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Cleatus Caldwell Profile
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| (Cleatus Virginia Caldwell) |
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| 2 March 23 | is born, of part Cherokee descent, in Oklahoma, to Riley and Gertrude Caldwell, nee Ott |
| 30 | lives with her parents in Huntington Park, Los Angeles, California |
| ? | attends Fairfax High School |
| ? | works as a photographer's model |
| May 41 | is seen at Grace Hayes' sidewalk cafe with Ken Murray |
| June 41 | columnist Erskine Johnson reports that Ken Murray denies romance rumors with her. "Listen, partner, do you think I'm crazy? With Hitler stealing the whole front page I'd be nuts to get engaged now. They'd bury the story in the want-ad section. I can wait." |
| End June 41 | she and Murray are pictured applying for a wedding license in Los Angeles |
| 5 July 41 | marries Kenneth Abner Doncourt, a.k.a. Ken Murray, at the home of actor Lew Ayres in Hollywood, five days after her graduation. He's 37; she's 18. The ceremony is performed by Dr. Mark Hogue of the Westwood Congregational Church. Bing Crosby, accompanied by Ayres at the organ, is soloist. Edgar Bergen is Murray's best man. Among the guests are Jack Oakie, Bob Hope, Johnny Mack Brown, Jon Hall, and Frances Langford. It is his second marriage and her first. Afterwards, the couple leaves by plane for Lake Tahoe. |
| August 41 | attends the Red White and Blue Ball with Rudy Valee |
| is on the cover of PIC |
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| 14 September 42 | her son Kenneth Abner, Jr., is born in Los Angeles |
| 18 March 44 | her son Cort Riley is born in Los Angeles |
| November 45 | columnist Louella Parsons reports from the Mocambo that "Cleatus Caldwell, who was once Bob Hutton's heart, was in the second booth with Victor Mature..." |
| December 45 | columnist Jimmy Fidler tells that her reconciliation with Murray didn't jell |
| Parsons knows that Victor Mature "seems to be consoling himself with Cleatus Caldwell, who needs a little consoling herself perhaps..." |
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| columnist Walter Winchell tells that June Haver called off her romance with Mature because "he's so busy squiring Cleatus Caldwell anyhow..." |
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| January 46 | columnist Louella Parsons tells that "Ken Murray and Cleatus Caldwell had dinner together and their friends are hoping they will kiss and make up..." |
| ? | divorces Murray. Murray will marry Blackouts showgirl Betty Lou Walters in 1948 and die at age 85 in 1988 in Burbank, California. |
| February 46 | Parsons spots her at Slapsy Maxie's with Harry Karl, the shoe man |
| March 46 | Parsons reports chatter in Hollywood: "George Raft, who usually goes for blondes, surprised the natives by showing up at Ciro's with the brunette and luscious Cleatus Caldwell, the ex-Mrs. Ken Murray..." |
| is reported George Raft's new romance and getting "$3,100 monthly alimony. The current rib is that Raft (who gets more than $100,000 per film) is going with her 'for the money!'..." |
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| May 46 | Erskine Johnson tells about her record alimony from Murray: "Ken used to carry her books home from Fairfax High School. Now she carries his money to the bank every week." Cleatus explains that the $3,100 a month are part of their financial settlement for the care of herself and the children. "She got $22,000 cash and gets the $3,100 for a year. Then it drops to only $1,100 a month until she remarries." |
| will make her film debut in the Comet Production Miss Television |
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| Late May 46 | the press knows that "those daily bouquets Cleatus Caldwell received on the Miss Television set were from Harry Karl, the millionaire shoeman..." |
| June 46 | columnist Jimmy Fidler suggests to blue-pencil her romance with Harry Karl. "They've iced..." |
| columnist Harrison Carroll tells that she and Bob Stack "got together for a date..." |
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| September 46 | her divorce from Murray becomes final. Concerning her romance with actor Robert Hutton, "she says a film career, and not marriage, has No. 1 priority in her life..." |
| Late September 46 | is noted at the fourth wedding anniversary of Ella Logan and Fred Finklehoffe with Bob Hutton |
| Early October 46 | she and Hutton announce in Hollywood that they will marry in Las Vegas on October 12 |
| 19 October 46 | marries Hutton, the ex of actress Natalie Thompson, in Las Vegas. He's 26; she's 23. Her ex, Ken Murray, sends a gas range and furniture for their wedding gift. |
| June 47 | will play an Indian maiden opposite Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson in Two Guys from Texas |
| April 48 | the Huttons are reported sticking close to home because their kids are bedded with the mumps |
| July 48 | the press notes that Hutton faces date trouble: "getting his beautiful wife to go out with him these evenings. He had to raise a beard for his role in Warner's The Younger Brothers, his first western." |
| her grandmother is reported having "three oil wells in the backyard of her home in Oklahoma..." |
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| c. late 48 | studies design in Paris while Hutton films The Man on the Eiffel Tower. The press reports that during her five-month stay she was "fooled by Paris exclusives" before gladly returning to Fifth Avenue. |
| Mid-December 48 | she and Hutton arrive in Hollywood from Paris but will return to France immediately after the holidays to start a film version of the Aline Bernstein novel Mrs. Condon |
| c. February 49 | she and Hutton move into their new home in Beverly Hills |
| c. 23 April 49 | leaves for Chicago to be with her husband, who opens there in Mr. Adam on the stage |
| c. Fall 49 | she and Hutton separate |
| October 49 | Parsons reports: "Saw Ann Robinson and Bob Hutton, first at La Rue, then later at Ciro's, both times at a table for two. But Ann, who is a good friend of both Bob and his estranged wife, Cleatus Caldwell, was apparently letting Bob tell her his troubles. Meanwhile, Cleatus and Bill Dozier are having dates seven nights a week. |
| November 49 | she and Bill Dozier are reported "romantic - at least that's the way they were acting at Mocambo..." |
| Late November 49 | Parsons knows: "Cleatus Caldwell flew to Chicago to see Jim Kimberley. When she arrived in New York, Jimmy Van Heusen was at the airport. Popular girl!" |
| Mid-January 50 | Jimmy Van Heusen is reported "dreaming up his prettiest tunes to hum in Cleatus Caldwell's ear..." |
| May 50 | attends the party for Jimmy Lyndon's ex-wife, Patti, with her ex-husband Hutton |
| she and Milt Pickman are to the Mocambo to see May Murray |
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| September 50 | Erskine Johnson tells that "the papers are drawn up for the Cleatus Caldwell-Robert Hutton divorce..." |
| 6 October 50 | files for divorce from Hutton in Los Angeles. She charges cruelty and asks no alimony. He's 30; she's 29. |
| 17 November 50 | wins a divorce from Hutton in Los Angeles charging cruelty. She claims Hutton was so jealous she was even afraid to visit her mother. She testifies that if she was out for any length of time he would accuse her of seeing other men. |
| November 50 | is reported moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico, "for the sake of her five-year-old son's health..." |
| January 51 | is reported backing out after she agreed to get a Mexican divorce, so Bridget Carr and Robert Hutton will have to wait a year before they can marry. Louella Parsons comments: "Perhaps that's for the best. Too many young people rush into marriage without giving it enough thought." |
| December 51 | takes her two sons with Murray, Ken, Jr., 9, and Court, 5, from Hollywood to New York for their father's Christmas show |
| February 52 | Patsy Lydon moves in with her. She's currently divorcing Johnny Meyer. |
| June 52 | is seen at the Sportsmen's Lodge with Brad Dexter |
| June 53 | attends Joe E. Lewis' Mocambo opening with Eddie "Miami" Sutherland. Among the guests are Charlie Chaplin, Martha Ellis, Martha Stewart, Susan Zanuck, and Jane Wurster. |
| July 53 | she and Henry Wilson are noted tabling for two at the redecorated Saratoga restaurant in Hollywood |
| August 53 | columnist Harrison Carroll reports her "back in town. She was at the Luau with Walter Kane." |
| November 54 | columnist Walter Winchell notes her steady dating with Joe Kirkwood, Jr., estranged husband of actress Cathy Downs |
| December 54 | becomes involved in her mother Gertrude Jewell Cardoza's headline-making divorce proceedings from Louis E. Cardoza, San Francisco real estate operator |
| August 55 | Winchell sees her tea-timing with Joe Kirkwood, Jr. |
| October 55 | Winchell tells from New York that "J. Kirkwood, Jr. (Palooka) and Ken Murray's former wife (Cleatus Caldwell) are closer than the vodka and tomato juice in a Bloody Mary..." |
| July 56 | Parsons reports that Harry Karl "also steps out with Cleatus Caldwell (twice in a row at Jack's at the Beach) when he isn't dating Zsa Zsa." |
| October 57 | attends singer Elaine Dunn's opening at the Mocambo with Clyde Wall |
| 8 July 80 | marries James. L. Caldwell in Santa Barbara. He's 60; she's 57. |
| 6 June 93 | as Cleatus Virginia Caldwell, she dies at age 70 in Cayucos, San Luis Obispo, California |
| Sources: The Mansfield News-Journal, The Modesto Bee, The Helena Independent, Daily Kennebec Journal, Albuquerque Journal, The Lowell Sun, Nevada State Journal, Syracuse Herald-Journal, The Zanesville Signal, Waterloo Daily Courier, The Era, Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, Lincoln Journal, The Agitator, Pottstown Mercury, Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star, Winnipeg Free Press, The Newark Advocate and American Tribune, Traverse City Record Eagle, Middletown Times Herald, Olean Times Herald, Dixon Evening Telegraph, The Kingsport News, The Delta Democrat-Times, The Monessen Daily Independent, Humboldt Standard, San Mateo Times, Nevada State Journal, The Daily Review, The Vidette-Messenger, www.Ancestry.com | |
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| Links: Filmography | |