was in be naked! Surely something happened. Sleeping pills were nereby! Ooooh! I wonder if toothpaste was also nearby? I just got done reading somewhere that he was fighting pneumonia. Could it be? Well, even it might have been the cause, the media would rather us focus on him being in bed naked and sleeping pills nearby. Sheeesh! Even if it is an overdose or something, at least wait until something definite comes along before you beshmirch someone''s name.

[briansgirl2]

Today, we mourn Mr. Ledger. I thought he was older, but still, he was very talented. My heart goes out to Michelle and his daughter. What a sad, sad loss of a very unique person. Rest in peace, Mr. Ledger - - - God Bless