The Washington times., 1933-09-18
DIVORCED At q,
BLONDE KEEPS
ILLUSIONS
Elopement With Camera Man
CIimaxes Career Filled
With UpSetS

of Jean Harlow's life.
A bride the first time at 16.
A screen star at an age when
most girls leave finishing school
Divorced and married again at
81.
Her second marriage terminated
by the tragic suicide of Pau Bern,
her Studio-eXecutive husband.
A brave return to work as sur
cease from this sorrow to achieve
new screen laurelS.
A midnight elopement to Yuma,
Aiz., Hollywood's Grenta Green" "
These are only few highlights
of the glamorous events that have
crowded her career since she
emerged from the comparatively
cloistered life of an exclusive
girls school at Lake Forest, Ill.
Cinderella Role
Miss Harlow's rise in pictures
Is in itself one of the most in
teresting of the Cinderella tales
Of Hollywood.
Born Harlean Carpenter in
Kansas City, Mo-, MLrch 3, 1911,
Jean came to Hollywood in 1929.
A single role, the feminine lead
In "Hells Angels" a famous air
spectacle. was the magic slip
per-" Miss Harlow was an ex-
ira appearin. in a Clara Bow
picture when she was among
the girls who tried out for the
part in "Hell's Angels"
Before that her striking beauty
had won her instant recognition
In Hollywood, and she signed a
contract with Hal Roach to be
featured in comedies. News of
the contract was flashed to her
grandfather S. D. Harlow, Kan
sas City, who registered pro-
nounced diSapproval. Obediently
Miss Harlow obtained a release
from her Roach contract.
, Months later the screen lure
again seized the beautiful blonde
and with the aid of her mother,
Mrs. Marino Bello, she persuaded
her grandfather to withdraw his
disapproval and again sought a
place in pictures.
Hit Follows Hit
After her appearance in the
air drama, "Hell's Angels" Miss
HarloW's services were sought by
practically every studio in Holly
wood.
Hit followed hit. She became
the platinum Blonde" of the
cinema, with a world wide fol-
lowing.
In the meantime she had di.
vorced her first husband. She
had eloped at the age Of 16 with
Charles F. McGreW, II, wealthy
Chicago broker. Their young ro-
nance paled and after coming to
Los Angeles Miss Harlow insti-
tuted divorce action and was
granted a decree January 20,
1881.
Miss Harlow's marriage to Nc
Grew was, like her elopement to
Yuma, midnight affair. They
had met at a party at the girls
school Miss Harlow was attend
ing, and their courtShip was
brief and romantic.
On the night of September IL,
1927. they fled by automobile
from Chicago to Naukegan. Ill,
and reused up a clergyman by
pounding on his front door. The
sleepy pastor summoned witnesses
and Miss Harlow was married in
a manner that foreShadoWed her
elopement to Yuma.
In the dizzy whirl of picture
after picture, Miss Harlow ap-
parently had little time to think
Of romance.
Met Paul Bern
But romance appeared in her
own studio. She and Paul Bern,
the father confessor" of Holly
wood, the friend of every person
in the motion picture world,
naturally were thrown together.
The romance was so quiet that
even close friends OF the couple
were surprised when they revealed
their engagement by applying for
q marriage license. Bern was AZ
and Miss Harlow 81. Ten days
later on July 2, 1892. they were
married at the home Of her
mother. Mrs. Marino Bello.
There seemed nothing but hap
piness in store for the radiant
bride.
Tragedy Comes
But tragedy was just around
the corner. Two months later
Paul Bern was dead-a cuicide.
Miss Harlow, hard at work on
a picture, had gone to the home
of her mother for the night. The
neT day a servant found the
studio executive dead in a bed
room in his Benedict Canyon
house from a bullet wound A
revolver was found at his side.
p note addressed to Miss Har-
low read:
dearest Dear:
Unfortunately this is the
only way to make good the
frightful wrong have done you,
and to wipe out my bject
humiliation. You understand
last night was only a comedy"
The note was signed Paul"
Crushed by the tragedy, Miss
Harlow Was unable to throw any
light on the motive of Bern's sui
eide. His friends we're likewise
puzzled.
: For a tipe friends feared for