Trivia of Carole Landis

 Trivia of Carole Landis (1 January 1919 - 5 July 1948)

*At the age of 15, Lilian Francis (later Carole Landis) dropped out of San Bernardino High School and set forth on a career path to show business.She started out as a hula dancer in a San Francisco nightclub, where she was described by her boss as a "nervous $35-a-week blonde doing a pathetic hula at her opening night at the old Royal Hawaiian on Bush ...that'll never get her anyplace in show business". He apparently employed her only because he felt sorry for her; she later sang with a dance band. She bleached her hair blonde and changed her name to "Carole Landis" after her favorite actress, Carole Lombard.After saving $100, she moved to Hollywood.

*In 1937 she landed a contract with Warner Bros. However, Warners gave her mostly bit parts in B pictures and in the chorus of Busby Berkeley pictures for the 15 films she made for them.Her "break" came when Hal Roach cast her as the skin-clad lead in his hit One Million B.C. (1940) and in three fine comedies, then sold her contract to 20th Century-Fox. She played "B" leads and "A" supporting roles in her first 12 Fox films, with a notable dramatic performance in I Wake Up Screaming (1941).

*The press often said that she looked a lot like actress Carole Lombard. Unfortunately Carole Lombard became very angry at Carole after she flirted with her husband Clark Gable at a nightclub.

She loved to go out dancing at nightclubs. Her favorite clubs were the El Morocco in Los Angeles and the Stork Club in New York City.

* Although she was never nominated for an Academy Award she was a presenter at the 1942 and 1944 Oscars. Carole caused a commotion at the 1941 ceremony when her slip fell out of her dress.

*Had appeared with Cesar Romero in four films: Dance Hall (1941), A Gentleman at Heart (1942), Orchestra Wives (1942) and Wintertime (1943).

*Spent more time visiting troops during World War II than any other Hollywood star. She nearly died from malaria she contacted while traveling overseas.She wrote a book about her first wartime tour, entertaining troops in England and North Africa; in the film version, Four Jills in a Jeep (1944).

*Landis was reportedly crushed when actor Rex Harrison refused to divorce his wife for her; unable to cope any longer, she committed suicide in her home by taking an overdose of Seconal.Rex Harrison was the last person to see her alive, having had dinner with her the night before she committed suicide in 1948 .Harrison and Landis' maid discovered her on the bathroom floor. Harrison waited several hours before he called a doctor and the police. According to some sources, Landis left two suicide notes, one for her mother and the second for Harrison, who instructed his lawyers to destroy it. During a coroner's inquest, Harrison denied knowing any motive for her suicide and told the coroner he did not know of the existence of a second suicide note.Landis's official website, which is owned by her family, has questioned the events of Landis's death and the coroner's ruling of suicide.

*Carole always wore a small gold cross necklace. Her close friend Diana Lewis gave it to her in 1938. She was buried wearing the necklace.