One Eerie Night at MGM: The Patricia Douglas Story

It Started With an Intriguing Story

In September 1993, David Stenn just finished Bombshell: The Life and Death of Jean Harlow, in which he discussed the mystery surrounding the sudden death of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s (MGM’s) beloved, gorgeous blonde at the age of 26. (*Spoiler Alert* Harlow had been suffering from kidney failure since age 15.)

Portrait of screen siren Jean Harlow with fur wrapped around her bare shoulders.

Photo by Bettmann/Getty Images

While researching the book, Stenn stumbled upon a fascinating topic while he was researching the blonde beauty. In 1937, just one month before Harlow died, a dancer named Patricia Douglas had been assaulted at Louis B. Mayer’s wild MGM party. Instead of negotiating cash or a studio contract for her silence, Patricia took her story public and filed a landmark lawsuit.

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