Destroying the Evidence
The studio’s fixer reportedly formed a team to track down and destroy all copies of Velvet Lips. After collecting nearly all of the film’s copies, Mannix stumbled upon the film’s negative. He used the studio’s funds to buy it and have it destroyed.
Photo by George Hurrell/John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
When the actress wished to leave MGM in 1943, she handed over $50,000 to be released from her contract. Some people believe that this lump sum was hush money to ensure that Mannix or anyone else at the studio wouldn’t leak information regarding the truth.