Robert Stroud

Short Biography

Robert Stroud was born on January 28, 1890 in Seattle, Washington, USA as Robert Franklin Stroud. He died on November 21, 1963 in Springfield, Missouri, USA.Trivia (9)Initially spent 30 years at Leavenworth. Then he was transferred to Alcatraz where he spent 17 years (1942-1959) of which the first 6 years were in the "D" Block (isolation).The 'Birdman of Alcatraz' wrote a book about diseases in canaries for ornithologists, "Stroud's Digest on the Diseases of Birds" (original published in 1943), that is still widely revered today.It was during his 30 year confinement at Leavenworth that he developed his legendary interest in birds. He was never allowed to keep any birds while at Alcatraz.Because of the popularity of the biographical motion picture Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), he became one of the most famous inmates ever held at the federal prison at Alcatraz, second only to mob boss Al Capone.After the sympathetic portrayal by Burt Lancaster in the motion picture Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), members of the public wrote letters asking that Stroud be released. The real Robert Stroud was not a model prisoner. Although highly intelligent, he was regarded as a difficult, scheming, violent sociopath. He killed two additional people while in prison. It is believed that he may have actually been a psychopath. He was transfered to the federal prison at Alcatraz where he spent the first year in isolation.Had Bright's Disease.Discovered three then-unknown forms of septic fever that were killing his canaries, and developed an antidote which was sold as "Stroud's Specific Bird Cures."Sentenced to death in 1916 for killing Leavenworth prison guard Andrew Turner in a dining hall with a homemade knife after Turner had reported him for breach of silence. President Woodrow Wilson commuted the sentence to life after Stroud's mother pleaded with him to spare her son's life.Burt Lancaster, who portrayed Robert Stroud in the movie Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), actually met him in February 1963.