It might crimp her [Harlow's] box office allure to have her blazoned as a wife who couldn't hold her husband". Bern was instrumental in helping Harlow's career, as he was the only person who took her seriously as an actress. . ! However, her mother brought Jean home and cared for her herself for a week. In 1920, Henriette Levy drowned herself, possibly as a threat to keep her beloved son from marrying. There were no dialysis machines, kidney transplants or antibiotics such as penicillin that could have saved her life. She was the daughter of a successful dentist [7] Bern was cremated, and his ashes were interred in the Golden West Mausoleum at Inglewood Park Cemetery. Jean Harlow, the Blonde Bombshell One scene required Clark to pick her up and throw her onto a couch. Harlow was staying at her mother's house at the time of the unfortunate incident, which was ruled as a suicide. At age 21 she married Paul Bern, an MGM executive, who was rumored to be more interested in men than women. : " . Two months after their wedding, Berns gun-shot riddled, bloody, nude body was found in the dressing room of their Beverly Hills home. He was initially a film editor before he worked his way up to scenario writing and directing for United Artists and Paramount Pictures. Millette traveled to Los Angeles in September 1932, where she reportedly visited Bern on the night of his death. Photos of Famous Dead Bodies From Celebrity Open Casket It is fair to say that Harlow had a tumultuous life. . All rights reserved. [19] The coroner ruled his death a suicide.[7][20][21]. Her first marriage to Paul Bern ended two months later with his death. The two struck up a friendship and eventually began dating. Marx, after reviewing the evidence, concluded that Bern was murdered by his abandoned common-law wife Dorothy Millette, who then committed suicide by drowning, jumping overboard from the Delta King on the way from San Francisco to Sacramento, California.[29]. In 1990, 53 years after her death, her medical records were opened to the public. Less than week after the diagnosis, Harlow slipped into a coma and died. The Marx, at the time MGM's story editor (the head of the screenwriting department), said he had gone to Bern's house in the early morning of September 5, 1932, before the police were notified of the body's discovery, and had seen Thalberg tampering with the evidence. A ctress Jean Harlow is one of the must-see Vanity Fair Portraits to be featured in the National Portrait Gallery exhibition opening next week. Jean Harlow [24] Harlow was made an executor of her husband's estate by the Californian judge. She acted opposite the most famous male actors of her time, including Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and William Powell, and became the highest paid actress in Hollywood. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Before Marilyn Monroe won the hearts of millions as a Blonde Bombshell, Jean Harlow was the first actress to earn the Platinum Blonde moniker. However, he married actress Diana Lewis in 1940, remaining with her until his death in 1984 and he was buried in Palm Desert. Jean Harlow While living in New York City, Bern lived with his common-law wife Dorothy Millette (who was born Adele Roddy[12]). Jean Harlow, Hollywoods original blonde bombshell who captivated audiences with her coveted curves, platinum tresses and comedic wit, died when she was just 26 years old in 1937. In 1937, doctors had no effective treatment for kidney failure. [13][14], Bern met actress Jean Harlow shortly before the premiere of Hell's Angels in 1930. WebOfficially, 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. The weight gain that she worked so hard to control was not caused by excess body fat. Jean Harlow, the Blonde Bombshell. couple pulled up stakes and moved to Los Angeles, not long after they WebHarlow was dying of kidney failure. After years of hard work, Harlow's big break occurred in 1930 with her role in the film "Hells Angels. Portrait of Jean Harlow in a pensive pose, wearing a black v-necked dress on January 01, 1930 | Photo: Getty Images, Thus began Harlow's path to Hollywood to fulfill her mother's ambitions to be an actress. WebTragically, the following year Jean became seriously ill with a kidney condition. [Harlow] died on June 7, 1937, at the tender age of 26 after she was reportedly recovering from being sick. having medical treatment withheld by her Christian Scientist mother? He was one of six children of Julius and Henriette (ne Hirsch) Levy, a Jewish couple. German American film director, screenwriter, and producer, "Jean Harlow's Own Story Of Death Of Paul Bern", "Meet the woman who can lay claim to being Australia's first female judge", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Bern&oldid=1142820724, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 15:13. After Jean Harlow was first accused and then exonerated of killing her husband, the official verdict was that Bern had committed suicide. Police discovered a note at the scene that read as follows: "Dearest Dear,Unfortuately [sic] this is the only way to make good the frightful wrong I have done you and to wipe out my abject humiliation, I Love [sic] you. Paul You understand that last night was only a comedy"[22], Authorities viewed this as a suicide note signed by Bern. Since her star had risen at MGM, studio head Louis B. She began the filming of Saratoga with her best friend, Clark Gable. Julius worked as a clerk for a shipping company before opening a candy store. Woman, with huge wardrobes and costly jewels at their command, came dressed in simple black. A monochrome portrait of American actress Jean Harlow on January 01, 1930 | Photo: Getty Images. The Guardian Weekend article on the portraits related Harlow's untimely death, aged 26 (. , : , . She was the original independent Hollywood talking-film star. Jean Harlows gruesome, out-of-nowhere death definitely has prompted some suspicions. medical malpractice from an incorrect diagnosis of gall bladder disease? Her breath smelled of ammonia because her kidneys could not get rid of ammonia as normal kidneys do, so she had to breathe it out through her lungs. At the time of Harlows death, she was about to marry actor William Powell after three failed marriages. After her initial condition worsened, the star actress was taken to the hospital, where she received blood transfusions and injections before being placed in an oxygen tent. A book written in 2009 by E. J. Fleming claims that Bern was killed by a former male lover and the crime scene was rearranged by MGM executives to make it appear that Bern had killed himself. Tony Lobl is district manager for the United Kingdom Christian Science committees on publication loblt@csps.com, My religion believes in faith healing, but would never deny its followers medical treatment, says Tony Lobl, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. , . Jean Harlow at husband's funeral Calisphere In 1963, a celebrity hairstylist named Jay Sebring bought the former Harlow home. The next day, he had been among the studio executives who were told by Louis B. Mayer that the case would have to be ruled "suicide because of impotence" in order to avoid a scandal which would have finished Harlow's film career. Here is everything to know about the late icon's life. She was best known for her beautiful blonde locks. Actress Jean Harlow dies - History () , . Jean Harlow WebHe paid $25,000 for a private room in the Great Mausoleum in Forest Lawn Memorial Park where Jean Harlow was laid to rest and where he intended to be buried. She was determined to read it, but as her illness progressed she couldn't get past more than the first few pages. [18], Two months after marrying Jean Harlow, on September 5, Bern was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head in their home on Easton Drive in Beverly Hills, California. WebPhotograph caption dated September 9, 1932 reads "Photo shows Jean Harlow weeping today at the funeral of her husband, Paul Bern. being poisoned by bleaching her hair and pubic hair to their trademark platinum color? She did not reciprocate his feelings, but the two remained close friends and confidants. WebMiss Jean Harlow, the platinum blonde film actress, died here to-day at the age of 26. The tangled tale of Jean Harlow, her dead husband and a woman She was breathing so hard and sweating so much that they stopped the scene and the doctor who was called sent her to the hospital to find out what was wrong with her. Harlow's success on-screen was a far cry from her life off-screen as the late icon's love life was filled with much tragedy. to marry a young businessman named Charles McGrew, who was 23. Paul Bern (born Paul Levy; December 3, 1889 September 5, 1932) was a German-born American film director, screenwriter, and producer for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he became the assistant to Irving Thalberg. Jean Harlow Hecht went on to say that the explanation of Bern's suicide "would be less a black eye for their [MGM's] biggest movie making heroine. According to sources, young Harlow wished to be a writer, but her innocent ambitions were crushed by her mother, who unfairly pushed her own unfulfilled dreams on her daughter's shoulders. When he told this to her doctors, they immediately changed her diagnosis from gall bladder disease to the more obvious diagnosis of kidney failure. WebHis body was shown in Montgomery, AL, where the famous photos of the country legend in his casket were taken. Jean Harlow Death - How Did Jean Harlow Die - Country Living CONTENTdm - Los Angeles Public Library Powell did not want to marry at that time because it was right after his divorce from comedienne Carole Lombard. The book was not published until 1965. 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Right before her death, it was evident she was nearing the end, [4] Bern eventually became the production assistant of Irving Thalberg and then a producer on the MGM lot in his own right. Early Life A portrait of Actress Jean Harlow on January 01, 1920 | Photo: Getty Images. They showed that at age 15, she suffered from scarlet fever, an infection with a beta strep, group A bacteria that causes the skin to turn red. Her fatigue, nausea, belly pain, grey skin, fever, shortness of breathe, labored breathing, heavy sweating, and swollen face and legs were all caused by kidney failure. She was incorrectly diagnosed with an inflamed gall bladder. Jean Harlow Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images were married, and it was there Jean found work as an extra in films, If I had any latent talent, I have had to work hard, listen carefully, do things over and over and then over again in order to bring it out. WebJean Harlow See all media Born: March 3, 1911 Kansas City Missouri Died: June 7, 1937 (aged 26) Los Angeles California See all related content Jean Harlow, original name After Berns death, Harlow had an affair with boxer Max Baer, whose wife threatened her with a lawsuit for adultery. She looked and felt sick and her skin turned a greyish color. In 1927, at the age of 16, she ran away from home How Jean Harlow's Hair Dye Likely Ended Up Killing Her - Ranker They entertained lavishly and started to drink heavily. Mrs. Jean Bello is shown being Various alternative theories of his death have been proposed. [3] Julius Levy died in 1908. Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, USA Show Map. Penicillin, which kills beta strep, had not yet been discovered. Clark visited her and noticed that her breath smelled like urine. Age: Dec. at 29 (1923-1953) Birthplace: USA, Alabama, Mount She Once Posed for Photos with a Plastic Surgeon, Zach Edey's Mom Played Basketball but Couldn't Afford a Career in the Sport, Cameron Diaz Had Her Daughter at 47 After Nothing Worked Out - She Thought She Would Be a Mom of 2 by 21, Who Is Thomas Jane? She changed her name to Jean Harlow and started to work in films. WebJean Harlow died on June 7, 1937, while still shooting the romantic comedy "Saratoga" alongside Clark Gable. Jean Harlow Bathing In Pre-Code Red Dust - YouTube Male stars, directors and millionaire film executives, wore black or blue suits. Death They did not want the public to know that MGMs most-famous female movie star was married to a homosexual. After years of hard work, Harlow's big break occurred in 1930 with her role in the film "Hells Angels." Jean Harlow | Biography, Movies, Death, & Facts | Britannica Meet Jean Smarts 2 Kids with Husband of 34 Years Who Was Kissing Another Woman When They Met, Doug from 'The King of Queens' Is 58 & Bald after Losing 80 Pounds He Met Wife on Blind Date & Has 4 Kids, Did Sofia Richie Get Plastic Surgery? I was not a born actress. [23] To the police, and before a grand jury, Harlow's only statement was that she "knew nothing". (examples: - IMDb Mini Biography By: Ed Stephan , Often played the wisecracking platinum blonde, Often wore long white satin art deco gowns, Skinny eyebrows arched to the extreme and sometimes painted high upon her forehead, Bleached blonde hair, dark lips often paired with white satin gowns and fur coats, Following the end of her third marriage she met actor. It wasn't until Howard Hughes's "Hells Angels" that Harlow rose to fame in Hollywood, starring in various hit movies that depended mostly on her captivating appearance rather than her skills as an actress. Harlow responded to Powells refusal to marry her by meeting Clark Gable to see who could drink whom under the table. It was caused by kidneys that could not get rid of extra fluid to swell her legs and body. Bern soon realized he had little aptitude for acting and pursued other aspects of theater production. WebJean Harlow was the original blonde bombshell. Jean Harlow was one of Hollywood's greatest actresses of all time, who won the hearts of millions with her stunning looks and charming on-screen persona. (modern), ctress Jean Harlow is one of the must-see Vanity Fair Portraits to be featured in the National Portrait Gallery exhibition opening next week. She died eight days after leaving the movie set. WebThe Tragic Life and Death of Jean Harlow, Hollywood's Original Blonde Bombshell Eight decades after her untimely and controversial death, a look back at the rise and fall of one : ! [9][10][11] However, a DNA test done by Gallery later proved that Bern was not his father. [26], In the November 1960 issue of Playboy, screenwriter Ben Hecht questioned the official verdict of Bern's death, causing renewed interest in the case. It now appears that he apparently was peddling a wild and unconfirmed rumor as fact. The 26-year-old's companions in her final moments were her mother and the actor, William Powell, who was her partner at that time. 25 Jean Harlow Dies Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images On the eighth day she became delirious and was admitted to Good Samaritan hospital. . The Untold Truth Of Jean Harlow - Grunge