Marmont Monday: The Harlow Suite

In my previous post about Jean Harlow’s stay at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood, I covered room 33. Now I can say that I’ve also stayed in the other portion of the two-room suite where the recently wedded couple resided. The above September 1933 photo shows Jean and husband Harold Rosson; standing behind them are Jean’s mother and stepfather, Marino Bello. This photo is often miscaptioned as having been shot at the Chateau Marmont, when in actuality it’s from Harlow’s Beverly Glen residence. In the book Life at the Marmont (1987) by former owner Raymond Sarlot and Fred Basten, the caption reads, “The Harold Rossons and Marino Bellos in a rare snapshot taken the day Hal and his bride, Jean Harlow, checked into Chateau Marmont.” While it may have been taken the day they checked in, it was not shot at 8221 Sunset Boulevard. Thanks to some digging from Melissa (aka “The Colonel), I was able to have access to an article written by John C. Moffitt, a reporter who had the pleasure of being served breakfast by Harlow herself. From the Kansas City, Star, Sunday, November 19, 1933:

Jean Harlow, Tired of Being a Vamp, Settles Down in a Cozy Apartment With a New Husband



The caption for the above photo reads: Jean Harlow has one of the prettiest new houses in Hollywood, but she lives in a 4-room kitchenette with her new husband, Hal Rosson.

The 4-room kitchenette refers to rooms 32-33, aka “The Harlow Suite.” The article continues on:

Hal, who has a house of his own, doesn’t like the idea of living in his wife’s house, and he just won’t do it. At present the new place is occupied by Jean’s mother and stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. Marino Bello.…His solution was that they should go to the servantless apartment where he had lived as a bachelor. It was there that we repaired after making “the spots” that night.…Jean’s a perfect hostess. She insisted that I take one of the beds in the lone bedroom, while she and Hal slept in the acrobatic bed that spends most of its time standing on its hind legs behind French doors in the living room.

From my April 2018 stay, you can see the room (part of 33) that Harlow and Rosson moved to so that the reporter could have the main bedroom (32).



The “acrobatic bed” referred to is what is commonly known as a Murphy Bed, which folds up into the wall and provides more space during the day.

Back to the article:

In the morning there was the usual two hours of silent stalling as hosts and guests tried to keep from awakening each other, but eventually there was a clatter in the kitchen and the voice of Jean yelling: “How do you like your tomato juice?” Everyone wanted it straight, so it was not long before she was busy with coffee and scrambled eggs while Hal and I took turns shaving with his razor. As the later spattered and the eggs sizzled they kept up a running fire of chatter telling all about their romance and how it came about.…“I’m not a handsome guy,” he explained as he stuck out his chin to demolish a stubborn bit of whisker. “You are a handsome guy,” shouted his spouse as she unmercifully smacked a sputtering skillet with a brisk fork, “and besides I hate handsome guys—the kind that are in the movies.”

What about the bedroom where Jean and Harold normally slept? You can find a photo of it in Life at the Marmont.



From the Sarlot book:

As manager [Ann] Little remembered: “Mrs. Rosson acted more than pleased with her accommodations. She went from room to room, commenting, ‘This is perfect—just perfect.’ The remark seemed quite natural at the time.” The Bellos, she said, exchanged disapproving glances, but for the most part, kept silent. “They appeared to be biting their tongues.” The only negative comment came from Jean’s mother. Stepping into the master bedroom, she gasped, “Twin beds! Wait until some nosey reporter gets ahold of that!” A call to the switchboard brought a strapping young man on the run, who removed the small dividing bedstand and secured the two bed frames snugly together. The result was one bed of mammoth proportions, a playground worthy of a sex siren. Suite 3BC [as it was referred to at the time] was actually two adjoining suites, connected by a long central hall. It contained a foyer, a large high-ceilinged living room (with a hidden Murphy bed and a flickering antique faux fireplace, through French doors), kitchen, master bedroom, and two full “his and her baths, each with its own dressing room.

Most likely this recessed area is where the faux fireplace was once located:



French windows throughout opened to sweeping views: the city to the south, the ocean to the west. The suite was elegantly furnished with period pieces of the Chippendale style, upholstered in muted tones of blue and beige. Contrary to legend, nothings was “Harlow white, not even the walls, which were painted a soft sand to match the draperies and carpeting. The layout was especially appealing to honeymooners, as the master bedroom, located at the far end of the central hallway, was completely isolated form the rest of the suite. It even had its own private entrance leading to the outside corridor.

Below you can see the entrance door to the master bedroom (room 32); at the end of the hallway on the same wall is the entrance to 33.



33’s entry door on the right:



How 32 looks now (Willis is substituting for Jean):



The furnishings are obviously different, but the bones of the room have stayed the same. Room 33 is the larger of the two, containing a living room:



bedroom:



kitchen (where Jean made those eggs):



…and bathroom.





32 is a bedroom



…and bathroom.



While 32 is smaller overall, the bathroom has both a tub AND shower, which makes sense since it was closest to what would be considered the master bedroom.



See more Chateau Marmont room photos at my main website.