AND THE GHOST OF PAUL BERN
Original Hollywoodland Sign
From its inception and on through history, the City of Celluloid Hero's has had its share of dark tragedy amongst the spotlight and the glitter and glamor that is known as Hollywood.
Photo Credit Jeff at On This Day at:
http://www.epicidiot.com/thisday/td_07_13.htm
The 1930's and 40's were the Golden Age for Hollywood. The film industry was booming, and film studios were thriving. Names like RKO, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, were among the best known studios of that time, but the most powerful of all film studios was MGM, or better known as Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer Film Studios. Located in Culver City, it had the most elaborate sets, wardrobes, and some of the best writers and directors known in the industry.
Many of the best loved movies such as Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and Ben Hur, were among those filmed and produced by MGM. Most actors of the day hoped to work for MGM, and one such actor, turned writer and producer, made his home at MGM. His name was Paul Bern.
Left
to Right: MGM Studios Paul
Bern
MGM Studios
Paul was an intelligent man with talent as a screen-writer and producer. He was a slight built man with a forgettable face. Most considered Paul unattractive, but he did manage to capture the attention of one of Hollywood's most coveted film actresses of the day; Jean Harlow. She was the flawless platinum blond bombshell of the big screen. She was discovered by none other than Howard Hughes. Jean was know as the "sex goddess" of the thirties. She was known for such films as Hells Angels, Platinum Blond, and several films she starred in with Clark Gable.
Left to Right: Jean harlow The Platinum Goddess Howard Hughs Jean Harlow and Louise B. Mayer 1937
Paul was well aware of their age difference, he was twenty-two years older than she, but that didn't matter. They fell in love and were married on June 2, 1932. Paul bought a beautiful home for his bride on Easton Drive in Benedict Canyon. Jean never liked the house, she felt uncomfortable in it, or so she told Paul. She asked him if they could sell it and move out.
Paul loved the house and wouldn't think of selling it, he wanted them to spend their lives together in that house. Soon after, Paul became depressed and listless. Nobody knew why he seemed to be so despondent, he never shared his pain with anyone, much less Jean.
Left to Right: Jean Harlow in Red Dust 1932 Paul and Jean's Wedding Day July 2, 1932 Jean in Riffraff 1936
On September 5, 1932, only a couple of months after tying the knot with Harlow, Paul Bern was found dead in the bedroom of the house. He was found face down, naked, with a gunshot to his head. He left a note for his wife, but it was believed that it was not his handwriting. Also, the day after Bern died, his ex-lover, Dorothy Millet, also committed suicide. She was found floating in a river a few weeks later. It was rumored that she had a hand in Berns murder, but that was only speculation.
Left to Right: The House on Easton Drive and Berns' Lifeless Body inside his Easton Drive House
Photo on the left of Easton Drive Credit Lisa Burk http://lisaburks.com/jeanharlow/harlowood.htm
Harlow was said to have been devastated by his death. She was never questioned extensively, and his death was ruled as a suicide. Paul died tragically in the house he loved so much, and years later, two other deaths would follow at the house as well. Both by drowning. It was as though the house was cursed with an all encompassing evil and need for collecting souls.
Jean Harlow would go on to do more films after Paul's death. She was a smashing success on the big screen, but her personal life was sad to say the least. Her life was fraught with heartbreak and tragedy. On June 7, 1937, only five years after Paul's death, she died of renal failure at age twenty-six, during the filming of "Saratoga." A double was used to finish the movie. Clark Gable said it was like working with Harlow's ghost at the end of the film; it was so unnerving and tragic.
Fast Forward 26 Years
Twenty-six years later, in 1963, International hair stylist of the stars, Thomas John Kummer, better known as Jay Sebring, and founder for Sebring international, purchased the house at 9860 Easton Drive.
Jay Sebring
He knew all about its dark history and was intrigued by it, but tried to paid no attention to all the talk of the house being cursed. While he owned the home, the handsome Jay met Sharon Tate at a party in 1964.
The beautiful and bewitching Sharon in "Eye of the Devil" 1967
She was blond and beautiful. Best known for her films, The Fearless Vampire Killers (with Roman Polanski) released by MGM studios, The Wrecking Crew, Eye of the Devil, and Valley of the Dolls. Sharon was an up and coming actress. And like Jean Harlow, Sharon would also be considered one of Hollywood's most beautiful starlets.
Left to Right: Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke, and Sharon Tate Make the Cover of Look Magazine 1967 And Sharon as Malibu in "Don't Make Waves" 1967
Photo Credits Encanto
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44863601@N00/3973139851/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44863601@N00/3973934054/in/photostream/
Sharon and Jay
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SharonTatewithJaySebring.jpg
Sharon and Jay, Both talented and beautiful people had everything to Look
Forward to in life. but sadly they were taken away unjustly, through an act
of senseless evil. They will be remembered and missed by those who loved them,
And by the world.
She and Jay started dating and even announced their engagement, but she later broke it off when she met her future husband Roman Polanski. Roman, Jay, and Sharon remained great friends after the split, but prior to her split with Jay, Sharon had a frightening experience in his home.
Sharon and Roman Photo Credit Encanto
Photo Credit Encanto http://www.flickr.com/photos/44863601@N00/3973901280/
In 1966, while Jay was away on business, Sharon stayed at his home one night. As she lay in Jay's bed in the master bedroom, she began to feel strangely uncomfortable. Every noise in the house seemed to awaken her deepest fears.
She kept the light on in the room not knowing why she was so afraid. Moments later, she would understand. While looking around the room, she suddenly became aware of someone standing in the doorway. It was the ghostly apparition of a
"creepy little man." He entered the bedroom and walked around as if in search of something. Sharon shrank back with fear
at the sight of the ghostly figure. She recognized him right away as the ghost of Paul Bern, the former owner of the house, who had committed suicide.
Left to Right: Note: An uneasy looking Sharon at Easton Drive taken when Jay owned the house, and Easton Drive
Photo Credit on the right: Lisa Burk http://lisaburks.com/jeanharlow/harlowood.htm
The ghostly man paid no attention to her but continued wandering around the room. Sharon quickly slipped on her robe and made a mad dash out the bedroom door. As she headed down the stairs, she stopped dead in her tracks. There at the bottom of the stairway was another apparition, but this one was gruesome and much more frightening than the last one. Sharon was not sure if it was a man or a woman, but one thing was certain, the person's throat was cut and the victim was tied to the staircase.
The ghost quickly disappeared and Sharon, who was quite shaken, ran to pour herself a drink from the bar. She later told this story to reporter Dick Kleiner. One interesting thing to note here is that just prior to her murder, Sharon met the man who would later orchestrate her murder, and those of her friends on August 9, 1969. When Sharon recalled seeing the man who came looking for an old friend at Cielo Drive, she recalled how the "Creepy Little Man" made her feel frightened.
That creepy little man was Charlie manson.
In Conclusion
Could the spirit of Paul Bern and the other apparition have been a warning to Sharon three short years before her own demise? Many believed that she unknowingly caught a glimpse of her future that very night. not only did she have a possible premonition into the horrific future, but she also had a terrible feeling about the very man who would plan her death.
The Irish believe in the female spirit called the banshee, as an omen or messenger of death. The legend goes on to say that the banshee wails outside of a house when someone is about to die.
But in this case, there was no wailing, there was only a silent gruesome projection of death witnessed by Sharon Tate, and death to follow years later. Was this an omen? Or was there possibly more unknown victims of the past attached to the house on Easton Drive that appeared to Sharon? We may never know. What we do know is that three short years later, on August 9, 1969, Sharon Tate would meet her fate, along with Jay Sebring, and three other victims.
I would like to pay respect to the memory of: Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Paul Bern, Jean Harlow,
and to all the unfortunate souls connected with the home on Easton Drive and Cielo Drive.
May their souls rest in peace.
Special thanks to Lisa Burk at:
http://lisaburks.com/jeanharlow/harlowood.htm
For her wonderful photos of Easton Drive
and also Jeff at On This Day at: http://www.epicidiot.com/thisday/td_07_13.htm
Copyright © Sylvia Zimmer 2008
Note: All graphics or images on this page have been used by permission, fair use, or are in the public domain.
Please do not copy images and link back to Paranormaland as a source. Thanks.
Extra Note: Photo of Sharon At easton Drive is used under fair use
guidelines for the purpose of recounting the events at Easton Drive.
Sources:
Hollywood Babylon
Haunted Hollywood
Various
