Dear Reader #215

Dear Reader,

Clara Bow’s fifty-fifth movie was Kick In, produced between February 25 and March 26, 1931, and released on May 23, 1931. Clara played Molly Hewes. Mike-fright and an inability to deliver her lines gripped Clara during this production. Constantly, her gaze was drawn to the microphone that hung above her head like the Sword of Damocles. 

“This ain’t no life,” Clara conceded after storming off the set. “The fun’s all gone.” 

Clara would make more movies, but her dream had faded. Her heart was no longer in Hollywood.

Columbo

Season One, Episode Four: “Suitable for Framing”. Set in the art world, critic Dale Kingston (Ross Martin) murders his uncle and tries to frame his aunt (Kim Hunter) so that he can inherit his uncle’s valuable art collection. He also murders his lover and accomplice in the crime, art student Tracy, (Rosanna Huffman). Not the strongest in the Columbo canon, the convoluted plot fails to hold the attention.

My 19 x great grandmother, Constance of York, Countess of Gloucester, was born in 1374, the only daughter of Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, and his wife Isabella of Castile. 

In November 1397, Constance married Thomas Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester, one of Richard II’s favourites. The couple produced three children: a son, Richard, and two daughters. The first daughter, Elizabeth, died in infancy, while the second daughter, Isabel, was born after her father’s death.

When Henry IV deposed and murdered Richard II, the Crown seized the Despenser lands. In consequence, in December 1399, Thomas Despenser and other nobles hatched a plot known as the Epiphany Rising. Their plan was to assassinate Henry IV and restore Richard, who was alive at this point, to the throne.

According to a French chronicle, Edward, Constance’s brother, betrayed the plot, although English chronicles make no mention of his role. Thomas Despenser evaded immediate capture, but a mob cornered him in Bristol and beheaded him on 13 January 1400.

After Thomas’ death, Constance was granted a life interest in the greater part of the Despenser lands and custody of her son. However, in February 1405, during the Owain Glyndwr rebellion to liberate Wales, Constance instigated a plot to abduct Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March, and his brother, Roger, from Windsor Castle. 

Constance’s plan was to deliver the young Earl, who had a claim to the English throne, to his uncle Sir Edmund Mortimer, who was married to Glyndwr’s daughter.

The first part of Constance’s plan went well, only to stumble when Henry’s men captured Edmund and Roger Mortimer as they entered Wales.

With the plot over, Constance implicated her elder brother, Edward – clearly sibling love was not a priority in the House of York – and he was imprisoned for seventeen weeks at Pevensey Castle. Meanwhile, Constance languished in Kenilworth Castle.

With the rebellions quashed, Henry IV released Constance and she became the mistress of Edmund Holland, 4th Earl of Kent. Out of wedlock, they produced my direct ancestor, Eleanor, who married James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley.

Constance outlived Henry IV and her brother, Edward. She died on 28 November 1416 and was buried in Reading Abbey.

*****

A Hollywood Murder

Mabel Normand (November 9, 1893 – February 23, 1930) was a silent movie actress, the leading comedienne of Hollywood’s Early Age. She was also a talented screenwriter, director and producer with her own production company, the Mabel Normand Feature Film Company.

Mabel had strong feelings for William Desmond Taylor, possibly romantic feelings, which he did not return. Instead, he was content to act as her mentor within a close friendship. 

Mabel visited Taylor on the evening he was murdered and was one of the last people to see him alive.

Poor health blighted the latter part of Mabel’s career. Some rumours state that she was a drug addict, but hard facts on that matter are hard to find. She suffered from tuberculous and that terrible disease claimed her life in 1930, at the age of thirty-six.

Did any of the events in January 1922 surrounding comedienne Mabel Normand lead to the murder of movie director William Desmond Taylor?

At that time, Mabel and Taylor were very close friends. She appeared keen to take their relationship a stage further, but at that stage of his life Taylor was not interested in forming romantic relationships with women. Nevertheless, Taylor’s apartment was festooned with pictures of Mabel and he carried a photograph of her in his pocket watch. 

Mabel and Taylor enjoyed a strong friendship. She was keen to learn about literature and philosophy, and he was keen to teach her. Their bond might have provoked jealousy in Mary Miles Minter, who was obsessed with Taylor, and her mother Charlotte Shelby who, apparently, also had strong feelings for him. The bond might also have annoyed someone who had feelings for Mabel. 

From the start, the police considered that jealousy was the motive for the murder, so this is a line worth pursuing.

*****

My latest Golden Age of Hollywood article for the Seaside News appears on page 40 of the magazine.

Social media https://toot.wales/@HannahHowe

As ever, thank you for your interest and support.

Hannah xxx

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