Russ Columbo. The Tragedy Of The Greatest Forgotten Singer And The Lost Love Of Carole Lombard Carole had met Russ Columbo, the handsome young man with the golden voice. She had become his greatest fan, then his worshiper. And then he died.... The death of Russ Columbo changed Carole Lombard... - Edward Doherty May 1938 issue of “Photoplay“ Ah the great crooners. The advent of radio gave rise to a new style of popular American singer. In the past, popular singers needed strong projecting voices to fill theaters in the days before the electric microphone. Crooners had soft voices that were well suited to the intimacy of the new medium of the radio. Rudy Vallee was the first. By mimicking the trombone his vocal phrasing would inspire later crooners such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Perry Como to model their voices on jazz instruments. There was another great crooner from that early era. Smoldering good looks, wavy golden hair and a silky smooth baritone quickly earned Russ Columbo the nickname, “The Romeo of Song.” Born Ruggiero Eugenio di Rodolpho Columbo in Camden, New Jersey on January 14, 1908, he was one of 12 children born to Italian immigrants, Nicola and Giulia (Julia) Columbo. When he was young he moved with his older sister Fannie and her husband to California but remained close to his family in New Jersey. Columbo, a child prodigy, learned the violin by the age of five; at 13, he made his professional debut at San Franciscos Imperial Theater. He left high school at age 17 to travel with various bands around the country. He sang and played violin in numerous nightclubs. By 1928, at the age of 20, he had starred in a Vitaphone short as a member of Gus Arnheim’s Orchestra (Arnheim would later higher Bing Crosby). Russ ran a nightclub, The Club Pyramid, but gave it up when his manager told him he had star potential. In 1931, he traveled to New York with his manager, songwriter Con Conrad. Conrad secured his now famous late-night radio slot with NBC. This led to numerous engagements, a recording contract with RCA Victor records, and tremendous popularity with legions of mostly female fans. By 1934 Russ was a veteran of the ballroom circuit, had traveled the country performing with Gene Krupa and Benny Goodman. Had a smash hit NBC radio program, broadcast from the Hollywood Roosevelt, his recordings became the musical standard of the decade, and Universal had signed him to a lucrative movie contract. A phenomenal rise for a young man of 26 years of age. In the fall of 1933, just as he was negotiating a deal to star in a motion picture, he met Carole Lombard. Carole Lombard had just amicably divorced William Powell. Russ was performing at a Hollywood nightclub when Carole Lombard arrived with her date screenwriter Robert Riskin. Russ focused on her as he sang and she returned his gaze. They both liked what they saw. Riskin predicted astutely that she would soon be hearing from Mr. Columbo. He was correct. A dozen yellow roses arrived for Carole at her Rexford Drive home in Beverly Hills from Russ the next morning. Russ, an intensely romantic man, was a novelty for Lombard. Initially she wondered if he was too good to be true. He was unlike anyone she had ever met before. He seemed eager to give her everything of himself. In a short time they had become inseparable. They had fallen passionately in love. Their whirlwind romance was eagerly followed by the press and reported to an adoring public. Russ completed work on Universal Pictures film “Wake Up and Dream“. The charming story of a small-time vaudeville trio and their rise to the big time. Plenty of song and dance, Russ had top billing and the buzz was good. Carole had been on the set for almost the entire shoot. Giving Russ pointers and endless encouragement. Russ and Carole attended the premiere and when the film ended, the singing star and the beautiful blonde were whisked away by studio handlers from party to party and celebrated the night in a style befitting a new leading man. The following day Carole, fatigued from the revelry of the night before, and her own hectic schedule, drove to the mountains of Lake Arrowhead for a well-deserved vacation. Russ was to meet up with her in two days. Respected portrait photographer, Lansing “Lansa” Brown Jr. had been Russ’s best friend for over a decade, so naturally Brown had been invited to the premiere. The day after the premier, Sunday, September 2, 1934, Russ decided to drop by Brown’s Los Angeles home to chat with his friend about the new movie. Russ arrived at the Brown household in the afternoon, and was warmly greeted by the parents of his dear friend. After exchanging pleasantries, Russ excused himself, and headed into the library, where he and Brown often sat and talked. A pair of antique dueling pistols were displayed on the desk of the library. Picking up a matchstick in his right hand, Brown casually lifted the gun to show Russ how it used to work. Nonchalantly, Brown swept the match head against the wooden stock of the weapon. Unbeknownst to Brown, the idle gun still contained enough explosive sulfur to ignite and launch a vintage Minié ball bullet still left in the chamber. He heard the blast of the pistol, but was shocked to his core in the next instant to hear Russ scream and slump over. The bullet entered Russ’s left eye, lodging deep in the back of the singer’s brain. Surgeons at Good Samaritan Hospital made an unsuccessful attempt to remove the ball but there was nothing the doctors could do, and the multi-talented performer was declared dead 6 hours after the incident on September 2, 1934. According to Hollywood reporter Cecil Deane, a distraught and sobbing Carole Lombard took charge of the arrangements for Russs funeral held at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Hollywood. During the service Carole sat in the front pew with her mother and members of Russs family. Sobbing quietly through most of the service, she broke down and wept uncontrollably several times. Among Russ’s pall bearers were Stuart Peters, Walter Lang, Gilbert Roland, Zeppo Marx, Sheldon Keate Callaway and Bing Crosby. A pall of white gardenias, Russs favorite flower, was given by Carole as an expression of her love. The same flowers were also worn by all of the pall bearers. Russ was interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. At the funeral Lansing Brown Jr. was inconsolable, weeping from his knees during the entire service. Brown was put on trial for the murder of his friend. As he took the stand on his own behalf a grieving Brown recounted, We were friends ... he was my best friend ... I didnt know there was a ball in it ... there was a noise ... and Russ was slumped in the chair ... I put ice on his head ... he couldnt speak to me. The jury, believing the slaying to be an accident and moved by Brown’s sincere grief, exonerated him of all charges. Brown appeared to be destroyed by Russ’s death and was never the same. He served in the military during World War II as a photography instructor. He died of a stroke at the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Hospital in 1962 at the age of 62 years. Russ’s elderly mother, Julia, was blind and in poor health, suffering from heart disease. Family and friends feared the tragic news of the death of her beloved son would be too much for the old woman’s already weakened condition. In a final measure of devotion Carole Lombard and the Columbo family agreed to tell Julia that Russ and Carole were married in Europe where Russ was on tour. Carole arranged for loving cablegrams and beautiful flowers to be sent every week. Always signed - love Russ and Carole. Monthly checks were also sent to Julia. She was told the checks were from Russ, but in reality they were dividends from his life insurance policy. The sympathetic deception continued until she peacefully passed away some time later.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 22:24:51 +0000
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