Jean Harlow Trivia

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Jean`s Spouses: Harold Rosson (1933-1935) Paul Bern (1932-1932) Charles Fremont McGrew (1927-1929)

Jean`s rise to fame was in Howard Hughes` Hell`s Angels (1930). He sold her contract to MGM for $60,000.

Jean`s father was a dentist.

Jean wrote a book titled Today is Tonight.

In 1965, two films titled Harlow came out about Jean`s life and death.

To get and keep her signature platinum blonde, Jean had to bleach her hair every week with a mixture of Clorox, ammonia, Lux Flakes, and peroxide. This mixture is said to be very painful and leaves a lot of damage to the hair.

Marilyn Monroe was scheduled to meet with some producers on the week that she died about playing Jean in a movie about her.

The makers of the 1933 film King Kong wanted Jean for the lead role, but she turned it down.

Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM Studios, paid in full for Jean`s funeral and burial.

The band Psychotica made a song in which the lyrics talked about her. The song is titled Harlow, and is on their Pandemic album.

Had to leave her prints in cement outside of Grauman`s Theatre twice. The first time was done inside in front of a paying audience, but the slab was broken before making it`s way to the front of the theatre. Jean returned four days later, this time doing it outside.

She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions in motions pictures at 6910 Hollywood Blvd.

Her first role was as an extra in Honor Bound, which she worked for only $7 a day.

When she passed away in 1937, her estate was valued at over $1 million, left entirely to her mother.

Jean had to stick to a strict diet to keep thin, eating mostly vegetables and salads.

Jean was photographed nude, at age 17 by Hollywood photographer Edward Bower Hesser in Griffith Park in 1928.

Her height is often listed as 5`2"-5`3 1/2".

Following the end of her third marriage, Jean met actor William Powell. They were together for two years, but Jean became ill and died before Powell proposed marriage.

Jean dated the notorious mobster Abner "Longy" Zwillman, who secured a two-picture deal for Harlow with Harry Cohn of Columbia Pictures by loaning Cohn $500,000 in cash. He also purchased her a jeweled charm bracelet and a red Cadillac.

Jean attended the 1936 Oscars with her then lover William Powell, her close friend and co-star Clark Gable, and his new lover Carole Lombard, who was Powell`s ex-wife. Harlow was so ill during the evening, Lombard had to help her to the Powder Room to recover and to re-apply her make-up.

Her Favorite brand of cigarette was "Fatima".

Is known as the "original blonde bombshell", pre-dating Marilyn Monroe as a blonde sex symbol.

Jean was voted the 49th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.

She once lived in The Chateau Marmont, a Famous hotel in Los Angeles.

Jean never wore any underwear, and always slept in the nude.

Her measurements: 34B-25-36 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine).

Jean, Is one of the many movie stars mentioned in Madonna`s song "Vogue".

Along with Hedy Lamarr, they were the primary inspirations for Batman creator Bob Kane`s Catwoman character.

When she died in 1937, her estate was valued at over $1 million and left entirely to her mother.

Is portrayed by Gwen Stefani in The Aviator (2004), by Carroll Baker in Harlow (1965/I), by Susan Buckner in The Amazing Howard Hughes (1977) (TV), by Lindsay Bloom in Hughes and Harlow: Angels in Hell (1978) and by Carol Lynley in Harlow (1965/II)

Is one of the many movie stars mentioned in Madonna`s song "Vogue"

She used to put ice on her nipples right before shooting a scene in order to appear sexier.

She had to stick to a strict diet to keep thin, eating mostly vegetables and salads.

Went on a salary strike from MGM in 1934, during which she wrote a novel, "Today is Tonight." The book was not published until 1965.

Was the godmother of Millicent Siegel, daughter of the notorious mobster Bugsy Siegel.

Is one of the many movie stars mentioned in Madonna's song "Vogue" (imdb.com)

She used to put ice on her nipples right before shooting a scene in order to appear sexier. (imdb.com)

On the day Hollywood canine superstar Rin Tin Tin died at age of 16 (112 in doggie years), Harlow, who lived across the street from his master, Lee Duncan, came over and cradled the dog's head in her lap as the famous pooch made his final exit to Doggie Heaven. (imdb.com)

Interred at Forest Lawn, Glendale, California, USA, in the Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Benediction, at the end of the corridor, on the left side, second to the last private room marked "Harlow." (imdb.com)

Went on a salary strike from MGM in 1934, during which she wrote a novel, "Today is Tonight." The book was not published until 1965. (imdb.com)

A new musical called "In Hell With Harlow" about an after-death meeting between her and Protestant WWII martyr Dietrich Boenhoffer never reached the stage. The production, written by best-selling author Paul L. Williams, was to star Dawn Winarski and Greg Korin. (imdb.com)

In the 1933 Hollywood satire Bombshell (1933) Harlow is known as "the 'if' girl" -- a spoof loosely based on 1920's sex symbol and "It girl" Clara Bow. (imdb.com)

She spent the night of April 6, 1933 - the day when Prohibition was set to expire at midnight - at the Los Angeles Brewing Co. with fellow movie star Walter Huston. A maker of "near-beer" and de-natured alcohol (the alcohol was subtracted from the full-strength beer the company continued to brew during Prohibition, but could not legally market), the company was ready to immediately get back into the market for strong waters. Skipping the denaturing process, Los Angeles Brewing whipped up a huge consignment of the genuine stuff (to be marketed as Eastside beer and ale in bottles and kegs), which was loaded onto trucks parked at the brewery, ready to roll the day when suds could be shipped legally. Two treasury agents and many guards were there that night in the company parking lot, to ensure things went smoothly, safely and legally. At 12:01 AM at the dawning of the new day of April 7, 1933, when the sale and consumption of intoxicating beverages was once again legal (if not a constitutional right) in the United States, Huston gave a short speech and Harlow broke a bottle of beer over the first truck lined up and ready to deliver its legal load of liquid refreshment, thus christening the reborn brewery. The trucks rolled out, many staffed with armed guards riding shotgun lest the thirsty multitude get too frisky along the delivery routes. When the night was over, the brewery had done over $250,000 in business (approximately $3,387,000 in 2005 dollars) and had collected a stack of cash 18 inches high. Harlow has stayed the night, partying with brewery employees. (imdb.com)

Born at 5:40pm-CST (imdb.com)

Her funeral wasn't the average funeral. Louis B. Mayer, head of MGM, took charge and made it a Hollywood "event." He had Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy sing his favorite song, "Oh, Sweet Mystery of Life" ,in the church chapel, followed by a huge banquet with an orchestra. (imdb.com)

She was at a dinner party and kept on addressing Margot Asquith (wife of prime minister Herbert Asquith) as MargoT (pronouncing the 'T'). Margot finally had enough and said to her "No Jean, the T is silent, as in Harlow". (imdb.com)

One of the last photos taken of Jean showed her carrying a copy of 'Gone with the Wind'. She was determined to read it, but as her illness progressed, couldn't get past more than the first few pages. When she was admitted to hospital, she reminded one of her nurses to pack it. The nurse, realizing how serious Harlow's illness was, remarked "She'll never finish it." Her words came true when Harlow died later that week. (imdb.com)

Measurements: 34B-25-36 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine) (imdb.com)

Ranked #22 on the American Film Institute's "100 Years, 100 Legends" list in June 1999. (imdb.com)

Is portrayed by Gwen Stefani in The Aviator (2004), by Carroll Baker in Harlow (1965/I), by Susan Buckner in The Amazing Howard Hughes (1977) (TV), by Lindsay Bloom in Hughes and Harlow: Angels in Hell (1978) and by Carol Lynley in Harlow (1965/II) (imdb.com)