on july 22, 1966, clift spent most of the hot summer day in his bedroom in his new york city townhouse, located at 217 east 61st street. he and his private nurse, lorenzo james, had not spoken much all day. shortly before 1:00 a.m., james went up to say goodnight to clift, who was still awake and sitting up in his bed. james asked clift if he needed anything, and clift politely refused and then told james that he would stay up for a while, either to read a book or watch some television. james then noted that "the misfits" was on television, and he asked clift if he wanted to watch it with him. "absolutely "not"!", was the firm reply. this was the last time montgomery clift spoke to anyone. james went to his own bedroom to sleep, without saying another word to clift. at 6:30 a.m., james woke up and went to wake clift, but found the bedroom door closed and locked. james became more concerned when clift did not respond to his knocking on the door. unable to break the door down, james ran down to the back garden and climbed up a ladder to enter through the second-floor bedroom window. inside, he found clift dead: he was undressed, lying in his half-filled bathtub, with eyeglasses on and both fists clenched by his side. james then used the bedroom telephone to call the police and an ambulance.