PERSON TO PERSON, 1958: Jeanette MacDonald & Gene Raymond

PERSON TO PERSON, 1958. Edward R. Murrow hosted the original series from its inception in 1953 until 1959, interviewing celebrities in their homes from a comfortable chair in his New York studio. In this segment which originally aired on October 31, 1958, he speaks with Jeanette MacDonald and husband Gene Raymond who are residing in a borrowed apartment while temporarily living on the East Coast. Property of The JAM Project, for educational and non-profit purposes only.
For more information link to singingsweethe...

[@patriciamartinez5836]

I adore Jeanette. Watched her movies as a child. I still do. She and Nelson Eddy sang so perfectly together. 💜

[@iloveloureed3464]

Jeanette was so poised and beautiful. Nelson Eddy was her real love 💕💕💕

[@AngelaM55]

He certainly was!

[@equine2020]

Who said? She seems happy with Gene.

[@MarthaMyDear6]

Her gown is just beautiful!!!! ❤❤❤

[@karenpinner5913]

I loved her in her movies. A beautiful..very talented red head with an exquisite voice....

[@kerriehartin5511]

Can she be any more adorable? Giggling as she confesses she liked her movies ... with Nelson of course. Just gorgeous.

[@AngelaM55]

I totally agree, she is cute as can be!

[@MadDiMoody7]

Incredibly clear.Love when Jeanette giggles into her hand when confessing she liked watching Rose Marie and Maytime.

[@AnneCherch]

Love Jeanette. My favorite movie is Rose Marie. Just love the songs in it, and of course Jeanette and Nelson Eddy together. What a pair! And Gene looks like Nelson Eddy, don't you think?

[@melianna999]

@@AnneCherch No. He look like boy boy.

[@TrangPakbaby]

She was so beautiful. She was in one of my most favorite movies “the sun comes up”. I learned it was her last film and always wondered why, she’s so good in it and it’s such a great film ❤

[@robertwilkins8357]

I was stationed at castle afb 1962, 63 and worked at the officers club he came in uniformed he was a major jennette was ill she couldn't be there i was so disappointed. I always love to listen

[@nicholasaridi9810]

I saw Maytime on public television one day, this is when I fell in love with Jeanette McDonald !

[@193322009]

Stupid damn cigarette ads. During a show, Murrow said, "I doubt I could spend a half hour without a cigarette with any comfort or ease." He developed lung cancer and lived for two years after an operation to remove his left lung. Murrow died at his home in Pawling, New York, on April 27, 1965, two days after his 57th birthday. Sadly, my father, also a smoker, died at 61.

[@rongendron8705]

I always equate Murrow's life with Humphrey Boagart's! Both smoked excessively & lived the exact amount of time, i.e. just after their 57h birthday! p.s. My beloved grandmother, died on Aprii 27th, 1955 at 68, exactly 10 yrs. earlier than Murrow! I didn't know his DOD until now!

[@ליליבןיוסף]

Wonderful out of this world

[@MovieMakingMan]

It’s sad Jeanette passed away at only 61. I don’t know if she smoked but I know she was exposed to a lot of 2nd hand smoke. She was such a beautiful singer.

[@AngelaM55]

She had a rheumatic heart condition stemming from a childhood illness which was exacerbated by a family history of heart disease.

[@MovieMakingMan]

@@AngelaM55 Thanks for that information. It’s sad she was so young. Her voice was so beautiful.

[@jdgoade1306]

She had a lifelong heart condition and had a number of miscarriages, forget the second hand smoke nonsense.

[@melianna999]

My mother in-law lived with my heavy smoker father in- law in small apartment. He died of throat cancer at 74 and she lived to 93.

[@rongendron8705]

@@melianna999 My uncle smoked 3-4 packs a day & lived to 67, but my aunt (wife) who also smoked 2 packs a day, lived until 93! Go figure!

[@annalisette5897]

It is important to remember that Gene Raymond trained to be a pilot and entered WWII at the beginning. Thank you, Gene, for your service. I recently stumbled on information about Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, their marriages, etc. I have the feeling part of the story is out there, the part that is all about human emotions. What we probably will never fully know is the business end, orchestrated by L.B. Mayer. I can see all kinds of possibilities with him organizing things to cover any eventualities that would have offended movie viewers, therefore the bottom line in money. Hollywood always has been and still is about money first. It is unfair to theorize about real lives but I feel strongly there were some agreed upon arrangements within these relationships.

[@AngelaM55]

Anna Morris It’s almost certain that behind the scene MGM machinations were at play to defuse the Eddy/MacDonald romance. Mayer also exploited the insecurities and weaknesses of his stars to keep them in line which worked quite well with Jeanette, but not quite so well with Nelson. As for Gene Raymond, he found his nitch in the Air Force and while I applaud his patriotism and service to his country, he was less successful as a human being and husband. I’m part owner of Jeanette’s 1963 desk diary where her misery at the hands of an indifferent and drunkenly abusive Gene Raymond are detailed in her own hand. Whatever sympathy I had for Raymond dissipated after reading that. It’s gut wrenching

[@annalisette5897]

@@AngelaM55 Thank you for your informative reply. I have a question about something I read but which I cannot back up with a source. I am related by marriage to actor Leo Carillo who played Mosquito in "Girl of he Golden West." In one of the Nelson & Jeanette posts somewhere there is mention that Nelson fell off his horse during filming and Leo Carillo prevented him from being trampled, basically saving his life. Is this true? Is this report more dramatic than the reality? (My personal interest is family history.) Thank you.

[@AngelaM55]

Anna Morris I have read that account too. Sharon Rich, the author of Sweethearts, recounted that story to us when we passed the Leo Carrillo State Park off the Pacific Coast Hwy on our drive back from Santa Barbara. I believe she said she got that story directly from one of her MGM informants when she was conducting interviews for the book back in the 1970s. I forget the name but it was I believe, the make up guy who told her and he would have been on the set so I believe it’s true. How dramatic was it? Who knows but by all accounts, Mr. Carrillo’s quick action saved Eddy from serious injury or death. Given the state of Eddy at the time (he appears clearly inebriated in several of the stills and candids I have from from that film). Mr. Carrillo is a leggit hero and all around good guy in my book, you should be proud!

[@annalisette5897]

@@AngelaM55 Thank you, Angela. It is a fascinating family. My late husband looked a little like Leo. My side of the family comes through the Bandinis. I think all or most of them had ranch and horseback experience and imagine Leo would have been very capable of managing such an emergency. Leo's grandmother was Maria Josefa Bandini, sister of Ysidora and Arcadia Bandini de Baker de Stearns.

[@MovieMakingMan]

In 1939 my dad joined the Canadian army to fight the nazis. Canada entered WWII two years before the US did. He also served in the US army. I suppose Gene Raymond trained from 1939 to 1941 and then became active in the war.

[@elizabethdelara6786]

lOVELY MATURE JEANETTE. sINCE i WAS EMPLOYED BY THE Air Force I salute Gene for his service.

[@sandrakenney567]

I remember the first time seing Jeanette Mac Donnald in a film called ;I think ?. NAUGHTY MARIA WITH NELSON EDDY.OR MAYTIME .I Was about 8 years old and when she sang i was absolutely paralyzed with hearing her voice. i called my mom who sang opera but not like Jeanettes voice and said mon is that the violin playing or that lady singing.💖rest in peace Jeanette amen.💖

[@melianna999]

I was maybe 7 when I first heard "Indian Love Call" song. I was enchanted. Melody stayed with me for years. As an adult I finally was able to watch the movie.

[@dardavis8572]

This is wonderful; thanks for posting. I really like both Jeanette and Gene and think it's wonderful they stayed married until her death; hard to do in Hollywood.

[@DDumbrille]

Yes, always a great idea to stay in a sham, arranged marriage. No wonder she died so young...

[@Jonathanbegg]

@@DDumbrille She'd had a heart condition throughout her film career.

[@MarthaMyDear6]

@@DDumbrilleShe and Nelson both died young. While Jeanette did have heart problems, living in a sham marriage with gay Gene must have been stressful. Nelson married to his drab Ann - yuck. Marriages of convenience. What a waste of time!

[@Eurafrican]

I feel for Gene Raymond, being either a gay or bisexual closeted man in a "lavendar marriage". It would have caused Jeanette a lot of pain too. Sadness all around...

[@antoniod]

Wasn't he an anti-Semite?

[@antoniod]

Allegedly, Nelson Eddy was also Gay.

[@kathythompson9875]

@@antoniod Nelson was as heterosexual as a guy could be. He LOVED women and Jeanette in particular.

[@gregoryphillips3969]

Apparently she had an ongoing affair with Nelson Eddie throughout her adult life so she was loved. This was denied but people who were close to both of them have stated that there was alot of evidence to the contrary.

[@katherineleonowski7289]

Wow...I never knew These hidden facts or stories about Jeanette Macdonalds husband!! So very sad that she didn't stick up for herself and refuse to marry him instead of Nelson who she really did love....I don't understand that....this Raymond guy seemed so into himself being f a pilot and all...never once did he reach for Jeanette or look at her adoringly like Nelson always did....

[@linscrattish2648]

How the world has changed!

[@gilbertobasilio6510]

muito bom

[@elizabethayala88]

Gene seems to be a little slow when questions are posed...JAM is quicker to answer. She knows how to keep the flow in this awkward interview. I wonder what happened to her fan collection?

[@elizabethayala88]

I have never read anything about the fan collection but if I were to make a guess...I wouldnt put pass Gene that he sold it off for money.

[@antoniod]

After Jeanette died, Gene Raymond married a Woman named Nelson!!

[@dallasjones8185]

I disagree with the comments here. I am very impressed with Gene Raymond. He seems quite masculine and not uncomfortable at all. He lets Jeanette take control, which he should since she is the bigger star. I never knew Gene was a pilot. I was always a Nelson Eddy fan, but now think he was probably immature and a Momma's boy. Jeanette probably made the right choice with Gene - she seems happy.

[@susanpillsbury3538]

I hesitate to even try to change your mind about how happy she was, but Gene Raymond was well known to be bisexual, more leaning toward gay. There have been several credible Hollywood tell-all bios that were published before all this came out about the real story of Jeanette and Nelson that disclosed Raymond's sexual preferences as a matter of fact. So, perhaps they had some kind of understanding in their marriage, And his appearing masculine had nothing to do with his being gay. Rock Hudson and Tab Hunter also so many other male stars were famously homosexual and nobody would have guessed it.

[@AngelaM55]

Gene worked very hard to maintain his macho image, like other closeted gay or bi men of his day. Nelson was rather immature in some areas of his life, he had an abusive father and that likely stilted his emotional development to a degree and he admitted to being a Momma's boy when he was younger. However, that wasn't necessarily looked at the same way as it is today - Elvis was a notorious Mama's boy and FDR's mother lived with him (at the White House) until his death. It wasn't as culturally significant as it is today. That being said, Nelson had a far healthier relationship with his mother Isabel than Gene had with his mother who was a hateful harpy who made Jeanette's life miserable until Gene (to his credit) finally cut all ties with her. Nelson had a great relationship with his Mother, and he treated women well. Gene was emotionally damaged and Jeanette bore the brunt of that damage in her marriage. Gene thrived in the disciplined structure of the Air Force. It was his area to shine. However, in his film career, he certainly played second fiddle to her bigger career. Jeanette's leading man on screen and in real life was Nelson Eddy. That must have been pretty tough on Gene. There was a lot of complexity to this dynamic as well as pathos of operatic proportions.

[@laurelkane8026]

Read Sweet hearts. You will find out the real facts about their fake marriage.

[@DDumbrille]

Dallas Jones: Newflash: Many gay men are more masculine than straight men.

[@melianna999]

@@AngelaM55 I recommend book by Phyllis Gates My Husband, Rock Hudson, to realize how mentally devastating it was to live with homoseksual husband for her.

[@almeggs3247]

I believe as a possible counter argument to some of your comments. One of the lost abilities is discernment Which is absent now. We need to learn that these historical bios MUST BE SEEN IN CONTEXT TO TIME AND PLACE Gene and Jeanette were both products of their environment and upbringing He was brought up believing in the definition of a husband and Jeanette as a dutiful wife Marriages back then was sacrilege where men and women would NEVER attempt in any way to come between! Remember to be Episcopalian as Nelson was BACK THEN was close to Catholicism which is a marriage ceremony that Is the closest to a heavenly union!

[@AngelaM55]

While that is an idealized generalization, people did tend to stay together back then, whether or not they were in happy marriages is another story. They were very spiritual people, although Nelson was by his own admission, not a regular church goer and Jeanette had abandoned the Presbyterianism of her youth for the decidedly new agey Church of Religious Science (not to be confused with Scientology). They read the bible underlined and shared passages, prayed together and struggled to come to terms with living and loving outside the norms of formal religion. Jeanette was very conscious of setting a good example for the younger people and she spoke like a good church-going Republican club-woman and certainly espoused the traditional husband/wife roles, however, in real life, her situation was a bit more complex. Nelson spoke of God’s law versus man’s law and they both considered themselves in a spiritual marriage (ordained by God’s law) versus their legal (man’s law) marital status.

[@KTR2022]

Hello Al Meggs. Could you tell me who is the lady in your profile pic?

[@poshmum]

It really makes me angry how people are so quick to judge these people in a modern context.

[@randysills4418]

Yes, let's light up those cigarettes! So sad...

[@AngelaM55]

Randy Sills Right? It is so sad to see two obviously unhappy people.

[@randysills4418]

Yes, it is such a shame that their marriage might have been a forced (possibly a lavender) one...

[@antoniod]

Wonder why she died so young? Her sister Blossom lived a lot longer.

[@randysills4418]

None of her family really lived very long...

[@ellieloring1662]

she had heart problems for most of her life and died from heart failure

[@antoniod]

@@randysills4418 Her sister Blossom Rock("Grandmama" on The Addams Family")lived to be 83!

[@johniovine1512]

i dont know i think their marriage when sour when she realized to many lousy things about him and his moods and ohohohohoh boy his swingings and i dont mean from trees lol. it got to be too much. but it was too late

[@wetcircuit]

You don't know much about actresses, do you? You really think she sat at home like a sad housewife? LMAO

[@johnmahoney3566]

Thanks though for your military service Gene. Glad you eventually stopped beating her up.

[@AngelaM55]

He stopped beating her up but he continued to emotionally abuse her as late as 1963 - we have her desk diary where she recorded fights and neglectful behavior.

[@MarthaMyDear6]

@@AngelaM55 I didn’t know that!! So terrible. The woman had horrific heart problems - and also had to content with domestic violence. Gene was so angry at having to live his life “in the closet” and he took it out on poor Jeanette. He was always “away” from Jeanette due to his “love of flying”? Or was he out picking up men? She could never trust him.

[@markmiller4376]

Gene Raymond looks uncomfortable, uptight. He frowns a lot, and when he does smile, it looks forced. He looks like a troubled man in a troubled marriage. She, on the other hand, looks a lot happier. Looks good for a woman in her mid-50s.

[@Eurafrican]

Not surprised he was uneasy given the history... I feel for him. He is visibly tortured :(

[@almeggs3247]

mark miller makes you wonder what really happened?

[@kathythompson9875]

@@almeggs3247 there is no reason to wonder. Read the book Sweethearts. Tells you the whole story behind this sham marriage and a lot more.

[@kathythompson9875]

@@Eurafrican he should be. He was a monster.

[@scotnick59]

Well, he was bi-sexual it has been largely noted.

[@AidanTheLoverBoyOhDwyer]

can someone explain how do they communicate like this with fifties technology

[@kathythompson9875]

No one could confuse Nelson Eddy with Gene Raymond. Nelson is a tall, handsome man. Gene is not. In fact, I think he's a little weasel. He lived a lie all of his life!!

[@laurelkane8026]

I agree!

[@DDumbrille]

And he paid the price, looks-wise. His chain smoking and (probably) drinking aged him horribly. He's barely 50 here, yet looks at least sixty -- even with the poor quality of the video.

[@mtngrl5859]

These cigarette ads is what lead to so much cancer.

[@elizabethayala88]

Actually....Gene didnt even have to be there. He made no big contribution...

[@paxguns]

Stinking cigarettes.

[@johnmahoney3566]

Look at that chain smoking smacked. And the commercials. Ugh. He lost many years from that. Morrow. Their marriage was a complete sham. He totally gay. She his beard. Her real love partner was that Eddy guy.