Was Barbara La Marr Too Lovely

She was born Reatha Dale Watson on July 28, 1896, in Yakima, Washington. Barbara was adopted when she was a month outdated and her new household took her to California. On the age of fourteen she was arrested for working as a burlesque dancer. The choose stated she was “a woman who was too lovely” (this might later develop into her nickname). In 1913 she married rancher Jack Lytell. Tragically he died of pneumonia just some weeks after their wedding ceremony. She married Lawrence Converse in 1914 nevertheless it was annulled when she came upon he already had a spouse. Barbara moved to New York Metropolis and started writing screenplays for Fox. She married Phil Ainsworth, a dancer, in 1916. The next yr she left when he was arrested for writing dangerous checks. Her fourth marriage, to actor Ben Deeley, additionally resulted in divorce. Barbara made her movie debut within the 1920 drama Harriet And The Piper. She appeared in lots of hit films together with The Nut with Douglas Fairbanks and The Prisoner Of Zenda with Ramon Novarro. By 1922 she was one among Hollywood’s prime stars and was incomes greater than $6,000 every week.

Sadly her hard-partying life-style created extra headlines than her movies did. Barbara had an ill-fated romance with John Gilbert and have become hooked on morphine after injuring her ankle. She additionally developed an consuming dysfunction. In 1923 she married actor Jack Dougherty and shortly after they introduced that they had adopted a son. The couple separated in 1924 however remained legally married. Barbara was now utilizing cocaine and consuming closely. It was rumored that she stored her cocaine in a golden casket on her piano. She proudly instructed reporters that she solely slept two hours an evening. Her drug use damage her profession and he or she misplaced her contract with MGM. She signed with First Nationwide and made three films in 1925. Sadly her well being started to say no and he or she developed tuberculosis and nephritis. On January 30, 1926 she died on the younger age of twenty-nine. Her ultimate movie, The Lady From Montmartre, was launched the subsequent day. Barbara was buried at Hollywood Eternally cemetery. Hundreds of followers attended her funeral. Years after her demise it was revealed that she had secretly given start to her “adopted” son in 1922. Barbara’s shut pal Zasu Pitts raised him.