Christ people. I have lived a gob68od time in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and it really isn't any more or less depressing than any other place. It is probably less gray in this area than Seattle (which is considered a posh city). And I would take that any day over constant smog, 117 degree days, hurricanes, landslides, brush fires, and earthquakes in more "sunny" areas of the country.
And she did commit suicide in June, the brightest month of the year.

funny you ask that. i just watched the movie "A Patch of Blue" on AMC about 2 hours ago. After the movie they showed a little behind the scenes footage in which Elizabeth was asked where she was from. When she was telling them where her hometown was,she described it as being "in Ohio, about halfway between Cleveland & Pittsburg". Also after high school graduation, she was accepted at Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and spent a year there before leaving for New York where landed the role of Selina D'Arcy in "A Patch of Blue". So she must have had connections there. Very sad ending to her life.

I love Pittsburgh. It is in my opinion one of the best cities for healthcare. In addition to that there are lots of colleges, museums, arenas, theatres, libraries and stores. Not to mention there is some amazing architecture and a rich history.
Pittsburgh is not what history books make it out to be. The sky maybe a bit cloudy but is in no way grey and dirty. There are parks, trees, rivers, and overall I find it beautiful.

In the 1980sand stillPittsburgh was ranked as one of the best places to live in the US. She was from Ohio, and you may see in her bio that she went to Carnegie Technical Institute for college, which is in Pittsburgh. Knowing the neighborhood around the psych hospital, it is possible she lived in a very nice luxury apartment buiding, there are a number of them there.
By the way, your manner of insulting places where you have likely never lived betrays your ignorance of the world.

I'll take my Pittsburgh over your glossy, chimerical paradise anyday, malibuconnie! Polluted skies, and minds filled with delusions that beautiful bodies and beautiful weather make beautiful people. Isolation. Loneliness. Insecurity. These are more likely the result of plastic people living in a plastic world. What could possibly be more depressing for a talented yet insecure, quiet and fragile actress than being surrounded by spurious silicon Barbies, and the muscle-bound frat boys who perpetuate this gross and disturbing portent?
Mother Nature's beauty can offer only so much "serenity." Where Pittsburgh may lack in 'sunshine,' it excels in peoplea proud, kind, sincere and communal group of real, down-to-earth folks concerned for one another. I find much more serenity in this; and highly doubt that Pittsburgh was the cause, or even a factor, in Elizabeth Hartman's sad and unfortunate decision.
So, please don't infect the rest of the world with your own insecurities. Your instinct to blame - an entire city no less - for a young woman's despondency supports the argument that beautiful weather does not make beautiful people.

I rather like Pittsburgh. My son went to college there and then after graduation stayed 3 years before relocating b/c of his job. I loved walking thru the city and the boroughs. The museums, the theatre shows, walking all over. It is not so depressing.

Well, Malibuconnie is trying to say that Pittsburgh is what caused her to take her life.

Michelle Ann Fotheringham
Good God! A beautiful, exceptionally, talented and decent person
suffered unbearably through no fault of her own and and was so
unhappy she took her life at 43 and "we" are arguing about a city??????

That's a ridiculous statement. Ohio is way more depressing in Pittsburgh. At least Pittsburgh has one of the top health care facilities in the world.

You are insane! Pittsburgh is hardly one of the most depressing cities in America. Given a choice between the "wonderful" cities and Pittsburgh, I'll stick with Pittsburgh.

Elizabeth Hartman's sister actually did live nearby - in a suburb of Pittsburgh.
According to a People magazine article published shortly after her death,
Elizabeth's sister would call her every morning, in addition to travelling into
Pittsburgh several times each week to visit. The article makes it very clear that her
family loved and 2000cared for her through out Elizabeth's struggle with her
illness.
Posthumously, some speculate that Miss Harman may have also suffered from
agoraphobia/paranoia making it very difficult for her to interact with people
in general. Hence, her reclusiveness during her latter years.
I can't express how much Elizabeth Hartman's portrayal in "A Patch of Blue"
touched me. My sincerest and deepest condolence to her friends and family.
Truly a loss

I've been to Pittsburgh it's usually very dark and gloomy and very depressing for a healthy minded person let alone a person in her condition, and one hell of a drive from where her sister lives. There are plenty of doctors and hospitals in Ohio. She needed family, I know if my sister was in her condition she would not be by herself in one of the most depressing cities in America, Pittsburgh !

From what I've heard, she couldn't drive and her flat was in walking distance of a Pittsburgh psychiatric hospital of which she was a regular outpatient.
She was also within easy range for her sister to come and visit her from nearby Ohio, where her family came from.
Besides, some people find quietness and serenity even more depressing, so I don't think you could neccessarily say her living in Pittsburgh was a factor that contributed to her suicide