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Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937) was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s.〔Obituary ''Variety'', June 9, 1937, page 54.〕 After being signed by director Howard Hughes, Harlow's first major appearance was in ''Hell's Angels'' (1930), followed by a series of critically unsuccessful films, before signing with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1932. Harlow became a leading lady for MGM, starring in a string of hit films including ''Red Dust'' (1932), ''Dinner at Eight'' (1933), ''Reckless'' (1935), and ''Suzy'' (1936). Among her frequent co-stars were William Powell, Spencer Tracy, and in six films, Clark Gable. Harlow's popularity rivaled and soon surpassed that of her MGM colleagues Joan Crawford and Norma Shearer. She had become one of the biggest movie stars in the world by the late 1930s, often nicknamed the "Blond Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde", and popular for her "Laughing Vamp" movie persona. She died during the filming of ''Saratoga'' in 1937 at the age of 26. The film was completed using doubles and released a little over a month after Harlow's death. The American Film Institute ranked her as the 22nd greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema. ==Childhood== Harlow was born Harlean Harlow Carpenter〔Parish p.192 "Harlean" was a feminization of the name "Harlow", the name her parents had planned if she had been a boy〕 in Kansas City, Missouri. The name is sometimes incorrectly spelled Carpentier,〔Golden, p. 13〕 following later studio press releases.〔 Her father, Mont Clair Carpenter (1877–1974), was a dentist from a working-class background who attended dental college in Kansas City. Her mother, Jean Poe Carpenter (née Harlow), was the daughter of a wealthy real estate broker, Skip Harlow, and his wife, Ella Harlow (née Williams). The marriage was arranged by Skip Harlow in 1908, and Jean, an intelligent and strong-willed woman, was resentful and became very unhappy in the marriage. The couple lived in Kansas City in a house owned by Skip Harlow.〔Stenn, pp. 7–9〕 Harlean was nicknamed "The Baby", a name that would stick with her for the rest of her life. She did not learn that her name was actually "Harlean" until the age of five, when she began to attend Miss Barstow's Finishing School for Girls in Kansas City.〔Stenn, pp. 12–13〕 Harlean and Mother Jean, as she became known when Harlean became a film star, remained very close as the relationship eased Mother Jean's empty existence and unhappy marriage. Harlean's mother was extremely protective and coddling, instilling a sense that her daughter owed everything she had to her. "She was always all mine," she said of her daughter.〔Stenn, pp. 9, 12–13〕 When her daughter was at school, Mother Jean became increasingly frustrated and filed for a divorce that was finalized, uncontested, on September 29, 1922. She was granted sole custody of Harlean who loved her father, but would rarely see him again.〔Stenn, p. 14〕 Mother Jean moved with Harlean to Hollywood in 1923 with hopes of becoming an actress, but was too old at 34 to begin a film career – major roles were usually assigned to teenage girls.〔Stenn, pp. 14–15〕 Harlean attended the Hollywood School for Girls and met Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Joel McCrea, and Irene Mayer Selznick. Harlean dropped out of school in the spring of 1925〔Steen, p. 17〕 when, finances dwindling, her mother and she moved back to Kansas City after Skip Harlow issued an ultimatum that he would disinherit his daughter if she did not return. Several weeks later, Skip sent "Baby" to a summer camp called Camp Cha-Ton-Ka in Michigamme, Michigan, where Harlean became ill with scarlet fever. Mother Jean traveled to Michigan to care for her, rowing herself across the lake to the camp, but was told that she could not see her daughter.〔Stenn, p. 18〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Jean Harlow」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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