Want to know what happened to Jean Harlow? Hailed as the Platinum Blonde and Blonde Bombshell of the industry, popular actress Jean Harlow’s real name was Harlean Carpenter. Jean Harlow grabbed huge fame and success as her portrayal of the bad girl characters was applauded by fans as she went on to become an s*x symbol.
Jean Harlow went on to star in various movies, including Bombshell, Suzy, Reckless, and Dinner At Eight. Jean also starred opposite popular actor Clark Gable, and their chemistry was widely applauded in the 1932 movie Red Dust.
Iconic star Marilyn Monroe was a huge fan of Jean Harlow. So much so that she even hired Harlow’s same stylist to color her hair and create her iconic look. However, Jean Harlow’s time in the industry was short-lived, and she could only be a part of the industry for many years. Let us find out what happened to Jean Harlow.
What Happened To Jean Harlow?
Jean Harlow was reportedly diagnosed with kidney disease. Sadly, Jean Harlow died just two days after the diagnosis. She was just 26 years old. Other than her kidney disease, it was also reported that Jean Harlow was drinking heavily during that time and eventually lost her old charm.
The actress was going through severe headaches that were mistaken for hangovers as Jean also had a puffy face and swollen belly, which was believed to be alcohol-related weight gain.
As she used to use bleach on her hair, the weekly application of the bleach also took its toll, and she began to lose her beautiful lock of hair. Jean Harlow was earlier struggling with several health issues that included vomiting and stomach pain. The actress was reportedly later misdiagnosed and was treated as a swollen gallbladder.
With Jean Harlow’s untimely death, her film Saratoga had to be completed using Jean’s body double, her costar Clark Gable admitted that the experience was rather tragic and it was like acting in the arms of a ghost. The actress did not have a long life and passed away at such a young age as the industry mourned the death of a rising star.
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Was Jean Harlow Married?
Jean Harlow married MGM executive Paul Bern in 1932. The marital bliss was rather short-lived as just two months after the wedding, Bern was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head in their home. Jean Harlow later starred in dating a boxer named Max Baer. While Max was separated, he was still. Married and when Max’s wife filed for divorce on the grounds of adultery while naming Jean as co-respondent.
To avoid yet another scandal, the studio got Jean to marry cinematographer Harold Rosson. Jean struggled with her health during that time as she became ill and had to be taken for an emergency appendectomy. The relationship lasted only for eight months. By 1935, Jean seemed to find love with actor William Powell, who was also her costar in Reckless and Libeled Lady. The two were together for two years.
How Did Jean Harlow Become A Movie Star?
Jean Harlow caught the attention of Fox executives while the actress was visiting a movie lot with a friend. Believe it or not, but Jean was unusually not quite interested in becoming a star and even gave the executives a female make that was her mother’s! Jean Harlow just a small part in the 1929 movie, The Saturday Night Kid, and while Jean was not in the lead role, she managed to steal the show from the lead, Clara Bow.
Hughes’s publicity director is credited for giving Jean the name Platinum Blonde. The name was such a big hit that in 1931, a Frank Capra film was renamed Platinum Blonde for the white-haired Jean, even though Jean was the supporting actress and not the film’s leading star.
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