Scandalous Facts About Old Hollywood Stars
Sometimes it seems like there's never been anything as glamorous as Old Hollywood.
Well, for every diamond necklace, every Oscar statuette, every fur stole, and every fairy-tale romance, there have been equal parts scandal, melodrama, tragedy, and woe.
From stars who pushed the limits of what was acceptable to those who burned brightly only to flame out young, Old Hollywood was chock-full of eye-opening tales of scandal.
1. Lived Fast, Died Young
Aside from acting, James Dean also had a passion for cars and driving as fast as possible. One thing led to another, and on September 30, 1955, Dean was driving his Porsche 550 Spyder at high speed when he crashed into a car speeding in the opposite direction. He was 24 when he died, having only performed in three films, two of which hadn't even hit theatres yet. He would receive two posthumous Oscar nominations, a record that nobody is likely to beat—we hope.
2. The Force Cannot Save This One
In one of the most infamous moments of foreshadowing in the history of American pop culture, James Dean met with renowned British actor Alec Guinness (aka the original Obi-Wan Kenobi) and took the moment to show off his new car. Guinness allegedly warned Dean that “If you get in that car, you will be found dead in it by this time next week.” Guinness’ prediction proved horrifyingly accurate when Dean died seven days later. It seems that Guinness was a Jedi before George Lucas had ever invented them.
3. What a Tramp
While he was busy capturing the hearts of the world with a prolific string of classic pictures, Charlie Chaplin was also a notorious womanizer. He claimed to have slept with over 2,000 women, and when he was asked what his ideal woman was like, he quipped, “I am not exactly in love with her, but she is entirely in love with me.” Pretty gross there, Chap.
4. Hook ‘Em While They’re Young
One thing that Charlie Chaplin’s pursuits had in common was their youth. He first met and engaged in a romance with Edna Purviance when she was 19. He later moved on to Mildred Harris, who was 16 when the 29-year-old first met her. He impregnated the teenaged Lita Grey (whom Chaplin had first become interested in when he’d met her as a 12-year-old).
Incidents like these continued until the 54-year old Chaplin married the 18-year old Oona O’Neill, with whom he finally did have a decent marriage, as well as eight children. So that’s a happy ending for...Chaplin, at least.
