Dean Brooks Head of the Mental Hospital Where One Flew Over the Cuckoo’S Nest Was Filmed
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OBITUARIES Dean Brooks Head of the mental hospital where One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was filmed Dean Brooks, psychiatrist and hospital administrator (b 1916; q 1942 Kansas University), died in his apartment at a “retirement community” in Salem, Oregon, on 30 May 2013. In 1972, Hollywood producers decided that the Oregon State Hospital for mentally ill patients would be the perfect location to film a movie based on Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Indeed, the setting of the novel was at Oregon State Hospital. Dean Brooks, hospital superintendent at the time, recalled decades later: “I warmed to the idea. I thought this would be great to have Hollywood come to [Oregon State Hospital].”1 An innovator, Brooks in 1969 wrote a paper NYC PHOTOFEST, on “dehumanisation” in mental hospitals2 and, Dean Brooks with actor Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1972, organised a 16 day wilderness trip for 50 patients that was featured in Life magazine.3 “Brooks thought the movie, once to help finance his education. He earned his medi- Brooks thought the movie, once released, would released, would stimulate discussion cal degree in 1942 at Kansas University Medical stimulate discussion on mental health issues, on mental health . He also admitted School. He served in the US Navy during the sec- including patients’ rights. He also admitted that that he thought filming a movie in the ond world war as a triage officer for a battle fleet he thought filming a movie in the hospital would hospital would be ‘fun.’” in the Pacific. be “fun.” After the war, he was posted to a hospital in His “boss” did not agree. “I got ordered . not Medford, Oregon. He planned to become a pae- to have anything to do with this, don’t even talk to who played the dictatorial Nurse Ratched. Most diatrician, but the chief of medicine, saying that the producers. I kept my word,” Brooks recalled critics now cite the film as one of the top 100 in the he liked Brooks’s personality, assigned him to with a sly grin. “My wife talked to [the produc- history of cinema. The American Film Institute’s psychiatry.” Brooks initially “hated” psychiatry, ers].” One of the producers was movie star Michael top 50 list of movie villains ranks Nurse Ratched but within a year “became enamoured with it.” Douglas. Some staff doctors at the hospital also in fifth place, behind only Dr Hannibal Lecter, He joined Oregon State Hospital as staff psy- opposed filming at the hospital, but patients were N orman Bates, Darth Vader, and the Wicked Witch chiatrist in 1947, becoming superintendent in supportive and Brooks prevailed. A Hollywood of the West.4 1955. He was receptive to suggestions from staff crew filmed at the hospital for 14 weeks. Colleagues and friends of Brooks say that and patients to improve patient care, meeting The movie starred Jack Nicholson, who played his connection with the movie should not over- alone with a patient committee every week. He the free spirited R P McMurphy, a penitentiary shadow his life’s work as a psychiatrist and hos- allowed patients to wear their own clothes when prisoner who fakes being crazy in order to be pital administrator. most hospitals required uniforms. moved to the hospital. McMurphy hopes to serve “I was there during the filming of the movie “He also toured the hospital on all shifts,” out his sentence in a more relaxed environment. and the resulting attention it brought,” says Jim says Loewen. “One never knew when he might In a bold move, director Miloš Forman cast Brooks, Loewen, who in 1968 as a college student began appear.” who had no acting experience, in the movie role working as a night aide at the hospital and held Brooks retired as hospital superintendent in of Dr Spivey, head of the hospital. Nicholson gave other positions through 1987. “But I’ll remember 1981, but remained active in mental health issues Brooks acting tips, and their memorable scenes Dr Brooks as a man who put respect and care of until his death. To help “decriminalise mental ill- were ad libbed. patients as priority number one. He told us to treat ness,” he founded the Dorothea Dix think tank. The biggest concern of Brooks was that older patients like we would treat our parents, His work is honoured by the Oregon State Hospital the movie, which includes a brutal scene of the ones our age like we’d treat our brothers and Museum for Mental Health.5 M cMurphy undergoing electroshock therapy and s isters, and younger ones like our children.” Brooks’s wife of 65 years, Ulista Brooks, died in later a lobotomy not shown on camera, would be Darold Treffert, a former mental hospital 2006. He leaves three daughters, five grandchil- perceived as a documentary. He asked that the superintendent in Wisconsin, says of his men- dren, and two great grandchildren. movie be dated not in the 1970s but in the early tor and friend: “Dr Brooks was a gentle person Ned Stafford, Hamburg 1960s, which it was, and that the movie included with an equally gentle bedside manner, a doctor [email protected] a disclaimer stating that it was not an accurate totally dedicated to his patients, and a skilled but References are in the version on bmj.com. depiction of a modern mental hospital. co mmonsense administrator.” Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f4478 The movie won five Academy Awards, includ- Dean Kent Brooks was born on 22 July 1916 in bmj.com ing for best picture, best director, best actor for Colony, Kansas. As a student at Kansas University ̻̻Medical̻classics:̻One̻Flew̻Over̻the̻Cuckoo’s̻Nest̻ Nicholson, and best actress for Louise Fletcher, in Lawrence, he played trombone in dance bands (BMJ̻2007;334:641.2) 24 BMJ | 17 AUGUST 2013 | VOLUME 347 OBITUARIES because̻of̻heart̻problems.̻He̻filled̻ close̻contact̻and̻collaborated̻with̻ Raymond Davys his̻time̻growing̻vegetables,̻doing̻ several̻British̻rheumatologists̻and̻ embroidery,̻and̻painting.̻In̻2011̻he̻ was̻one̻of̻the̻first̻senior̻doctors̻ and̻his̻wife̻celebrated̻their̻golden̻ from̻Lebanon̻to̻encourage̻his̻junior̻ wedding̻with̻their̻children̻and̻ doctors̻to̻train̻in̻the̻UK.̻ grandchildren. Ali Jawad, Imad Uthman M G C Eminson Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f4858 Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f4473 that̻remain̻its̻hallmarks.̻David̻ John Weaver Alan Scott Falconer worked̻in̻Ipswich̻and̻Cambridge̻ Former consultant anaesthetist after̻qualifying̻and̻was̻inspired̻to̻ Dublin (b 1919; q University specialise̻in̻elderly̻care.̻He̻then̻ College Dublin 1941; FFARCSI), worked̻in̻Bath̻and̻Manchester̻ d 26 December 2012. before̻moving̻to̻Plymouth,̻enabling̻ After̻house̻jobs,̻Raymond̻Davys̻ him̻to̻combine̻work̻with̻his̻love̻of̻ came̻to̻the̻UK.̻He̻joined̻the̻Royal̻ sailing.̻After̻retirement,̻he̻found̻a̻ Air̻Force̻during̻the̻second̻world̻war̻ second̻career̻with̻elderly̻people̻as̻ and̻had̻various̻postings̻in̻the̻UK,̻ a̻long̻serving̻and̻dedicated̻trustee̻ France,̻and̻Belgium.̻Subsequently̻ to̻Plymouth̻Age̻Concern̻(now̻AgeUK̻ Former consultant physician, he̻trained̻in̻anaesthetics̻and̻was̻ Former consultant surgeon and Plymouth),̻where̻he̻was̻again̻able̻ Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast appointed̻consultant̻at̻St̻Vincent’s̻ obstetrician Royal Navy; school to̻exercise̻his̻skills̻in̻care̻and̻ (b 1923; q Queen’s University, Hospital,̻Dublin,̻where̻he̻led̻ doctor, Sedbergh (b 1921; q St knowledge̻of̻older̻people’s̻needs̻ Belfast, 1950; OBE, DL, MD, FRCP), new̻developments̻for̻many̻years̻ George’s Hospital, London, 1945; to̻build̻a̻major̻charity.̻David̻leaves̻ died from pulmonary fibrosis on and̻was̻an̻active̻member̻of̻the̻ FRCS, FRCOG), d 2 May 2013. his̻wife,̻Jenny;̻four̻children;̻and̻four̻ 16 June 2013. travelling̻club̻of̻Irish̻anaesthetists.̻ Alan̻Scott̻Falconer̻practised̻as̻ grandchildren. Immediately̻on̻leaving̻school̻ He̻was̻dean̻of̻the̻Irish̻Faculty̻ a̻general̻surgeon̻in̻the̻Royal̻ James Copper John̻volunteered̻for̻war̻service̻ of̻Anaesthetists̻in̻1967-70̻and̻ Navy.̻Later,̻to̻provide̻for̻naval̻ Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f4857 with̻the̻5th̻Gurkha̻Regiment.̻He̻ was̻the̻guest̻speaker̻at̻their̻50th̻ civilian̻dependants,̻he̻retrained̻ then̻read̻medicine̻in̻Belfast. After̻ anniversary̻dinner̻in̻2010̻in̻his̻ as̻an̻obstetrician̻and̻served̻in̻ Fuad Nasr postgraduate̻studies̻there̻and̻as̻ 92nd̻year.̻He̻enjoyed̻sailing̻and̻ various̻locations,̻reaching̻the̻ an̻MRC̻Fellow̻at̻Johns̻Hopkins̻ walking,̻had̻a̻wide̻circle̻of̻friends,̻ rank̻of̻surgeon̻captain̻and̻being̻ Hospital,̻Baltimore,̻he̻became̻̻ and̻was̻an̻entertaining̻and̻engaging̻ appointed̻Queen’s̻honorary̻ one̻of̻Ireland’s̻best̻known̻ raconteur.̻Predeceased̻by̻Patricia,̻ surgeon.̻On̻leaving̻the̻service̻in̻ physicians.̻His̻lifelong̻interests̻ his̻wife̻of̻53̻years,̻he̻leaves̻four̻ 1977̻he̻returned̻to̻Cumbria̻as̻ were̻thyroid̻disease,̻diabetes,̻and̻ children̻and̻four̻grandchildren. school̻doctor,̻a̻position̻he̻held̻for̻ general̻medicine.̻John̻became̻ Nigel O’Farrell 15̻years.̻He̻continued̻to̻enjoy̻his̻ president̻of̻the̻Ulster̻Medical̻ Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f4474 medical̻practice̻as̻well̻as̻indulge̻ Society̻and̻the̻Association̻of̻ his̻enthusiasm̻for̻sport̻and̻the̻ Physicians̻of̻Great̻Britain̻and̻ Basil Ian Franklin Eminson fells.̻The̻last̻10̻years̻of̻his̻life̻ Emeritus consultant and Ireland.̻He̻was̻chairman̻of̻the̻all- were̻overshadowed̻by̻a̻serious̻ associate professor in Ireland̻Corrigan̻Club,̻of̻which̻he̻ Former general practitioner head̻injury,̻resulting̻in̻progressive̻ rheumatology, American University was̻a̻founder̻member,̻its̻aim̻being̻ (b 1924; q Cambridge/St physical̻and̻mental̻disability.̻ of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon to̻promote̻friendship̻and̻knowledge̻ Bartholomew’s Hospital,