She Said No To Glamour
One director called Jean Peters one of the greatest film sirens of all time, but she just wanted to play gritty roles. While her best bud Marilyn Monroe took all the glamorous parts, Peters was in her own world playing unconventional roles like pirates and a woman who lived in a swamp.
When she met and married billionaire Howard Hughes, she put Hollywood behind her and became wrapped up in his bizarre and isolated world. Only a ferocious woman like Peters could find the strength to claw her way out.
1. She Was Far From Show Business
Jean Peters was born on a farm in East Canton, Ohio. Her mother was a housewife, and her dad worked as a laundry manager. Peters’ plan was to become a teacher, and she studied at Ohio State University. It looked like Peters was going to have a very ordinary life, and then one thing happened that changed everything.
2. She Was The Prettiest
While she was a student at Ohio State, Peters decided to enter a beauty pageant. When it came down to 12 finalists, Peters walked away with the top prize. She didn't just get a tiara and a sash. Her prize also included a screen test with 20th Century-Fox. This farm girl was going to Hollywood.
3. They Signed Her Up
The sponsor of the beauty pageant was photographer Paul Robinson, and he quickly became Jean Peters’ manager. Robinson stayed with Peters all the way to Hollywood, and he made sure Fox signed her on. Fox gave her a seven-year contract, and suddenly becoming a teacher seemed a little ordinary to Peters. She dropped out of college and decided to be an actor.
But her first role for Fox would be a disaster.
4. They Wanted To Cover Her
Fox didn't waste much time and soon presented Jean Peters with her first film. The title was I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now. Even though Peters had just won a beauty contest, her role was the ugly duckling of the story. The plan was to cover her good looks with makeup and horn-rimmed glasses. Peters wisely said no to this forgettable picture.
But Peters wasn’t quite ready to give up yet.
5. She Wasn’t Right For It
Fox soon came up with a second film for Peters. This was the romantic comedy Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! After her screen test, the producers decided she couldn’t play the farm girl character—even though she actually grew up on a farm. This film’s only claim to fame was that rising star Marilyn Monroe had one line in it.
Fox may have been running out of patience with Peters, so her third try at a film had to work.
6. They Needed Her
Fox had a plan to turn the novel Captain from Castile into a major motion picture, and they had Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell as the leads. When Fox suddenly needed Darnell to save another movie that was heading for disaster, the studio offered the role to Jean Peters.
If she played her cards right, this could be the film to start her career.
7. She Had Star Power
Captain from Castile had success written all over it. Most important was the inclusion of big star Tyrone Power. Weirdly enough, Peters also brought some star power to the film. Even though she had yet to appear on screen, Fox was putting her forward as an up-and-coming star.
There was a lot riding on Peters’ first film.
8. She Cost Them Money
While Captain from Castile was an enormous hit for Fox, it failed to do something that every studio wants a film to do: It didn’t make money. The budget for the film was huge, and ticket sales could not pay it off. While her performance was a success, Fox likely remembered the film as a monetary flop.
Jean Peters still had to show them she was a star that could make them money.
9. She Flatly Refused
Fox was still invested in Peters, and they came to her with her next film. This was the Western Yellow Sky, and her co-star would be Gregory Peck. Well, it would have been, except Peters declined to appear in the film, and the part went to Anne Baxter. Peters’ reason for declining was that the role was “too sexy”.
Fox had had enough.
10. They Punished Her
Fox wasn’t happy with Jean Peters, and they rewarded her dogged determination with a suspension from making films. Well, this didn’t last too long, and Fox soon offered Peters another role. This was Deep Waters, which had the same director as Captain from Castile. While this was only Peters’ second film, she already had a manic fan.
A fan that had a plan.
11. She Dealt With An Obsession
While Peters was filming Deep Waters, a fan continued to harass her. His main objective was to get Peters to agree to marry him. Peters finally got rid of the obsessed fan by telling him that if they got married, he would have to support her entire family.
Actually, there was another man interested in Peters who could easily support her family.
12. She Watched Him Crash
In 1946, Jean Peters met film tycoon and aviator Howard Hughes. The two started dating when Hughes invited her to see him test-run his XF-11 plane. It would not be a date Peters would soon forget, as the plane crashed with Hughes in it. When Hughes later proposed, Hollywood got ready for the wedding of the year.
13. She Chose Her Career
Well, it would have been the wedding of the year except Peters said no. Her excuse was that she couldn’t be a wife and an actress at the same time. She chose to continue her career over marrying the very rich and influential Hughes. Peters continued with her career, but Hughes was not about to give up so easily.
14. She Was One Of The Best
Deep Waters didn’t quite attract the attention that Captain from Castile did, but it did do something for Jean Peters’ career. The year’s list of the “best five finds” included Barbara Bel Geddes, Alida Valli, Richard Widmark, Wanda Hendrix, and Peters. Fox finally had the star they knew Peters could be.
15. She Wanted A Change
After getting replaced by Shirley Temple in Mr Belvedere Goes to College, Peters moved on to It Happens Every Spring. Being on the “best five finds” list quite literally had gone to Peters’ head. Peters was sure her character had to be a blonde, and she demanded that they bleach her hair. The studio said no, and Peters kept her natural color.
Peters was having trouble finding her place in Hollywood. She just needed to find a role that would define who she wanted to be as an actor.
16. She Found The Right One
In 1951, Jean Peters finally found the kind of role she felt comfortable doing, but she was going to have to work hard to get it. The role of the lead pirate in Anne of the Indies was not meant for her at all. Italian actor Valentina Cortese had the role but then lost it because of her strong accent. Then Constance Smith had a go at it, but she failed, and the part finally went to Peters.
So what was so great about the role of Anne?
17. She Went Animal
Apparently, one of the things Peters loved about this pirate drama was what she got to wear. Peters was over the moon about her pirate outfits and went on about the tight pants and loose, open shirts. She also loved that her character was very primitive and animal-like. Peters now knew what she wanted to do.
She was saying no to glamour and yes to down-to-earth characters.
18. She Met Up With A Legend
The next year, Jean Peters got the opportunity to appear opposite acting heavyweight Marlon Brando. The film was Viva Zapata! and it told the true story of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata. Peters plays his wife, Josefa. Apparently, Brando had a soft spot for Peters.
19. He Kept Her Up
Brando liked to do his behind-the-scenes stunts, which on this film included lighting firecrackers in the hotel and horrifying the crew by remaining lifeless after a shooting scene. A more touching stunt was when Brando climbed a tree in the middle of the night and sang a serenade for Peters, who was likely just trying to get some sleep.
Her next film would see her in an even more down-to-earth role.
20. She Was Wild
Continuing her love of unglamorous roles, Jean Peters appeared in Lure of the Wilderness. Here she plays the daughter of a man who avoids the law by living in a swamp. In this film, Peters spends most of her time dressed in stitched-together rags. She must have been in swamp heaven. But soon the glamor of film noir would be calling her name.
21. She Got An Important Call
Anne Baxter was all set to appear in the film noir Niagara. Well, she decided to back out when Marilyn Monroe received the supporting female role. There was nothing hotter than Monroe at this time, and Baxter was likely afraid that Monroe’s fame would overshadow her own.
That’s when Peters got the call.
22. She Got Demoted
The director of Niagara wanted Jean Peters to replace Baxter as the lead in Niagara. Except once Monroe was on board, everything changed. Because of her fame, they rejigged the movie so that Monroe was now the lead. Peters had every right to be livid, but there was something that not everyone knew.
23. They Called It Even
Around this same time, Peters and Monroe were both up for the same role in Pickup on South Street. Peters received an offer for the part over Monroe. Peters didn’t like glamorous roles like this one, but decided to do it because her character was “tough-talking”. The gracious Monroe even helped her friend Peters prepare to play the siren.
While playing a glamorous character wasn’t her favorite, the offers kept coming in.
24. She Switched It Up
After Niagara and Pickup on South Street, Jean Peters appeared in two noir films. She plays a fashion model in Vicki and a murderous femme fatale in A Blueprint for Murder. The director of Vicki said that he gave her the part because she was "one of the greatest sirens”. It looked like Peters had given up on playing down-to-earth characters.
It took just one film to bring her back.
25. She Painted Her Face
1954’s Apache got Peters out of her fancy gowns and back down-to-earth. Here she plays the wife of an Apache warrior played by Burt Lancaster. To make these actors look like Native Americans, both Peters and Lancaster consented to have their faces painted brown. You certainly wouldn't get away with that these days.
Peters’ career was taking off—but it was about to come to a surprising end.
26. She Lost Interest
In 1955, Jean Peters appeared in A Man Called Peter about the life of the chaplain of the United States Senate. After this role, Peters seemed to lose her interest in making films. She said no to the studio a few too many times and ended up on suspension again. A Man Called Peter was her final film.
So, there must have been something very important that distracted Peters from her career.
27. She Did Something Spontaneous
Around the time she was making A Man Called Peter, Peters met and married Stuart Cramer, whose grandfather was responsible for coining the term "air conditioning”. It was an incredibly quick courtship, as they tied the knot just a few weeks after meeting. Clearly, she should have taken more time deciding, as the marriage ended a few months later.
The reason for the breakup is a shocker.
28. She Couldn’t Forget Him
Remember, Jean Peters had said no to Howard Hughes’ proposal because she thought it couldn’t work with Hughes. But Peters’ friend, Jeanne Crain, knew the truth behind Peters’ breakup with Carmer. She said Peters just could not forget Hughes. Peters’ memories of Hughes had ruined her marriage, and now she had to make a big decision.
29. She Changed Her Mind
Hughes must have felt irked that Peters had chosen her career over him, and then married someone else later anyway. Well, Hughes was not one to give up. Once her short marriage to Cramer was completely over, Hughes asked for her hand once again. For some reason, Peters said yes. It seemed like it was time for another wedding of the year.
Wrong!
30. They Did It In Secret
In May 1957, Peters and Hughes tied the knot in secret at a small chapel in Tonopah, Nevada. Now, Hughes was no stranger to dating celebrities. In fact, his list of conquests included Ginger Rogers, Bette Davis, and Ava Gardner. But it’s not clear if Peters knew what to expect from her new husband.
When it came to Hughes, all Peters could expect was the unexpected.
31. It Was An Unconventional Marriage
Peters and Hughes’ marriage was unusual from the beginning. Hughes wanted them to live at the Beverly Hills Hotel, but not even in the same room. In fact, they didn't even share a building. Hughes wanted them to live in separate bungalows. Peters entertained this peculiar living arrangement for a few years and then put her foot down.
She demanded to live with her husband.
32. He Kept His Distance
When Peters and Hughes finally set up a home together under the same roof, there was still something amiss. Hughes wanted to have totally separate living quarters from Peters. Peters must have been wondering what it was about her that kept Hughes from committing fully. As it turned out, it wasn’t her, it was him.
33. He Was Suffering
Around the time that Hughes married Peters, his mental health was suffering. He was developing phobias about both germs and contamination. This could be the reason why he wanted a separate kitchen from Peters. But there were even more troubling aspects to Hughes’ mental health.
34. She Had To Stay Away
While married to Peters, Hughes began exhibiting some rather strange behaviors. One of the weirder ones was storing his own urine in jars. Keeping this behavior a secret could be the reason why Hughes wanted to live separately from Peters. But living separately was soon not enough for Hughes.
He wanted to keep Peters even further away.
35. They Were Like Strangers
Peters was living in separate quarters from Hughes, and then it got even worse. If Peters wanted to see Hughes, he made her make an appointment through one of his assistants. It seemed that Hughes didn't want to live with Peters and didn’t really seem to want to see her. You have to ask yourself why he married her in the first place.
Well, there’s a theory about that.
36. She Had A Purpose
Before he married Peters, Hughes’ mental health was on the decline. What he feared was that the CEO of his company would get a doctor to say he was mentally incompetent and put him away in an asylum. If he had a wife on his side, no one could put him away without her permission.
But you’d be wrong to think that there was no love between Peters and Hughes.
37. They Passed Notes
While Peters and Hughes didn't see each other that often, they did communicate. They did this by passing notes to each other; probably carried by one of Hughes’ aides. Besides stomach-churning and detailed information about Hughes’ enemas, the notes were so full of “I love yous” that it’s difficult to doubt the authenticity of their feelings.
But there was a dark side to Hughes’ love of Peters.
38. She Was Never Alone
Many believe that Hughes had a very possessive side when it came to Peters. The story goes that Hughes had his security people follow Peters everywhere she went. This apparently happened even when they weren't a couple. She also had to contact Hughes’ assistant for everyday things like ordering meals, seeing doctors, and even voting.
Either Peters didn’t know she was being followed or didn’t care. She still had a life to live.
39. She Carried On Without Him
While Peters pretty much put her acting on hold when she was with Hughes, she still carried on an active life. One thing she did was go back to college. She studied sociology at UCLA. Given her husband’s behavior, maybe a degree in psychology would have been more useful. There was, however, one thing that Peters would not do—no matter how many times they asked her to.
40. She Kept Her Mouth Shut
Of course, the world had a fascination with the eccentric millionaire Howard Hughes. One way the media thought they could get information about his life was through Peters. But Peters refused to talk about Hughes, and she stuck to it.
But there may have been a good reason why Peters wouldn’t talk about Hughes.
41. She Had Nothing To Say
Yes, Peters’ refusal to talk about Hughes was her way of protecting her husband. But there may have been another reason why she never spoke publicly about Hughes. Maybe she just didn't know anything about him. The truth was, the two barely saw each other. Proof of this is just an internet search away.
42. There Are No Pictures
You can try as hard as you like, but there is not a single picture of Peters and Hughes together available on the internet. There are plenty of pictures with Hughes and his previous partners, but none with Peters. Could it be that the two actually never saw each other in public?
Obviously, this so-called marriage could not last.
43. They Called It Quits
In 1971, Peters and Hughes decided to end their marriage. Now, here is where Peters could get the huge payout. Hughes was incredibly rich after all. You couldn’t blame Peters if she went for the big settlement. Well, that didn't quite happen.
44. She Got A Modest Sum
At the time of their divorce, Hughes was worth several billion dollars, and Peters had every right to try and get as much of it as she could. But that was not Peters’ style. She agreed to an annual payment of $70,000 ($540,000 in today’s currency). While it’s nothing to sneeze at, it certainly was a small amount compared to what she could have gotten.
Peters was ready to start her new life.
45. She Didn’t Wait Long
The same year that her divorce came through, Peters was walking down the aisle with a new man. This was Stan Hough, who was vice president of 20th Century Fox. Shortly after the wedding, Hough resigned from Fox and started working as a producer. With her personal life in order, Peters now had to think about her career.
46. She Thought About A Return
Now that she was away from the eccentric billionaire, some suspected she might return to acting. In fact, there were rumors that she was looking at three different projects to launch her comeback. Peters’ fans were on the edges of their seats. They wanted Peters back on the big screen.
47. She Made A Surprising Choice
Well, fans did not get to see Peters on the big screen, but they did see her in their living rooms. The project that Peters chose was a TV movie called Winesburg, Ohio. The source material for this TV movie was a book of short stories centered around a small town. Peters was initially excited as she could be as unglamorous as she liked.
But she soon changed her tune.
48. She Disappointed Herself
While Peters did like that she could put glamour behind her, she ended up thinking the finished project was boring. She even thought her own performance in Winesburg, Ohio was dull. Her return to acting had been a letdown, and she waited a few years for her next project.
This would be anything but dull.
49. She Joined A Stellar Cast
Peters’ next project would be another TV miniseries, but this one was impossibly star-studded. Her costars on Arthur Hailey’s The Moneychangers included mega stars like Kirk Douglas, Christopher Plummer, and Joan Collins. Peters’ choice to do more TV surprised some people, but her excuse was that it "seemed like fun”.
But her fun in front of the camera was winding down.
50. She Wound Down
Peters appeared in a few more TV shows, including her husband’s project Peter and Paul opposite Anthony Hopkins and Murder, She Wrote. In 1990, Peters lost her husband, and then 10 years later, she also passed. It was leukemia that took her life on October 13, 2000. If she had made it another two days, she would have been 74 years old. They buried her in Culver City, California at Holy Cross Cemetery.
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