“He had been most articulate, and then he was extremely recognized for his apperance” is actually probably the most charming situation she told you. At the one point, remembering a break up page he’d written because they was indeed courting, she labeled your once the “this new monster.”

“She is actually really pleased with where she got arrived that have Freddie,” Alice Lassally tells me, “but it was not a good marriage. It was sorts of a plan, extremely. He was not pretty good so you can the lady. 1 day, facing her, he said, ‘I never really had a better housekeeper.’ I desired in order to eliminate him. However, I do believe it planned to check out every Hollywood parties, and they required both for these period.”

You felt a small stung, as you was indeed providing they 50 % of-surely, however, he’d the incredible ability to insult you in the kindest trend then keep moving

Freddie was considered a keen affable charmer throughout the visibility out of a celebrity or a-v.I.P., but with underlings however invariably score acerbic. “The guy cherished to skirt individuals off,” says Zehme. “Your didn’t become shed from it. It was just ukraine date like good [Don] Rickles impact.” Janet and additionally had a-sharp language, and also as a few they certainly were referred to as squabbling Bickersons, a mention of the one and you may partner in the an effective 1940s broadcast reveal, starred because of the Wear Ameche and you may Frances Langford. “There was a famous Movie industry tale on the subject attacking,” states Alice Lassally. “Whenever Jack Benny was with the his deathbed, a team of close friends gained in the home and you can were seated downstairs regarding living room area, waiting around for it that occurs. ong them, and so they was in fact fighting the complete day until they leftover. Moments after, the Bennys’ de on the staircase and you may said, ‘Jack is gone.’ The latest witty playwright Leonard Gershe answered, ‘And you may, thank Jesus, so might be the new de Cordovas.’”

Janet Thomas found its way to Movie industry out of Kentucky during the early 1940s. “She was version of a keen orphan, elevated, along with her sibling, because of the an uncle, rather than well-off, however, she are a tiny blond and you will a good knockout that have an excellent southern area drawl,” said Dunne, including, “a glamour girl, who went out to Movie industry to really make it from inside the reveal company but had much further because the a kind of highest-driven lady friend and you may spouse.” Predicated on Janet, after a few months from inside the Los angeles, because an excellent-looking 20-year-dated, fresh out of Center College or university, from inside the Danville, Kentucky, she stepped on the Fox lot, produced the woman treatment for casting movie director Thomas Moore’s work environment, and asked for a screen test.

“It absolutely was the brand new worst screen test in the reputation of Hollywood,” she told me. “It put me personally during the good Betty Grable outfit which have dreadful locks and cosmetics.” In the course of time, however, they led to an agreement at the Vital. Due to the fact a hopeful starlet-just who wound-up never ever and make a film-Janet is actually observed by the strong gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. “She set me personally in her column and you may discussed me personally to your the lady broadcast tell you,” Janet told you, estimating out-of thoughts: “ ‘Consensus off advice is the fact that the most beautiful woman at group is young blond Janet Thomas,’ and in the future Hedda constantly known myself since the ‘Hollywood’s most incredible blond.’ Which had been sort of an aches regarding the ass getting Lana Turner and also the remainder of them. And never exactly real, but that’s the way it ran.”

And you can she got you to definitely

Dollar Henry, who had been students from the Harvard College or university getting People inside the Los angeles, and that has a summertime work given that an effective gofer at the stars Charles Farrell and you will Ralph Bellamy’s Racquet Club, inside the Palm Springs, recalled when you look at the a story the guy had written to have Interviews journal on the Hollywood throughout The second world war, “The fresh new prettiest woman in the area was Janet Thomas, now the new girlfriend off Freddie de- Cordova. … She used a courageous black you to-part swimsuit cut-in a v shape-up the front, resulting in … gents to gasp and you can nothing guys to remember they 45 age later on.”