MovieChat Forums > The Temptations (1998) Discussion > Do you think Paul killed himself?

Do you think Paul killed himself?

posted 17 years ago by MetalCasket
25 replies | jump to latest

Paul Williams' story is pretty depressing when you look into it. With family problems, financial troubles, alcoholism, and chronic illness - it seemed everything was stacked against him in the end. Having his solo recordings (including one titled "Feel Like Givin' Up") shelved just when he was beginning to recover from bad health didn't help matters, either. While his death was officially ruled a suicide, it seems strange he would shoot himself on the left side of the head while being right-handed. Do you think foul play was involved?

[–] queencity86 17 years ago

No, I think he really killed himself. He was going through a lot......I guess he couldn't handle living anymore. I don't think he should have killed himself though.

[–] ladynoir15 17 years ago

In the movie wasn't he drunk when he shot himself? Maybe when drinking it doesn't matter what hand is what first hand to get the gun out of the glove compartment, in this case his hand, got to be the one that fired.

"Personally, I'm convinced that alligators have the right idea. They eat their young."

[–] PurpleReign1961 17 years ago

I may be older than alot of you on this board, but I wonder am I the only person who remembers reading in Jet Magazine, when he was found dead, he was found with 4 bulets in his head, and in the trunk of a car (Did not mention it was his car)

I know I don't have dementia, I know I remember reading this as a youngster, and they said he was found in the trunk of a car, iwth 4 gunshots to the head...

"He Didn't Get Out Of The Cockadoodie Car !!!"

[–] ladynoir15 17 years ago

Sounds like something you should try to find to see if you're memory is correct.
Unfortunately I wasn't born until 1980 so I didn't get to read anything when Paul died. LOL

"I am a great supporter of sex before marriage. Otherwise I wouldn't have had sex at all."

[–] msladysoul 17 years ago

Detroit was and still is known as the most dangerous, murderous city in the world, so I wouldn't be surprised if Paul was killed because someone tried to rob him or something or maybe something happen in the music business between him and someone and someone put a hit on him. His case should be open again. All this technology and dna that's available now might give out new info and clues. Paul's death always seemed fishy!

[–] sweetmocha008 15 years ago

Considering he was in financial trouble, he could have been murdered by someone he owed money. *shrugs*

[–] lbstb-2 16 years ago

Your right I got this book called Deliver us from Temptation my Tony Turner aka Florence Ballard god son. And it pretty much said the same thing and they think Barry Gordy had something to do with his death and David Ruffins death. Somebody in the book said David Ruffin was yelling Barry Gordy is trying to kill me in the back of the lemo right before he o.d. and later on they found him dead.

[–] svetaswan 16 years ago

"Somebody in the book said David Ruffin was yelling Barry Gordy is trying to kill me in the back of the lemo right before he o.d. and later on they found him dead."

I wouldn't give credence to something a high David Ruffin said in the back of a limosuine. Cocaine is a helluva drug - it makes you crazy and paranoid.

[–] Sparky48 15 years ago

"am I the only person who remembers reading in Jet Magazine, when he was found dead, he was found with 4 bulets in his head, and in the trunk of a car (Did not mention it was his car)"

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I don't know if you're suffering from demetia, but JET didn't report this. I happen to have archived JET issues and researched what you said. The issue that reported Paul's death (Sept 6, 1973)makes no mention of multiple gunshots to Paul's head and reported that his body was found slumped in the front seat of his car, not the trunk.

But what's interesting is that this article reported that Eddie, Ruffin, and the group's musical director were all "robbed" after leaving Paul's funernal a week later.

Maybe this somehow ties in with the other poster's comment about Paul's death being a mob hit!

[–] GSHARON710 17 years ago

You read so many different things. I read somewhere a person who claimed to be a family member had doubts about the suicide. Even if it was, it was in extremely poor taste for Otis to let it be shown in the movie, not telling that Paul had a terminal illness. To fill that spot Otis may have shown more of his negative acts. Through it all, I have loved the Temps since teen years and I am proud to be able to watch the movie and read more on their many years of great music. Thank you for letting me respond. And thanks to the families of the Temps past and present for sharing their love ones.

[–] smrhyne-1 16 years ago

Even though the movie was based on Otis' book, he had nothing to do with the making of the movie.

[–] crockett3663 16 years ago

I know there's a lot of "poetic license" taken in movies about real life events, but I JUST watched the scene where Paul supposedly shoots himself, and in the scene he was clearly shown holding the gun in his RIGHT hand before he pulled the trigger. Granted, when the shot actually goes off, all you see is the exterior of the car from an aerial shot, so it is not shown exactly which had he held the gun in. he very well could have changed hands with it just before pulling the trigger, but the movie implies that the gun was dlearly in his Right hand before he pulls the trigger.

[–] chcruz-1 15 years ago

David Ruffin's common-law wife said something in a book that she wrote that I don't believe for one second: she alleges that David told her that Motown Records was run by the Mafia, and that Paul Williams' death was a mob hit meant to be a warning for other of the label's acts to tow the line. Apparently, according to this bulls--t story, two gangsters approached David and Eddie Kendricks during Paul's funeral, and told them that they'd be next.

Bottom line, I think Paul Williams killed himself. He had health issues, financial problems and a stagnant singing career, and he didn't know how to deal with it.

[–] sweetmocha008 15 years ago

Well, that's the attitude that may have left a possible homicide unsolved. That plus the fact he was a Black man found dead in the early 70's, the authorities had no interest in investigating any further. God bless his family for having the strength to move on after having to deal with the public being convinced of the worse case scenario and not being sure of the truth surrounding what happened.

[–] Sparky48 15 years ago

"David Ruffin's common-law wife said something in a book that she wrote that I don't believe for one second: she alleges that David told her that Motown Records was run by the Mafia, and that Paul Williams' death was a mob hit meant to be a warning for other of the label's acts to tow the line. Apparently, according to this bulls--t story, two gangsters approached David and Eddie Kendricks during Paul's funeral, and told them that they'd be next."
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This may not be a big a crock of B.S. as you may think. Although I don't know if Paul's death was a mob hit, the Mafia DOES own a significant share of Motown and other recording companies in the music industry.

[–] MrsMonroe74 16 years ago

the details are so sketchy, I've had my doubts about him committing suicide.

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[–] redd4576 14 years ago

what was his terminal illness?

[–] leophy 14 years ago

Paul had sickle cell anemia. He committed suicide.

[–] lavonware 14 years ago

I dont see how he committed suicide. I dont know how you can shoot yourself in the left side of your head with your right hand. And that double if he was drunk. Cause if he's drunk then i dont see how he could have managed to do it.

[–] kittykittymeowmeow19 14 years ago

The only logical way for that to happen (if it happened at all like the movie depicts) he may have had his alcohol in his right hand drinking before being able to pull the trigger. In the suicides of Budd Dwyer, Richard Jeni, and Freddie Prinze they all had that moment of hesistance.

Drunk or not I'm sure he sat there for a moment and just thought and drank with the gun to his head...But that theory only works if he really did have a bottle of alchohol with him just like in the movie.
KITTY MEOW IS BACK!

[–] lavonware 14 years ago

Well according to what I read he did have a bottle of booze but he was laying outside on the ground instead of in the car and the bottle was on his left side.

[–] kittykittymeowmeow19 14 years ago

Yea like I said I don't remember the details. One poster said he was slumped over in the car but maybe he was outside. And yea the only way my theory would work is if (like again if it happened the way the movies depict) if when he got back in the car he didn't shut the door all the way, shot himself and the bottle fell from his limp right hand (which probably rested on his leg) and fell to the left and his limp body fell out the car. BUT THAT'S WAY TO MUCH SPECULATION.
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[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] madetwolastforever 13 years ago

Someone who is "old" enough to remember told me that the "dope man" probably killed Paul - AND David Ruffin.

[–] jefgg 10 years ago

A bottle of alcohol was found near Williams' left side, as if he had dropped it while being shot. The gun used in the shooting was found to have fired two shots, only one of which had killed Williams.