Armand Hammer: More than baking soda

CEO of Occidental Petroleum
goto US businessman for the Soviets
Famous Quote: Regrets and recriminations only hurt your soul
(1898-1990)

In the '70s and '80s, I remember Armand Hammer as an enigmatic figure who always seemed to surface when things got tough for the Soviets. When I saw the movie Gorky Park, I right away associated Lee Marvin's 'American businessman' character with Armand Hammer- a man who could easily rationalize his actions.

Many anti-communists in the US did not trust him, considering him an open spy. And quite understandably- Arnold Hammer helped launder money for the Soviets and his name was often employed for propaganda purposes.

Of course, most people simply want to know if he had any connection to Arm & Hammer baking soda- well, sort of. Others are suspicious of his dealings with Al Gore Sr (In 1961, J. Edgar Hoover noted that Hammer was 'protected' by the late senator).

A enlightening timeline of his life

His FBI files (658 pages!- from 1919 onward) , anecdotes about his bad manners, and a letter he sent to the Soviets.

His art collection is housed at the UCLA Hammer Museum (impressionist and post-impressionist work)

Recommended Reading:Dossier: The Secret History of Armand Hammer