In May 1937 she was the very first motion picture actress to grace the cover of "Life" magazine. The first film was released by Magna Corporation in May 1965, and starred Carol Lynley. The coroner ruled his death a suicide. She didnt seem to notice him. [76][77] Harlow, a Democrat, had campaigned for Roosevelt in the 1936 United States presidential election, and two years earlier for Upton Sinclair in the 1934 California gubernatorial election. She was taken ill only ten days ago with internal inflammation, and later she was stated to have almost recovered. This picture was taken shortly after their 1932 marriage. Harlow's signature, hands and footprints were imprinted in cement on September 29, 1933, in the 24th ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theater and are located near the forecourt on the west side of the box office at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Two hours later, a night watchman making the rounds found a womans coat and shoes on the deck. Letters found in Millettes handbag at the Plaza Hotel were on MGM stationary. [91], That evening, she was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, where she slipped into a coma. By Taysha Murtaugh Published: Sep 19, 2017 Save Article Harlean was called "The Baby", a nickname to which she was accustomed and which endured for the rest of her life. Today, strep throat is easily treated with antibiotics, but in 1926 when Harlow had the bacterial infection, the use of antibiotics to treat the illness was still a ways off. By Taysha Murtaugh Published: Sep 19, 2017 Save Article "[58], During the making of Red Dust, Bernher husband of two monthswas found dead at their home; this created a lasting scandal. [55] "That shows you how sensitive she was", Page said. She married her first husband on January 18, 1927, at age 15 and was divorced a few years later. Harlow had already had a tough year by the time she died halfway through 1937. MGM fixers hinted Bern may have been biologically unfitted for marriage, a sordid rumor that cast blame away from Harlow and painted Bern as weak and unworthy of the siren. She fainted on the set of "Saratoga." WebJean Harlow, American actress and sex symbol who, during a career that lasted less than 10 years, dying of kidney failure at the age of 26, became an Where Harlow Funeral Rites Were Held. Several weeks later, Skip sent his granddaughter to summer camp at Camp Cha-Ton-Ka, in Michigamme, Michigan, where she became ill with scarlet fever. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Afterwards the release of worldwide hit Libeled Lady (1936), in which she was top-billed over Powell, Loy, and Tracy, brought good reviews for Harlow's comedic performance. The cause of death was uraemic poisoning, which spread to the brain. Scarlet fever is a rash that can develop all over the body of someone who has strep throat, and it's often accompanied by a fever. Death. After initial reluctance Thalberg agreed, and on March 3, 1932, Harlow's 21st birthday, Bern called her with the news that MGM had purchased her contract from Hughes for $30,000. McGrew hoped to distance Harlow from her mother with the move. His funeral was heldat the Forest Lawn Cemeteryand reportedly drew many of his fellow performers. Officially, Jean Harlow (born Harlean Carpenter) is said to have died from cerebral edema, or swelling on the brain, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. A doctor brought in for a second opinion realized what was happening. However, Harlow did not attend her mother's wedding. Jean Harlow died on June 7, 1937, while still shooting the romantic comedy "Saratoga" alongside Clark Gable. WebJean Harlow, motion picture actress, photographed on April 6th after calling on President Hoover at the White House. Harlow kept silent, survived the ordeal, and became more popular than ever. Miss Harlow was working with Clark Gable on a film about horse-racing entitled Saratoga when she was taken ill. Two of the recent films in which she starred were Libelled Lady, with William Powell, and China Seas, with Clark Gable and Wallace Beery. A lawyer in New York confirmed Berns secret marriage. [87] Press reports were contradictory, with headlines reading "Jean Harlow seriously ill" and "Harlow recovers from illness crisis". 8 June 1937: Jean Harlow was the first of Hollywoods platinum blondes, and appeared in film after film as the tough, wise-cracking, tempestuous young woman. Her name was given to a cocktail, the "Jean Harlow", which is equal parts light rum and sweet vermouth. Police discovered a note Can you believe that?" Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Hollywood legend claims that to a one, every MGM employee was so stunned with grief that not a single word was spoken all day in the studio's usually chat-filled commissary. Harlean Carpenter, who later became Jean Harlow, was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 3, 1911. After a series of critically failed films, and Hughes' loss of interest in her career, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer bought out Harlow's contract in 1932[3] and cast her in leading roles in a string of hits built on her comedic talent: Red-Headed Woman (1932), Red Dust (1932), Dinner at Eight (1933), Reckless (1935) and Suzy (1936). Instead, she was buried in a private vault, paid for by then-boyfriend William Powell, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale. [109][110], Legendary blues musician Lead Belly wrote the song "Jean Harlow" while in prison upon hearing about her death. In short order, police determined there was something strange about Berns personal history. Paul Bern then arranged with Hughes to borrow her for MGM's The Beast of the City (1932), co-starring Walter Huston. Right before her death, it was evident she was nearing the end, and as TCM reveals, even on camera, her face appeared bloated and strange in Search instead in. [60], After Bern's death, Harlow began an indiscreet affair with boxer Max Baer who, though separated from his wife Dorothy Dunbar, was threatened with divorce proceedings naming Harlow as a co-respondent for alienation of affection, a legal term for adultery. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. dentist and his wife. Weve updated the security on the site. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Less than week after the diagnosis, Harlow slipped into a coma and died. to marry a young businessman named Charles McGrew, who was 23. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. The last recorded picture of Hollywood starlet Jean Harlow, taken on June 6th 1937 on the movie set of Saratoga - one day before her death from kidney failure and cerebral edema at the age of 26. comments sorted I was always under the impression that Dorothy was his wife. WebSee full size photos in the Jean Harlow Grave Photo Gallery The radio announcement of Jean Harlows death: Jean Harlow is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, CA The Great Mausoleum. MGM, the industrious assembly line of movie studios, closed the day of her funeral. [44] This process weakened and damaged Harlow's naturally ash-blonde hair. Neither Chuck nor Harlow worked during this time, and both were considered heavy drinkers. Jean Harlow in Hells Angels, via YouTube. [105] The film was released on July 23, 1937, less than two months after Harlow's death, and was a hit with audiences,[106][107] grossing $3.3 million in worldwide rentals[108] and becoming MGM's most successful film of the year, as well as the highest-grossing film of her career. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. William Powell: The Life and Films (2006) - Roger Bryant - p.116, The leading men of MGM, Jane Ellen Wayne, ditions First Carroll and Graf editions 2005, page 209, An affair to Remember-the remarkable love story of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, Christopher Andersen, ditions William Morrow and Co 1997, page 85-86, Jean Harlow at Franklin D. Roosevelt's 55th birthday party, January 30, 1937, Platinum Girl: The Life and Legends of Jean Harlow; Eve Golden, 1991, Hollywood, Politics and Society; Mark Wheeler, 2019, sfn error: no target: CITEREFGolden1978 (, greatest female screen legends of classical Hollywood cinema, Miss Barstow's Finishing School for Girls, "Chaplin's "City Lights" shine in Criterion edition", "Mobster Who Made Millions as Rum-Runner Hangs Self", "Target of Crime Probes Found Hanged in Mansion", "The Right Chemistry: How Jean Harlow became a 'platinum blond', "The daughter of Las Vegas: an interview with Bugsy Siegel's daughter, Millicent", "Hollywood Ghost Stories For A Haunted Halloween", "My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, February 1, 1937", "Combating an Epidemic: President Roosevelt's Birthday Celebrations on January 30", "Jean Harlow, In Washington for the President's Ball, Kisses a Senator", "What Most People Don't Know About Jean Harlow's Death at 26 Years Old", "The Original 'Blonde Bombshell' Used Actual Bleach on Her Head", "Spencer Tracy, who wrote this in his personal journal two days previous: "Jean Harlow diedGrand girl", "MGM film grosses, 19241948: The Eddie Mannix Ledger", "Lead Belly: the musician who influenced a generation", "Carol Clobbers Carrol In Area 'Harlow' Sweepstakes", "A Hollywood Mystery: The Untimely Death of Jean Harlow", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jean_Harlow&oldid=1149060059, Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, TCMDb name template using numeric ID from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 9 April 2023, at 23:38. [95] From the onset of her illness, Harlow had been attended by a doctor while she was resting at home. She was seen a few times. We have set your language to The death of an actress in San Francisco. Car belonging to missing man found in California river, 5 farmhouses to book for an agritourism getaway, Why every Californian needs an air quality monitor. They found it through George G. Clarken, Berns Los Angeles insurance advisor. WebPhotograph caption dated June 9, 1937 reads "In virtual collapse over the death of her 'baby,' whom the world knew and loved as Jean Harlow. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. [102] Harlow's mother was buried there in 1958, but Powell married actress Diana Lewis in 1940. [47], When mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel came to Hollywood to expand casino operations, Harlow became the informal godmother of Siegel's eldest daughter, Millicent, when the family lived in Beverly Hills. [8] Harlean was always very close to her mother, who was extremely protective. The dentist's daughter eloped at age 16 with a young businessman and Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. However, production was delayed when she developed sepsis after a multiple wisdom tooth extraction, and had to be hospitalized. [120], In 1978, Lindsay Bloom portrayed her in Hughes and Harlow: Angels in Hell. Died: June 7, 1937 (aged 26) Los Angeles California See all related content Jean Harlow, original name Harlean Harlow Carpenter, (born March 3, 1911, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.died June 7, 1937, Los Angeles, California), American actress who was the original Blonde Bombshell. Sorry! Miss Jean Harlow, the platinum blonde film actress, died here to-day at the age of 26. When Harlean was at finishing school, her mother filed for a divorce. Jean was only 26 years-old when [16], In 1928, two months after the wedding, Chuck McGrew turned 21 and received part of his inheritance. To-day, however, she took a sudden turn for the worse. wound up in Los Angeles where she found work as an extra and bit player In 1932, she starred in the comedy Red-Headed Woman for which she received $1,250 a week. Miss Harlow was a figure of tragedy in black, her platinum blonde hair falling from beneath her black hat and veil. The studio sent over its top fixers, who combed through the scene for two hours before police were summoned. In 1973, Lee died of cerebral edema after completinghis final film, Enter the Dragon,in Hong Kong. Her co-star in five movies, Clark Gable was a pallbearer, and Jeanette McDonald and Nelson Eddy sang at the ceremony. Perhaps Millette, the spurned woman, had murdered Bern and gone on the run. Died: June 7, 1937 (aged 26) Los Angeles California See all related content Jean Harlow, original name Harlean Harlow Carpenter, (born March 3, 1911, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.died June 7, 1937, Los Angeles, California), American actress who was the original Blonde Bombshell. [45][54] While Harlow was filming Red-Headed Woman, actress Anita Page passed her on the studio lot without acknowledging her. She was paired with Hollywood's leading men, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and William Powell, thus becoming the cinema's chief money maker. Jean Carpenter traveled to Michigan to care for Harlean, rowing herself across the lake to the camp, but was told that she could not see her daughter. However, some may do it as a way to say good bye to fans, while others may have wanted to make a final statement, even after theyd passed. Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images. Mrs. Jean Bello is shown being assisted into the Wee Kirk o' the Heather at Forest Lawn today for the funeral of her daughter. Spencer Tracy (left), Jean Harlow and William Powell in a scene from the 1936 film, "Libeled Lady." Harlow's movies continued to make huge profits at the box office even during the middle of the Depression. They married and moved to New York City so Bern could pursue a career in stage management. Although rumors occasionally resurfaced that Millette murdered Bern, theres never been any proof. 2023 Getty Images. based on information from your browser. Before he was flown back to Seattle to be buried, a public mourning was held for his fans, and close to 20,000 people attended a public viewing of his body. [36] Hughes sent her on a brief publicity tour in order to bolster her career, but this was not a success as Harlow dreaded making personal appearances. She jumped from the Delta King that night and it was her body found a week later. 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