Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody

Sayyed Bozorg "Moody" Mahmoody[2] (Persian: دكتر سيد بزرگ محمودى c. 1939[1] – August 23, 2009) was an Iranian anesthesiologist known for taking his American wife Betty and their daughter Mahtob to his native country and keeping them hostage there for a period of eighteen months during the mid-1980s.[3][4]

Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody
دكتر سيد بزرگ محمودى
Born1939
Shushtar, Iranian Empire[1]
DiedAugust 23, 2009(2009-08-23) (aged 69–70)
Tehran, Iran
OccupationAnaesthesiologist
Known forForcing his wife and daughter to stay in Iran
Spouse(s)
Betty Mahmoody
​
(
m. 1977; div. 1989)
ChildrenMahtob Mahmoody
External video
Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody news interview

Early life

Mahmoody was born to a prominent family in Shustar. Mahmoody's father, a doctor, died when Mahmoody was a toddler, and he had little to no memories of him. His mother, also a doctor, died when he was eight years old, and he was raised by his older sister.[5][6][7]

Mahmoody left Iran at the age of 18 to study English in London. He moved to the United States in 1961,[8] where he became a university math professor and an engineer. He worked for NASA during the 1960s, then went to medical school and became an anaesthesiologist.[9]

Marriage and fatherhood

Mahmoody met Betty in 1974. They dated for three years and Betty referred to him by the nickname, "Moody". After officially becoming a licensed anesthesiologist based in the U.S., Moody married Betty in Houston in 1977.[8][10] Moody claimed Betty proposed to him, converted to Islam and took a lively interest in Persian culture.[10] They resided in Texas.[2] "He was so affectionate and considerate. He would send me flowers, books, music boxes, with beautiful inscriptions and there didn't even have to be a reason," Betty said of her ex-husband. But the thought that her little girl might grow up to cower in the shadow of a brutal husband spurred her to find a way out. "I said to myself, 'We're both better off dead than to stay here.' I was really ready to die."[8]

Their daughter, Mahtob, which means "moonlight" in Persian,[8] was born in 1979.[10] It was Moody who named her that, after he looked at a full moon.[10] The Mahmoodys later moved to Michigan.[2]

Family's tenure in Iran

With some assistance from one of his nephews, Moody was alleged to have taken his wife and daughter to his native nation on August 4, 1984.[8] Moody was able to convince his wife that their daughter deserved a visit "on holiday" for two weeks in Iran. However, after arriving, Moody then told her they would not be returning to the U.S.[2]

Betty once quoted her husband in her 1987 book, Not Without My Daughter, telling her, "If you try to leave this house again, I will kill you!"[11]

Life since estrangement

In 1989, Betty officially divorced Moody.[2]

According to Betty, "The night before September 11, 2001, I was informed that (Moody) had a green card and was not only back in the U.S., but he was just a few blocks away from my house in Michigan. After he was eventually placed on a terrorist list, he was never allowed back to the U.S."[12]

A 2002 documentary was made by Alexis Kouros and Kari Tervo titled Without My Daughter. The documentary depicted Moody defending his actions and telling the story through his perspective. It also depicted his attempts to contact Mahtob.[10][13] Mahmoody also authored a book called Lost Without My Daughter in which he counterattacks Betty's claims against him.[14]

Betty said she still has some contact with some of Moody's family; these members were sympathetic to her plight and they now live in Australia.[12]

Media portrayal

Moody was portrayed by Alfred Molina in the 1991 film, Not Without My Daughter, adapted from Betty's book of the same name. Reacting to the film and Molina's portrayal of him, Moody said, "I asked, is this supposed to be me? As you can see, I am short, bald on top, and I wear glasses: no resemblance at all, which tells a great deal about how realistic the whole movie is."[13] The film itself was a critical and commercial failure, and Molina was once assaulted by a man for his performance in the film.[15]

Death

Mahmoody died in Tehran on August 23, 2009.[2][12] The cause of death was determined as a result of kidney problems.[16]

gollark: You can do that, but on average *people with degrees get more total money*, by a few hundred kilo£ .
gollark: You do not need it to be GOOD, in many cases. You need it for signalling.
gollark: They are government-funded. They just also charge students.
gollark: ... no?
gollark: Actually, over here at least, degrees lead to higher total earnings.

References
  1. "Not Without My Daughter". Chasing the Frog.
  2. Potempa, Philip (19 February 2011). "OFFBEAT: Here's your chance to catch up with Betty Mahmoody". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  3. Evertz, Mary (12 April 1993). "Kidnap expert to share her story". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  4. Golden, Marita (27 December 1987). "Her Husband's Captive". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  5. Hoffer, William; Mahmoody, Betty (1987). Not Without My Daughter.
  6. Kouris, Alexis, Without My Daughter (documentary, 2002)
  7. "Andrew Lownie Literary Agency :: Authors :: Sayed Mahmoody".
  8. Wilson, Jean Sprain (8 November 1987). "Celebrity In Hiding: Going Public With Her Story Creates A Private Dilemma". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  9. O'Callaghan, Billy (16 April 2016). "Book Review: My Name Is Mahtob". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  10. Nesselson, Lisa (10 April 2003). "Review: 'Without My Daughter'". Variety. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  11. Hoffer, William; Mahmoody, Betty (27 November 1987). "No Escape for American Wife Trapped in Iran : Mother, Daughter Kept Imprisoned in Patriarchal Middle-Eastern Society". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  12. Potempa, Philip (6 March 2011). "'Daughter' author recounts Iran ordeal aftermath". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  13. Ervamaa, Tomi (19 November 2002). "Father left alone in Iran: new film tells other side of Not Without my Daughter story". Helsingin Sanomat.
  14. "Andrew Lownie Literary Agency :: Book :: Lost Without My Daughter".
  15. Snook, Raven (14 March 2010). "The Hot Seat: Alfred Molina". Time Out. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  16. "'Not Without My Daughter' dad dies". The Free Library.
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