Both Nelson and Jeanette were patriots and contributed heavily to the WWII war effort. But just before that, Nelson started in “Let Freedom Ring”, a story close to his heart. Originally they were scheduled to star together in this film as a sequel to “Naughty Marietta” in 1935! Great message, no overdone makeup, gorgeous voice, gorgeous hair. No Jeanette but the patriot in Nelson loved this and it’s one of his best solo films.
On June 29th, the 122nd anniversary of Nelson Eddy’s birth, some excerpts from an article in Progress Magazine, March 1937. “I want to live a good life gracefully, a life as nearly as possible in harmony with the universe, with life, with the Creator. I want to help others do the same. I want to seek and welcome the truth, no matter through whom it comes or how many times I am compelled to lay aside preconceived opinions. I want to do what good I can as I go along. I want to bring cheer, comfort or inspiration to someone every day. I want to find my own soul and fulfill my own destiny by using the capabilities that I find within myself.”
Hollywood Blvd, June 2023. It was a joy to meet old and new friends in person for the first time since 2018. Post-Covid, it was time to catch up and see the changes in the Jeanette/Nelson local landmarks. Fans came from as far away as Australia; several had never been to Los Angeles before. Over a long weekend, some of the landmarks and homes were visited including the following:
Lake Tahoe, an advance trip by 3 ladies who trekked to the location where “Indian Love Call” was filmed in 1935 for “Rose Marie”. The famous split tree has been cut down…
… and they only found 2 totem pole pieces remaining in town.
“Mists”: The converted cowboy bunkhouse on the property set apart from the main property was remodeled by Nelson and used as a hideaway house for himself and Jeanette from the 1940s onward. It burned down in the 1961 Bel Air fire but the main house still remained until Paul Allen bought the property and demolished everything. In the years since we last visited, a new house was completed, the driveway redone and the old mailbox removed. The new look:
The old entrance, pre-Covid:
Twin Gables as it looks today; the empty pad is where the house once stood.
Below, Ann Franklin’s home at 718 N. Maple when she married Nelson. He technically moved in there until the house he had planned to build for Jeanette and himself on Halvern was completed. Back in the day, this house was shrouded from public view with all bushes as it still is today.
Meanwhile, since his mother and Ann did not get along, Nelson moved his mother into the former Lawrence Tibbett beach house on the same street as Thelma Todd’s nightclub. There was an upstairs studio apartment with a private entrance (on the right side of the photo below) and a 360 degree view and walkway around it. Nelson camped out there to get some space, peace, quiet and reflection on his new life. It looks the same today except the house, formerly a soft peachy pink, has been painted white.
Nelson’s last home with Ann, in which they had two separate wings plus Nelson had a detached artist’s studio, has continued to deteriorate. When we visited and spoke with the owner in 2018, he wasn’t certain whether to renovate, sell or raze the property, as it was worth more as a vacant lot than with Nelson’s home on it. As of 2023, it appears he reached his decision, per the notice on the front door.
The house itself, perhaps a last look:
This is just a sampling of the places visited, plus our luncheon at the Smoke House in Burbank proved to be an ideal new location for us, although we totally filled their largest meeting room!
We welcomed old friends like director Woody Van Dyke’s grandson and wife, and new guest speakers sharing insight into the lives of Jeanette and Nelson.
More on the events and guest speaker interviews in the next issue of the Mac/Eddy Today magazine.
On June 18th, her 120th birthday… some interview quotes:
“I have worked terribly hard… maybe even much harder… than I should have. And you only find this out after you can look back at your experiences and see why you should have accepted things more instead of pushing, as I am sure I did. ”
“So much of my life zooms back at me as being a little ornery…. I guess there isn’t much I haven’t done. But … I think I missed having children. That’s the biggest order I never filled. It just wasn’t in the cards, I guess.”
“I never realized… how much … movie stars mean to people. Not what you do or what you say but just your presence, your being there. It makes you feel embarrassed and rather humble and happy all at once. To be able to bring that much pleasure to people makes me a very lucky woman. Very lucky.”
Nelson Eddy died on this day after suffering a massive stroke onstage the night before, while singing in Miami. He never regained consciousness. Gale Sherwood, his singing partner for 14 years during Nelson’s nightclub years, later detailed an unusual occurrence right after he passed, as she was leaving the hospital. “As I walked numbly into the sunlight, I looked up and saw two beautiful white doves soaring off into space. Nelson loved doves and as they flew above me, I said, “There he goes!” I’ll never, never see a small white bird and not think of dear Nelson flying away.” Question: Why TWO doves? Who was the other one?
Bumping up the write-up about Jeanette MacDonald’s funeral TV footage today… 58 years ago today…
Watch it. There is nothing more telling about the Jeanette-Nelson relationship (except “This is Your Life”, of course) than the way Nelson is offered condolences by the other celebrity pallbearers. He’s also the last mourner to step outside the chapel, one can see it in the video footage.
Additionally, he took care of the overdue bills from her funeral expenses that were not paid; one can see some bills in the probate file folder.
The photo snapped of him a month later in Canada later shows a very different Nelson than most people would recognize; he’s quite thin and looks to be lost in his thoughts. Such a difference one month can make.
Nelson Eddy: “The most miserable day of my life” (Jeanette MacDonald’s funeral)
They were close in life and ironically died on the same day thirteen years apart, Jeanette MacDonald in 1965 and Blossom MacDonald Rock in 1978. We will remember…
Finally! Joy to the World… We found a rare Christmas carol sung by Jeanette MacDonald! Thanks to Marcus Jones for his help with this project!
At last! We will have an LA get-together once again, on Sunday, June 25, 2023. It will be an afternoon event, likely in the San Fernando Valley and celebrate the June birthdays of both Jeanette and Nelson.
We should have some interesting new guest speakers…
At this point we haven’t yet finalized the location (probably still in the San Fernando Valley) – so Save the Date! Details to be posted here as finalized.
Those of you coming from out-of-town and/or wanting to do the “driving tour” to visit the Jeanette-Nelson homes and landmarks should plan to join us on Saturday as well.
If you are planning to attend, can you please contact us and answer the following questions, which will assist in our making decisions re: location and meeting room size:
Are you are local or not, will you need a hotel room, how many people will be attending with you and finally, do you want to join us the day before, Saturday, June 24, for a driving tour of Jeanette and Nelson’s homes and landmarks?
Thanks for your help on this. Looking forward to seeing the LA group again, it’s been too long! Here’s to good health to all in the coming months!
Sharon
