Barbara Hutton
Encyclopedia
Barbara Woolworth Hutton (November 14, 1912 – May 11, 1979) was an American socialite
dubbed by the media as the "Poor Little Rich Girl" because of her troubled life. In a symbolic $1.00 transaction following World War II, she donated Winfield House
to the United States government, to be used as the residence of the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
.
, Barbara Hutton was the only child of Edna Woolworth (1883–1918), a daughter of Frank W. Woolworth
, the founder of the successful Woolworth five-and-dime stores. Barbara's father was Franklyn Laws Hutton (1877–1940), a wealthy co-founder of E. F. Hutton & Company (owned by Franklyn's brother Edward Francis Hutton
), a respected New York investment banking and stock brokerage firm. She was a niece by marriage of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post
, who was for a time (1920–1935) married to E.F. Hutton; thus their daughter, actress-heiress Dina Merrill
(born Nedenia Hutton), was a first cousin to Barbara Hutton. Dina Merrill related on A&E's Biography of the Woolworths, that for a time Barbara lived with them following the death of her mother and abandonment by her father.
Edna Hutton committed suicide
when Barbara was five years old. Young Barbara discovered her mother's body. After her mother's death, she lived with various relatives, and was raised by a governess
. Hutton attended The Hewitt School in New York's Lenox Hill neighborhood and Miss Porter's School for Girls
in Farmington, Connecticut. She became an introverted child who had limited interaction with other children of her own age. Her closest friend and only confidante was her cousin Jimmy Donahue, the son of her mother's sister.
In 1924, Barbara Hutton's grandmother died, leaving about $28 million to Barbara in a trust fund administered by her father. By the time of her 21st birthday in 1933, her father had increased the amount to about $42 million through sound investments, making her one of the wealthiest women in the world.
In accordance with New York's high society
traditions, Barbara Hutton was given a lavish débutante
ball
in 1930 on her 18th birthday, where guests from the Astor
and Rockefeller
families, amongst other elites, were entertained by stars such as Rudy Vallee
and Maurice Chevalier
. The ball cost $60,000, a veritable fortune in the days of the depression. Public criticism was so severe that she was sent on a tour of Europe to escape the onslaught of the press.
.
Reventlow dominated her through verbal and physical abuse, which escalated to a savage beating that left her hospitalized and put him in jail. He also persuaded her to give up her American citizenship
, and to take his native Danish
citizenship for tax purposes, which she did in December 1937 in a New York federal court. At this point she lapsed into drug abuse
. Hutton then developed anorexia
, which would plague her for the rest of her life.
Hutton's divorce from Reventlow gave her custody
of their son. As her father had done, she left the raising of her child to a governess and private boarding school
s.
Popular poet Ogden Nash
then took note of Hutton's public private life in the following light verse:
Said Aimee McPherson
to Barbara Hutton,
"How do you get a marriage to button?"
"You'll have to ask some other person."
Said Barbara Hutton to Aimee McPherson
threatened in 1939, Hutton moved to California. She was active during the war, giving money to assist the Free French Forces
and donating her yacht to the Royal Navy. Using her high-profile image to sell War bond
s, she received positive publicity after being derided by the press as a result of her marriage scandals. In Hollywood, she met and married Cary Grant
, one of the biggest movie stars of the day. The married couple was dubbed "Cash and Cary". Grant did not need her money nor to benefit from her name, and appeared to genuinely care for her. Nevertheless, this marriage failed as well. Grant did not seek, or receive, any money from Hutton in their divorce settlement. Hutton would go on to live with Frederick McEvoy
, purchasing a chalet at a ski resort in Franconia
, New Hampshire
. The couple never married and remained friends until McEvoy's death in 1951.
. Hutton then began dating Igor Troubetzkoy
, an expatriate Russia
n prince of very limited means but world renown. In the spring of 1948 in Zurich, Switzerland, she married him. That year, he was the driver of the first Ferrari
to ever compete in Grand Prix motor racing
when he raced in the Monaco Grand Prix
and later won the Targa Florio
. He ultimately filed for divorce
. Hutton's subsequent attempted suicide made headlines around the world. Labeled by the press as the "Poor Little Rich Girl", her life nevertheless made great copy and the media exploited
her for consumption by a fascinated public.
diplomat
Porfirio Rubirosa
, a notorious international playboy who meanwhile continued his affair
with actress Zsa Zsa Gabor
.
Hutton then spent time with Americans James Douglas and Philip Van Rensselaer
. Her lavish spending continued; already the owner of several mansion
s around the world, in 1959 she built a luxurious Japan
ese-style palace on a 30-acre (120,000 m2) estate in Cuernavaca
, Mexico
.
Gottfried von Cramm
. This marriage also ended in divorce. He died in an automobile crash near Cairo
, Egypt
, in 1976.
. This marriage, too, was short-lived. Raymond Doan was an adopted member of the former royal family of the Kingdom of Champasak
.
Hutton frequently appeared drunk in public and her spending continued unabated. She began spending time with younger men, and was known to make gifts to total strangers.
paintings and important sculptures, she also personally acquired a magnificent collection of her own which included the spectrum of arts, porcelain, valuable jewelry, including elaborate historic pieces that had once belonged to Marie Antoinette
and Empress Eugénie of France, and important pieces by Fabergé
and Cartier. Among her pieces of jewelry was the 40 carats (8 g) Pasha Diamond, which she purchased as an unusual octagonal brilliant-cut but had recut into a round brilliant, bringing it down to 36 carats (7.2 g).
The 1972 death of her son in an aircraft crash sent Hutton into a state of despair. Her fortune had diminished — due to her extreme generosity and alleged questionable business deals by her long-time lawyer, Graham Mattison — to the point where she began liquidating assets in order to raise funds to live. Nonetheless, she continued to spend money on strangers willing to pay a little attention to her. She spent her final years living at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, where she died from a heart attack
in May 1979, aged 66. It is said that at her death, $3,500 was all that remained of her fortune. She was interred in the Woolworth family mausoleum
at Woodlawn Cemetery
in the Bronx, New York.
In 1987, a television motion picture titled Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story
starred Farrah Fawcett
in the role of Barbara Hutton.
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
dubbed by the media as the "Poor Little Rich Girl" because of her troubled life. In a symbolic $1.00 transaction following World War II, she donated Winfield House
Winfield House
Winfield House is a mansion set in 12 acres of grounds in Regent's Park, London, England - the largest private garden in or close to central London after that of Buckingham Palace...
to the United States government, to be used as the residence of the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
The office of United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom was traditionally, and still is very much so today due to the Special Relationship, the most prestigious position in the United States Foreign Service...
.
Biography
Born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Barbara Hutton was the only child of Edna Woolworth (1883–1918), a daughter of Frank W. Woolworth
Frank Woolworth
Frank Winfield Woolworth was the founder of F.W. Woolworth Company , an operator of discount stores that priced merchandise at five and ten cents...
, the founder of the successful Woolworth five-and-dime stores. Barbara's father was Franklyn Laws Hutton (1877–1940), a wealthy co-founder of E. F. Hutton & Company (owned by Franklyn's brother Edward Francis Hutton
Edward Francis Hutton
Edward Francis Hutton was an American financier and co-founder of E. F. Hutton & Co....
), a respected New York investment banking and stock brokerage firm. She was a niece by marriage of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post
Marjorie Merriweather Post
-External links:******...
, who was for a time (1920–1935) married to E.F. Hutton; thus their daughter, actress-heiress Dina Merrill
Dina Merrill
-Early life:Merrill was born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton in New York City, New York, the only child of Post Cereals heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and her second husband, Wall Street stockbroker Edward Francis Hutton...
(born Nedenia Hutton), was a first cousin to Barbara Hutton. Dina Merrill related on A&E's Biography of the Woolworths, that for a time Barbara lived with them following the death of her mother and abandonment by her father.
Edna Hutton committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
when Barbara was five years old. Young Barbara discovered her mother's body. After her mother's death, she lived with various relatives, and was raised by a governess
Governess
A governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
. Hutton attended The Hewitt School in New York's Lenox Hill neighborhood and Miss Porter's School for Girls
Miss Porter's School
Miss Porter's School, sometimes simply referred to as Porter's or Farmington, is a private college preparatory school for girls located in Farmington, Connecticut.- History :...
in Farmington, Connecticut. She became an introverted child who had limited interaction with other children of her own age. Her closest friend and only confidante was her cousin Jimmy Donahue, the son of her mother's sister.
In 1924, Barbara Hutton's grandmother died, leaving about $28 million to Barbara in a trust fund administered by her father. By the time of her 21st birthday in 1933, her father had increased the amount to about $42 million through sound investments, making her one of the wealthiest women in the world.
In accordance with New York's high society
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
traditions, Barbara Hutton was given a lavish débutante
Debutante
A débutante is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal "début" presentation. It should not be confused with a Debs...
ball
Ball (dance)
A ball is a formal dance. The word 'ball' is derived from the Latin word "ballare", meaning 'to dance'; the term also derived into "bailar", which is the Spanish and Portuguese word for dance . In Catalan it is the same word, 'ball', for the dance event.Attendees wear evening attire, which is...
in 1930 on her 18th birthday, where guests from the Astor
Astor family
The Astor family is a Anglo-American business family of German descent notable for their prominence in business, society, and politics.-Founding family members:...
and Rockefeller
Rockefeller family
The Rockefeller family , the Cleveland family of John D. Rockefeller and his brother William Rockefeller , is an American industrial, banking, and political family of German origin that made one of the world's largest private fortunes in the oil business during the late 19th and early 20th...
families, amongst other elites, were entertained by stars such as Rudy Vallee
Rudy Vallée
Rudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
and Maurice Chevalier
Maurice Chevalier
Maurice Auguste Chevalier was a French actor, singer, entertainer and a noted Sprechgesang performer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including Louise, Mimi, Valentine, and Thank Heaven for Little Girls and for his films including The Love Parade and The Big Pond...
. The ball cost $60,000, a veritable fortune in the days of the depression. Public criticism was so severe that she was sent on a tour of Europe to escape the onslaught of the press.
Personal life
Though Barbara Hutton was portrayed in the press as the "lucky" young woman who had it all, the public had no idea of the psychological problems she lived with that led to a life of victimization and abuse. Barbara Hutton married seven times:- 1933 – Alexis MdivaniMdivaniMdivani is the name of a family of nobility, originating from the nation of Georgia. The best known bearers of this name were the children of Zakhari and Elizabeth Mdivani. The five siblings fled to Paris after the Russian Revolution of 1917, and became known as the "Marrying Mdivanis", as they...
, a self-styled Georgian prince, divorced 1935; - 1935 – Count Court Heinrich Eberhard Erdmann Georg von Haugwitz-Hardenberg-Reventlow, divorced 1938;
- 1942 – Cary GrantCary GrantArchibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
, divorced 1945; - 1947 – Prince Igor TroubetzkoyIgor TroubetzkoyPrince Igor Nikolayevich Troubetzkoy was the driver of the first Ferrari to ever compete in Grand Prix Motor Racing. He drove a 2-litre Ferrari "Tipo" 166 in Monaco on May 16, 1948. Earlier that year he had won the Targa Florio with the Ferrari 166 Sport Allemano Spyder...
, divorced 1951; - 1953 – Porfirio RubirosaPorfirio RubirosaPorfirio Rubirosa Ariza was a Dominican diplomat and adherent of Rafael Trujillo. He made his mark as an international playboy, for his jet setting lifestyle, and his legendary prowess with women...
, divorced 1954; - 1955 – Baron Gottfried Alexander Maximilian Walter Kurt von CrammGottfried von CrammGottfried Alexander Maximilian Walter Kurt Freiherr von Cramm was a German amateur tennis champion and twice French Open champion.-Birth:...
, divorced 1959; - 1964 – Prince Pierre Raymond Doan, divorced 1966.
Mdivani and Reventlow
Her first two husbands used her great wealth to their advantage, especially the extremely abusive Count Court Haugwitz-Reventlow, with whom she had her only child, a son named LanceLance Reventlow
Lance Reventlow, born Lawrence Graf von Haugwitz-Hardenberg-Reventlow was a wealthy playboy, entrepreneur, and racing driver....
.
Reventlow dominated her through verbal and physical abuse, which escalated to a savage beating that left her hospitalized and put him in jail. He also persuaded her to give up her American citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
, and to take his native Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
citizenship for tax purposes, which she did in December 1937 in a New York federal court. At this point she lapsed into drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
. Hutton then developed anorexia
Anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Although commonly called "anorexia", that term on its own denotes any symptomatic loss of appetite and is not strictly accurate...
, which would plague her for the rest of her life.
Hutton's divorce from Reventlow gave her custody
Child custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
of their son. As her father had done, she left the raising of her child to a governess and private boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s.
Popular poet Ogden Nash
Ogden Nash
Frederic Ogden Nash was an American poet well known for his light verse. At the time of his death in 1971, the New York Times said his "droll verse with its unconventional rhymes made him the country's best-known producer of humorous poetry".-Early life:Nash was born in Rye, New York...
then took note of Hutton's public private life in the following light verse:
Said Aimee McPherson
Aimee Semple McPherson
Aimee Semple McPherson , also known as Sister Aimee, was a Canadian-American Los Angeles, California evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s. She founded the Foursquare Church...
to Barbara Hutton,
"How do you get a marriage to button?"
"You'll have to ask some other person."
Said Barbara Hutton to Aimee McPherson
Cary Grant
As World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
threatened in 1939, Hutton moved to California. She was active during the war, giving money to assist the Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
and donating her yacht to the Royal Navy. Using her high-profile image to sell War bond
War bond
War bonds are debt securities issued by a government for the purpose of financing military operations during times of war. War bonds generate capital for the government and make civilians feel involved in their national militaries...
s, she received positive publicity after being derided by the press as a result of her marriage scandals. In Hollywood, she met and married Cary Grant
Cary Grant
Archibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
, one of the biggest movie stars of the day. The married couple was dubbed "Cash and Cary". Grant did not need her money nor to benefit from her name, and appeared to genuinely care for her. Nevertheless, this marriage failed as well. Grant did not seek, or receive, any money from Hutton in their divorce settlement. Hutton would go on to live with Frederick McEvoy
Frederick McEvoy
Frederick Joseph McEvoy was an Australian/British multi-discipline sportsman and socialite. He had most sporting success as a bobsledder in the late 1930s, winning several medals including three golds at the FIBT World Championships. He married several wealthy heiresses and was a close friend of...
, purchasing a chalet at a ski resort in Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. The couple never married and remained friends until McEvoy's death in 1951.
Igor Troubetzkoy
Hutton left California and moved to Paris, France, before acquiring a palace in TangierTangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
. Hutton then began dating Igor Troubetzkoy
Igor Troubetzkoy
Prince Igor Nikolayevich Troubetzkoy was the driver of the first Ferrari to ever compete in Grand Prix Motor Racing. He drove a 2-litre Ferrari "Tipo" 166 in Monaco on May 16, 1948. Earlier that year he had won the Targa Florio with the Ferrari 166 Sport Allemano Spyder...
, an expatriate Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n prince of very limited means but world renown. In the spring of 1948 in Zurich, Switzerland, she married him. That year, he was the driver of the first Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
to ever compete in Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
when he raced in the Monaco Grand Prix
Monaco Grand Prix
The Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One race held each year on the Circuit de Monaco. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world, alongside the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans...
and later won the Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
. He ultimately filed for divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
. Hutton's subsequent attempted suicide made headlines around the world. Labeled by the press as the "Poor Little Rich Girl", her life nevertheless made great copy and the media exploited
Exploitation
This article discusses the term exploitation in the meaning of using something in an unjust or cruel manner.- As unjust benefit :In political economy, economics, and sociology, exploitation involves a persistent social relationship in which certain persons are being mistreated or unfairly used for...
her for consumption by a fascinated public.
Porfirio Rubirosa "La crema y nata"
Her next marriage, lasting all of 53 days (December 30, 1953 – February 20, 1954), was to DominicanDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
Porfirio Rubirosa
Porfirio Rubirosa
Porfirio Rubirosa Ariza was a Dominican diplomat and adherent of Rafael Trujillo. He made his mark as an international playboy, for his jet setting lifestyle, and his legendary prowess with women...
, a notorious international playboy who meanwhile continued his affair
Affair
Affair may refer to professional, personal, or public business matters or to a particular business or private activity of a temporary duration, as in family affair, a private affair, or a romantic affair.-Political affair:...
with actress Zsa Zsa Gabor
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Zsa Zsa Gabor is a Hungarian-born American stage, film and television actress.She acted on stage in Vienna, Austria, in 1932, and was crowned Miss Hungary in 1936. She emigrated to the United States in 1941 and became a sought-after actress with "European flair and style", with a personality that...
.
Hutton then spent time with Americans James Douglas and Philip Van Rensselaer
Philip Van Rensselaer
Philip Van Rensselaer is a member of the Rensselaer family of New York. He recounted his experiences in several books, including That Vanderbilt Woman and Rich Was Better ....
. Her lavish spending continued; already the owner of several mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
s around the world, in 1959 she built a luxurious Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese-style palace on a 30-acre (120,000 m2) estate in Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. It was established at the archeological site of Gualupita I by the Olmec, "the mother culture" of Mesoamerica, approximately 3200 years ago...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Gottfried von Cramm
Her next husband was an old friend, German tennis star BaronBaron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Gottfried von Cramm
Gottfried von Cramm
Gottfried Alexander Maximilian Walter Kurt Freiherr von Cramm was a German amateur tennis champion and twice French Open champion.-Birth:...
. This marriage also ended in divorce. He died in an automobile crash near Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, in 1976.
Raymond Doan
In Tangier, Hutton met her seventh husband, Prince Pierre Raymond Doan Vinh na ChampassakNa Champassak
The Na Champassak family were former royals in Laos before the communist take-over in 1975. This surname was given by Vajiravudh, the King of Siam, for anyone who descend from Chao Yuttithammathon , the 11th king of the Kingdom of Champassak...
. This marriage, too, was short-lived. Raymond Doan was an adopted member of the former royal family of the Kingdom of Champasak
Kingdom of Champasak
The Kingdom of Champasak , in southern Laos, broke away from the Lan Xang kingdom in 1713. The Kingdom of Champasak prospered at the beginning the 18th century, but it was reduced to a vassal state of Siam before the century had passed. Under French rule the kingdom became an administrative block...
.
Hutton frequently appeared drunk in public and her spending continued unabated. She began spending time with younger men, and was known to make gifts to total strangers.
Art and jewelry
Over the years, apart from an important inheritance which included Old MasterOld Master
"Old Master" is a term for a European painter of skill who worked before about 1800, or a painting by such an artist. An "old master print" is an original print made by an artist in the same period...
paintings and important sculptures, she also personally acquired a magnificent collection of her own which included the spectrum of arts, porcelain, valuable jewelry, including elaborate historic pieces that had once belonged to Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
and Empress Eugénie of France, and important pieces by Fabergé
Fabergé
Fabergé may refer to:*House of Fabergé, a Russian jewelry firm founded by Gustav Faberge in 1842*Fabergé workmaster, goldsmiths who produced jewelry for the House of Fabergé*Fabergé eggs, the most famous works of the House of Faberge...
and Cartier. Among her pieces of jewelry was the 40 carats (8 g) Pasha Diamond, which she purchased as an unusual octagonal brilliant-cut but had recut into a round brilliant, bringing it down to 36 carats (7.2 g).
Final years
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in May 1979, aged 66. It is said that at her death, $3,500 was all that remained of her fortune. She was interred in the Woolworth family mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
at Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx
Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City and is a designated National Historic Landmark.A rural cemetery located in the Bronx, it opened in 1863, in what was then southern Westchester County, in an area that was annexed to New York City in 1874.The cemetery covers more...
in the Bronx, New York.
Biographical information
Several books have been written about Barbara Hutton, the best known of which are:- Barbara Hutton: A Candid Biography, by Dean Jennings (F. Fell, 1968, 301pp.)
- Million Dollar Baby: An Intimate Portrait of Barbara Hutton, by Philip Van Rensselaer (Putnam, 1979, 285pp.)
- Poor Little Rich Girl: The Life and Legend of Barbara Hutton, by C. David Heymann (L. Stuart, 1984, 390pp.)
- In Search of a Prince: My Life with Barbara Hutton, by Mona Eldridge (Sidgwick & Jackson, 1988, 210pp.)
In 1987, a television motion picture titled Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story
Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story
Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story is a 1987 television biographical drama starring Farrah Fawcett. The film chronicles the life of Barbara Hutton, who was one of the richest American socialite women, but was never happy. Released in two versions, as a TV miniseries and TV movie, the...
starred Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett was an American actress and artist. A multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she first appeared as private investigator Jill Munroe in the first season of the television series Charlie's Angels, in 1976...
in the role of Barbara Hutton.
External links
- Biography of Barbara Hutton by Kenneth Lisenbee
- Daily MailDaily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, Christopher Wilson - The heiress who blew the Woolworth's billions on vodka breakfasts, seven husbands and jewels galore November 28, 2008.