The former FBI official who secretly confirmed reporting by the Washington Post's Bob Woodward during the Watergate scandal of the Nixon Administration died Thursday afternoon up in Santa Rosa. From the Post obit carrying Woodward's byline:

As the second-highest official in the FBI under longtime director J. Edgar Hoover and interim director L. Patrick Gray, Felt detested the Nixon administration's attempt to subvert the bureau's investigation into the complex of crimes and coverups known as the Watergate scandal that ultimately led to the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon....

Felt, a dashing figure with a full head of silver hair, an authoritative bearing and a reputation as a tough taskmaster, adamantly denied over the years that he was Deep Throat, even though Nixon suspected him from the start.

It wasn't until May 30, 2005, that Felt's family revealed his identity in an article for Vanity Fair magazine. The article, written by San Francisco lawyer John D. O'Connor, did not make clear why Felt, suffering from dementia, admitted his identity after more than 30 years. Woodward confirmed the revelation, and the secret was finally out.

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Felt, who saw all the FBI investigative paperwork, was acquainted with Woodward from a chance meeting at the White House in 1969 when Woodward was still in the Navy.

Hal Holbrook portrayed Deep Throat in "All the President's Men," in which Robert Redford played Woodward and Dustin Hoffman portrayed Carl Bernstein.