The Baritone

and His Lady…

 Part VIII….

Jeanette with her daring daughters Jane Powell, Ann E. Todd and Elinor Donahue

Nelson was devastated when he learned about the miscarriage and brokenhearted that she never confided in him. During the summer of 1946 he was dangerously close to a breakdown. But when Jeanette returned from England, things were rosy again. In September they were judges at the Atwater Kent opera auditions and, while both spouses were present, they only had eyes for each other. Finally Ann had enough and, taking Nelson’s arm, announced it was time for them to leave!

Soon afterward, Jeanette began work on “Three Daring Daughters” and Nelson left to film “Northwest Outpost” on location at Fort Ross, 85 miles north of San Francisco. The picture was already a month behind schedule which didn’t improve Nelson’s outlook one bit. He was unhappy with the script, Rudy Friml’s music and the time away from Jeanette. Jeanette wasn’t happy either and she began to doubt if she would ever really share Nelson’s life or have his child. She was also suspicious of Nelson’s lovely co-star Ilona Massey.

Nelson and Ilona

Finally feeling trapped in his unhappy marriage and sure Ann would never give him a divorce, Nelson decided to end the romance with Jeanette. Of course, the break-up almost destroyed both of them. Jeanette tried to fill her days by taking more of an interest in Gene’s career. Nelson thought perhaps taking Ann on a vacation would improve her mental health and maybe convince her to give him a divorce. It didn’t work and the effort literally drove him to drink on several occasions. Fans noticed that the usually happy, smiling Nelson was gone and a harder, more unapproachable Nelson had taken his place.

...in a happier moment.

Nelson used their estrangement to write long letters to Jeanette about his love, religion and even his dreams about her. For Easter he sent her a white satin prayer book of Psalms with special passages marked for her to read. He also had a hair clasp custom designed with a single purple violet on a green leaf and centered with a large diamond and small diamond stem. And, when Gene called to tell him she was ill or hadn’t eaten, he stayed with her until she recovered.

The “separation” lasted six months. In May, 1947 Jeanette’s mother died of a sudden heart attack and she asked Nelson to sing Schubert’s “Serenade” at the funeral. Then he saw her again at Isabel’s and they got even closer. But after the two were together in the Screen Guild production of “Rose Marie” in June, the echoes of Tahoe and their times there were just too much. By mid-summer Nelson was slipping out of the house at night to be with Jeanette and returning home just before dawn. Then, instead of waiting until their “anniversary” in October, they escaped to Tahoe in late September to renew their vows to each other. By October Jeanette knew she was pregnant again.

Nelson and his mother, Isabel

But, once again, it was not to be. On Friday, December 19th while Isabel, Nelson and Jeanette were having a pre-Christmas weekend at “Mists” Jeanette suffered another miscarriage and another severe depression. As soon as she was able, she went on her scheduled January concert tour even though Nelson felt she wasn’t strong enough physically or emotionally. But with her gone and the new movie at Republic cancelled, Nelson also scheduled a concert tour….the first in 4 years. Unfortunately Ann decided to join him in Chicago and things went from bad to worse.

Ann discovered letters from Jeanette and threw a tantrum threatening to harm Jeanette physically. By the time Nelson had returned home, he had spent one sleepless night after another. Finally he took a sedative and locked himself in his room. Unaccustomed to the medication, he apparently took too much. Unable to rouse him or open the door, Ann called Isabel who broke it open and called the doctor. Nelson recovered and went to his mother’s house to recuperate. But after that close call, Nelson and Jeanette began to discuss death and their options and wills frequently. Jeanette was afraid of the dark and wanted cremated. Nelson also wanted the same thing. Sadly neither got their wish.

Jeanette, Claude Jarman, Jr. and Lassie

The star-crossed lovers were soon on rocky ground again. Jeanette was filming “The Sun Comes Up” and the shoot wasn’t going well. Nelson postponed his tour to be with her but eventually had to leave. While he was gone, Jeanette’s physical and emotional health were both deteriorating and she suffered a complete nervous collapse.

Nelson with Dorothy Kirsten on one of the last  Kraft Music Hall radio shows.

But this time when she recovered, she was not the same Jeanette. She refused to talk about either her career or Nelson and became reclusive off the set. Around Christmastime Gene was arrested again for soliciting young men. But when Nelson returned from a concert tour, he found she had left for Europe with Gene to tour military bases.

Jeanette and Nelson’s separation would last for three long years and neither of them would ever do another picture. It was the end of an era…and cost them precious time and intense heartache. But it was not the end of their love story.

to be continued…

In the next issue… the 1950s and the years apart…This is Your Life…television and other career changes…a way to be together.

For more on the love story, read “Sweethearts” by Sharon Rich and visit www.maceddy.com

Oh, lookee here !

Look at what Look has…!
Follow the dots!               Look magazine ad, July 1950

Now I ask you…

Inside this dining room there is a door….

…and above that door there is a quote

from no other than Jeanette MacDonald!

The dining room is in the main Building at the
Motion Picture and Television Hospital and Country Home.

Can anyone tell me what Jeanette said?

Write me at mamalion27@aol.com