Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and the Question of His Sexuality
Queer Places:
5930 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr., KBE, DSC, whose life spanned from December 9, 1909, to May 7, 2000, served as a distinguished American actor and a highly decorated naval officer during the Second World War.
Among his initial significant romantic involvements was that with the acclaimed actress, Joan Crawford, a courtship that grew earnest amidst the production of Our Modern Maidens. Their union was formalized on June 3, 1929, at St. Malachy's in New York City, where they exchanged vows.[33] At the time of their nuptials, Fairbanks was merely nineteen years of age, whereas Ms. Crawford possessed a four-year seniority.
Subsequently, they journeyed to Britain for a postponed honeymoon, where luminaries such as Noël Coward, Gertrude Lawrence, Beatrice Lillie, and even Prince George, Duke of Kent, hosted him. While he immersed himself in social and political spheres, Ms. Crawford's primary focus remained her burgeoning acting profession, leading to her involvement in a liaison with Clark Gable. Conversely, within the pages of his inaugural autobiography, he would subsequently acknowledge his own infidelity during that era, revealing an unavailing pursuit of Katharine Hepburn whilst filming Morning Glory. Their marriage concluded with a divorce in 1933; however, the legal dissolution was not finalized until twelve months later.[34]
Notwithstanding their marital dissolution, Fairbanks promptly rose to Crawford's defense upon the release of Mommie Dearest by her adopted daughter, Christina Crawford, a highly critical biographical account of Ms. Crawford's private existence. He unequivocally declared that "The Joan Crawford depicted in Mommie Dearest bears no resemblance to the Joan Crawford with whom I was acquainted in those earlier days."[35] Within the narrative of his autobiography, he would further recount that he never observed any indication of notable fits of rage from Crawford throughout their union, suggesting she was inclined more towards sullenness or debate than outright fury.
Fairbanks entered into matrimony on April 22, 1939, with Mary Lee Hartford (née Mary Lee Epling), who had previously been wed to Huntington Hartford, the scion of the A&P supermarket fortune. His unwavering loyalty persisted towards her until her passing in the year nineteen eighty-eight. Their family expanded to include three daughters—Daphne, Victoria, and Melissa—in addition to eight grandchildren and a total of ten great-grandchildren.[36]
A coat of arms was bestowed upon Fairbanks by the College of Arms, situated in London, which symbolically depicted the United States and Great Britain intertwined across the vast blue expanse of the Atlantic Ocean by a delicate, silken bond of camaraderie.[37]
During the year nineteen eighty-two, Fairbanks received the German Federal Cross of Merit, an honor conferred in recognition of his significant efforts in aiding the distressed populace of post-war occupied Germany.
Allegations have surfaced suggesting that Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was among the unclothed individuals featured in the compromising photographs presented as evidence during the 1963 divorce proceedings of Margaret Campbell, the Duchess of Argyll.[38][39]
Furthermore, his name surfaced in association with the notorious Profumo Scandal.[40]
As a confidant of Laurence Olivier, Fairbanks counted himself among those who contributed to a television documentary produced by The South Bank Show, titled Laurence Olivier: A Life. Moreover, he maintained a profound bond of friendship with Sir Rex Harrison and delivered a presentation at the latter's memorial service held in New York City.
His personal life story, Salad Days, was penned by him and released in 1988.[41] Beyond this, Fairbanks also authored A Hell of a War, a vivid chronicle detailing his experiences throughout the Second World War, which saw publication in 1993.[42] Aside from these two autobiographical works, Fairbanks engaged in collaborative efforts with Richard Schickel to produce The Fairbanks Album (1975)[43], an illustrated overview of both Fairbanks Sr. and Jr., and with Jeffrey Vance on a critical study and biography of Fairbanks Sr., which was eventually published in 2008 under the title Douglas Fairbanks.[44]
Fairbanks entered into his final marriage on May 30, 1991, when he wed Vera Lee Shelton, a merchandiser affiliated with QVC Network Inc.[45]
On the morning of May 7, 2000, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. passed away at ninety years old due to a cardiac arrest. His remains were subsequently interred alongside those of his father within the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, located in Hollywood, California.
Fairbanks holds the distinction of possessing three stars on the renowned Hollywood Walk of Fame: one recognizing his contributions to motion pictures, situated at 6318 Hollywood Boulevard; another honoring his work in television, found at 6665 Hollywood Boulevard; and a third commemorating his radio career, located at 6710 Hollywood Boulevard. Additionally, in the year nineteen sixty-nine, he was formally admitted into the Hall of Fame of the International Best Dressed List.[46]
The comprehensive collection of moving images pertaining to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. is preserved at the Academy Film Archive, encompassing more than ninety reels of his personal home movies.[47]
Authored Works:
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- https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/douglas-valentine-lepan
- Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969, William J. Mann, 2001