LOVED BY ALL

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 461, 1 July 1937, Page 2

LOVED BY ALL

BLONDE JEAN HARLOW Powell In Tears ’ Hollywood, June 8. J Jan Harlow, blonde film star, who died at the Good Samaritan Hospital in. Hollywood, had been taken from her home, where she had been suffering intensely for a week from influenza and inflammation of the gall bladder, but she took a rapid turn for the worse, and Dr. Fishbaugh and nurses stationed themselves in her room and> fought with all 'aids science knew to save her. The famous actress sank back in death as firemen worked over her with an inhal’ator,; and two physicians and nurses strove 'to save tier life. As life faded from the star, who was only 26 years old, William Powell, the noted screen actor, rushed 'from her room, weeiping blrotyanhe’artedly. He ran. 'to Warner Baxter, a fellow star, and sobbed: ‘‘Why, or why, must she die? It is terrible, terrible, Warner.” Baxter consoled) Powell and led him into another room of the 'hospital. Series of Illnesses. The star, who came from a girls school ne-ar Chicago to wrest, fame in the films, was unconscious for some time before her death. The scene in the death-room was dramatic to the utmost. Three firemen, with an inhalator, worked desperately over the star, trying to increU&e j her rapidly diminishing breathing. Two physicians, Dr. Fishbaugh and Dr. L. S. Chapman, stood anxiously by, advising the firemen and >a corps of nurses. The star’s relatives, and Powell, stood at the other side of the bed in the little white room which was ribboned with suplight from a bright and warm day in the outside world. Suddenly 'the blonde girl stopped bred thing. The firempn tri.’d frantically to restore the spark of life, then stood up, their faces wreathed in sorrow. As news of Miss Harlow’s death spread throughout Hollywood, every studio was plunged into gloom. For at least an hour not ’a. wheel turned in the giant motion picture industry ■ the passing of the star being on every i lip, for the blonde Jean was known by all Hollywood, and loved by all. Her deb th brought an impromptu and impressive tribute. Pictures, costing thousands of dollars a minute, could wait, and wait they did. Her own studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, closed down for the day, and all the ethers accomplished nothing until I late afternoon. I Miss Harlow rose to the heights i of film stardom as the ‘'platinum i blonde” at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ! studios, and had played in some of i the greatest hits ever made in Hollyj wood. She had played opposite practically all the male stars, and her pictures made immense Sums of money. Personally, the was one of the most popular actresses in the screen colony, and at the big M-G-M plant there was real sorrow from the highestexecutive to the office boys. They all knew and liked Jean. She was generous, smiling, and pleasant to all on and off the sets where she worked. William Powell had been seen con- q stantly with Miss Harlow lately iir M

Hollywood, and it was rumoured! they were, engaged. Powell refused to . talk of his romance. I Death turned Jean Harlow’s.' steps from a fourth trip to the altar and kept a fortune-teller’s prophecy from coming true. The fortune-teller once told the glamorous star that she would be married six times. That prediction was made just ’after her third marriage to Hal Roeson, acs camera man had ended in divorce. San Francisco Visit. ■Anjerica’s outstanding glamour girt, with handsome William Powell and beautiful Myrna was in S'an Francisco for the last time only recently. She stepped off the Southern Pacific Railway’s,. Lark from Hollywood, a picture of hei.llh and beauty, she talked of the future, reminisced on the past and skilfully evaded answering questions of romance with “Bill” Powell. One recalls'the lovrty star as she cl'J.'.tted''iu San Francisco recently in her suite at the palatial St. Francis “Hotels. The \ platinum blonde hair which had flamed through “Hell’s Angels” and other popular pictures, wtes the shade of burnished copper, and her eyes 'had the clearness and shine, of perfect health. Jean Harlow was thinking, of the future—of San Francisco shops—“the best in '.he world,” she said.

At th'ft time Jean lightly djsmiss-e-1 questions of health. Earlier 11. nesses were minimised with a philosophic shrug of her shoulders. Jean was just a happy girl then. Most stunned of all Hollywood was William Powell as he learned at the hospital that Jean Harlow was dead. Physicians also were surprised, tor Jean hhd struggled through many illnesses, three of them at least of a serious nature. The vivacious star was a spring baby who- came to her family’s old gray stone house in Kansas City on March 3, 1911. The tow-headed c'UU was the daughter of a young doctor named Carpentier, who had 'taken his bride to live with his parents' Had she .bepn a boy she was to have been named Harlow Carpentier, to perpetuate’ the name of Carpsntier, her father, and Harlow, her mother's maiden name. A compromise was reached with the feminine name Harlean. Little did her doting grandparents dream oh that March day that the baby girl was to become in | a few short years of her lite Holly. I wood’s Cinderella girl, whose path j through life was to be beset with I happiness and sorrow, joy and trag- | edy. Little did they dream she would shoot from obscurity to bl'aze a shin ing light across the firmament of the screen.