Hedy Lamarr’s Moodiness – Part 2

This is taken from Jean Pierre Aumont’s autobiography “Sun and Shadow.”  Hedy met Jean Pierre Aumont after she attained a divorce from John Loder and was looking for her fourth husband. I don’t know much about their relationship except for the fact that there was one. And I’m not a huge fan of Mr. Aumont but I am very well aware that Hedy Lamarr is not the easiest person on earth to live with, especially if you’re just normal people. Plus, she was then already a mother of two children, facing with the unsuccessfulness of her new movie, Dishonored Lady, not knowing that Samson and Delilah, her biggest success was still right ahead. Jean Pierre, like many men, was attracted very much to her beauty but got panic over her temper. So read about his engagement to the most beautiful woman of the century so you can understand why they couldn’t make it!

beautiful as she was, the moodiness of the Austrian star began to worry me

“During dinner she pressed one of her knees, the lovelier of the two, against mine…

The following week, we were engaged.

I gave her a diamond ring and told my father, who had arrived in the States, to fly out to meet his future daughter in law. The marriage had been planned for the beginning of July.

But, beautiful as she was, the moodiness of the Austrian star began to worry me. One evening, when we were driving back from a concert, I braked a little too quickly. Hedy became hysterical, claiming that I had purposely tried to throw her against the windshield because I was jealous of her beauty…

The day my father arrived,  I went to meet him at the airport. Realizing that his arrival in some way made my engagement official, I was suddenly seized with panic.

“You take care of her” I said with cowardice unbefitting a gentleman, “I’ve had enough.” I jumped on the first plane for San Franciso, leaving the poor man standing there with his mouth open. I wasn’t yet mature enough to handle a Tyrolian temptress already three times divorced and nursing in her personality all the complexes and insecurities of our old Europe.

I returned to Hollywood. Hedy threw our ring in my face, and walked out.”

>> next part: Married to John Loder.