Hollywood Memorial

Actress and singer best remembered for her partnership with singer Nelson Eddy in a series of movies during the 1930s. In 1932, she was dropped from Paramount (another poor decision by the bosses; they claimed that musicals were dropping in public interest) and was immediately picked up by MGM. Strikingly beautiful, with red hair and large blue eyes, she attracted many men, including Louis B. Mayer and Maurice Chevalier. On June 17, 1937 she married actor Gene Raymond, in a marriage that lasted 28 years until her death in 1965. When MGM finally paired her with Nelson Eddy in ‘Naughty Marietta,’ they became a musical dream combination with a larger following than Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. She became lovers with Nelson in 1935, and the two remained secret on again/off again lovers over the next twenty years. Ambitious, determined to have an acting career, and fully aware that a scandal could quickly end that career, she and Nelson kept their love a deep secret from the rest of the world. Together they made eight movies, with memorable performances in ‘Rose Marie,’ ‘San Francisco,’ and ‘New Moon.’ In later years, when they were both married to other people, they would strongly deny any attachment other than a platonic friendship although they would continue to meet secretly over the years. In 1958, she and Nelson Eddy made a best selling record album of their favorite songs. Afterwards, she lived quietly with her husband, actor Gene Raymond, until her death from a heart attack in Houston, Texas. Entombed near Alan Ladd, Clara Bow, Nat King Cole, George Burns & Gracie Allen at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale. Nelson Eddy is buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery behind the Paramount