Episode 103: Bachelor Girl
When an heiress flees to the Far East, her ardent lover follows in hot pursuit unwilling to let her get away so easily.
#BarbaraHutton, #DorisDuke, #LouiseVanAlen, #Mdivani, #gossip, #Samsungprincess, #Orient, #jade, #heiress
January – February 1933, Barbara Hutton travels to the Orient to forget her romantic troubles with Prince Alexis Mdivani and other failed suitors. But all the press attention brings her another suitor making a last attempt to woo her and declare their plans of marriage.
Other people and subjects include: Doris Duke, Franklyn Hutton, Irene Hutton, Louise Van Alen, John Jacob Astor VI aka “Jakey,” Prince Serge Mdivani, Prince David Mdivani, Princess Nina Mdivani Huberich, Charles Huberich, Princess Roussadana “Roussie” Mdivani Sert, Daisy Van Alen, *referenced but not mentioned James “Henry” Van Alen and William “Sam” Van Alen, Marjorie Merriweather Post Hutton, Jessie Woolworth Donahue, James “Jeem” Donahue, Germaine “Ticki” Touquet, Countess Silvia de Rivas de Castellane, Duke Kahanamoku, Count Emanuele Borromeo d’Adda, James Blakeley, Raymond Guest, Phil Plant, Yale scholarship student, family friends the Kennerleys, Huguette Clarke, Ann Cooper Hewitt, Consuelo Vanderbilt, Sam Insull, Caroline Astor, Adolf Hitler, *referenced but not mentioned John Jacob Astor IV and Madeleine Talmage Force Astor Dick, public fascination, increased press attention, broken hearts, fortune hunters, royal admirer, social costs, social suicide, private letters, jade, private railcar Curlyhut, Matson oceanliner Lurline, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, Hawaii, Paris, Bangkok,
Siam (Thailand), Australia, Orient, Pacific Ocean, Wikipedia, YouTube, Forgotten Lives, Ti’s Hot Mess History, Stephanie Soo, Samsung, Samsung princess, bodyguard, gossip, sexual scandals, viral trendy social media & memes, revival of older stories, cautionary tale, serialized soap opera, compare & contrast, research methodology, old vs modern history, celebrity focus
Archival Music provided by Past Perfect Vintage Music, www.pastperfect.com.
Extra Notes / Call to Action:
Forgotten Lives
https://www.youtube.com/@ForgottenLives
Tragic Millionaires You Wouldn’t
Want To Be by Forgotten Lives December 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slk5vrXphgA
Ti’s Hot Mess History
https://www.youtube.com/@TisHotMessHistory
The Rich Boy Nobody Wanted:
Titanic Baby John Jacob Astor VI by Ti’s Hot Mess History December 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rlV8oT6lxs
From $42 Million to $3,500 – The
Poor Little Rich Girl | Barbara Woolworth Hutton by Ti’s Hot Mess History
January 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kLwdJEEUOU
Stephanie Soo
https://www.youtube.com/@StephanieSoo
Samsung Princess Married Her
Bodyguard – Only For Him To Cheat, Abuse, And Sue Her For 1 Billion by
Stephanie Soo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKrOBkOT25o
Share, like, subscribe
TW / IG – @asthemoneyburns
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/asthemoneyburns/
Publish Date: January 25th, 2024
Length: 22:05
Opening Music: My Heart Belongs to Daddy by Billy Cotton, Album The Great British Dance Bands
Section 1 Music: Red Sails In The Sunset by Casani Club Orchestra, Album The Great Dance Bands Play Hits of the 30s
Section 2 Music: On The Beach At Bali Bali by Billy Merrin & His Commanders, Albums The Great Dance Bands Play Hits of the 30s & Tea Dance 2
Section 3 Music: I Guess I Will Have To Change My Plans by Ambrose & His Orchestra, Album The Great British Dance Bands
End Music: My Heart Belongs to Daddy by Billy Cotton, Album The Great British Dance Bands
AS THE MONEY BURNS
Podcast by Nicki Woodard
Episode 103 – Bachelor Girl
Outline
Chase
Travel to the Orient
00:00
[Music – My Heart Belongs to Daddy by Billy Cotton, Album The Great British Dance Bands]
AS THE MONEY BURNS is an original podcast by Nicki Woodard. Based on historical research, this is a deep exploration into what happened to a set of actual heirs and heiresses to some of America’s most famous fortunes when the Great Depression hits.
Each episode has three primary sections. Section 1 is a narrative story. Section 2 goes deeper into the historical facts. Section 3 focuses on contemporary, emotional, and personal connections.
00:30
Story Recap
Marjorie Merriweather Post Hutton focuses on her charities, while the Stotesburys maintain appearances despite their losses.
Now back to AS THE MONEY BURNS
Title
00:45
Bachelor Girl
[Music Fade Out]
Episode Tag
When an heiress flees to the Far East, her ardent lover follows in hot pursuit unwilling to let her get away so easily.
01:02
[Music – Red Sails In The Sunset by Casani Club Orchestra, Album The Great Dance Bands Play Hits of the 30s]
Section 1 – Story
[Music Fade Out]
01:21
All the money in the world means little if there is no one with whom to share it.
But when money is in the air, alas love will soon come knocking. Well, errr, a form of love per se…
Embarrassed and harassed chubby but a slightly slimmer budding fashionista Barbara Hutton is tired of all the endless press attention regarding will she or will she not marry the newly divorced ruggedly handsome Russian Prince Alexis Mdivani.
The former pauper prince and his 4 siblings have made financially advantageous marriages earning the family moniker the Marrying Mdivanis. They previously gathered in a Paris conference to help Alexis pursue their latest seduction – the extremely lucrative Barbara. Only upon arrival in New York in December 1932, Alexis was left outside on the doorstep of her Fifth Avenue townhome day after day until he gave up and left back across the ocean.
02:24
Don’t be fooled. That is only temporary. Back in Paris, the Midvani family gathers again to plot another full on seduction assault. One that will surely seal the deal one way or another.
Come on, there has to be some skill involved in fortune hunting? And the Mdivanis definitely lead the pack. Charming, sensuous, and fun, each Mdivani is skilled and hard to resist. And they have a growing need for more money. Elder brothers Prince Serge Mdivani and Prince David Mdivani have pretty much drained their Hollywood and entertainment wives. Seems a few million doesn’t last too long. Coupled with a failed oil venture and the implosion of the Sam Insull energy empire, the older brothers are being continuously hounded by creditors. Sister Princess Nina Mdivani Huberich may not be as wealthy as the others, but her husband lawyer Charles Huberich has skillfully managed their marital assets and divorces to the advantages of the group. Meanwhile sister Princess Roussadana “Roussie” Mdivani Sert weaves her magical spell over future prospect Barbara Hutton while also maintaining the recently discarded former sister-in-law Louise Van Alen on the hook.
03: 34
Oy, Louise – the kind, loving, gentle Louise. An Astor and Vanderbilt heiress, daughter of a current reigning society queen Daisy Van Alen and great granddaughter of uber Gilded Age queen bee Caroline Astor. Alexis has been Louise’s brothers’ longtime friend as well as her crush, and it seems she isn’t fully over her marriage imploding. Her broken heart and devotion repeatedly mentioned in the press by her concerned friends. Louise naturally is very unhappy with Barbara, and Barbara fears her wrath. Luckily, Louise has remained so far in Paris, but her reach can be felt back in Manhattan.
04:18
There Barbara too is under the constant scrutiny and disapproval of her family over all matters involving the Mdivanis. Her father Franklyn Hutton abhors the spendthrifts and tries hard to fight them off. He has devoted years to doubling Barbara’s Woolworth fortune and can’t stand the idea of it being blown so frivolously. Her couldn’t be more different aunts businesswoman Marjorie Merriweather Post Hutton and extravagant spender Jessie Woolworth Donahue both discourage any idea of marrying the wayward prince. Even Barbara’s favorite cousin James “Jeem” Donahue has to admit that Alexis might be fun but that only heartbreak would ensue. Only Jeem thinks that is inevitable anyway, such is the price of money, the social cost of money.
05:04
Oh, what can money really buy? Yes, many material things, but love? Not really?
Barbara’s friends too poopoo the idea of any possibility of a life with that particular Prince. First, there is the matter of Louise, which would be social suicide in the least. Then his likelihood of being truly faithful without a doubt not in the realm of possibility, then again most men in their class aren’t truly expected to be. Still Barbara percolates he is at least her dearest, closest, and best friend. Her closest girlfriend and his former love Silvia de Rivas, now the Countess de Castellane approves of the match. As for these other so-called friends hardly pay any real attention to Barbara, while dear Alexis has for years listened to her woes sympathetically and encouragingly.
05:55
Barbara tries to reconnect with other former beaus. Her Yale scholarship student remains dead set making his own way through the world. The attentive and dapper James Blakeley quickly rushes to her side, always at her beck and call, and yet that devotion doesn’t really grab her as she wishes. Another easy go-to companion, the darkly handsome and Yale student Raymond Guest is put off by her gossip columnist appeal and the constant scrutiny that comes along with that. Then there is her failed relationship with the dangerous playboy millionheir Phil Plant. He briefly reformed his bad boy ways but has since reverted back once the engagement was called off. Despite press hinting at a more recent reconnection, nothing has transpired in that direction.
06:44
Finally, she decides on the one thing she can do with all that money. And that is travel. She makes plans to head to one of her favorite places in the world. She’s 20, so still a minor, but she will leave her father and stepmother Irene Hutton behind. Traveling somewhat solo, her longtime companion and former governess Ticki Touquet will surely be on hand, and family friends the Kennerleys will join her on a trip to the Orient.
At least, that is something to look forward to. Barbara takes her private railcar the Curleyhut across the US to San Francisco where she boards the Matson oceanliner Lurline to cross the Pacific then onto to Hawaii, Australia, and eventually Siam (today’s Thailand).
07:29
Saturday, January 28th, 1933, San Francisco docks
From the planks in full view of the press gathered for Lurline’s maiden voyage, Barbara fights off another ardent royal admirer Italian Count Emanuele Borromeo d’Adda, he too handsome and excessively charming as well as clingy and needy. They met three years earlier in Italy and few weeks ago in New York. She knew he was going west to Los Angeles. And now he shows up at these docks to say goodbye to his love. His overly romantic and silly protestations are brushed off by the heiress.
However the Count insistently claims to the press that they are informally engaged and has a bulky stack of private letters to prove it. His mother in Rome awaits an official announcement, and the young lovers will likely rejoin in Paris in May then marry in Venice.
08:28
Unperturbed, Barbara blows off the nonsense off as preposterous and continues with her plans. Letters, oh letters, they seem to be her weakness. Though definitely heartbroken and lonely, she pretends to have forgotten about Prince Alexis. Only she is still secretly sending him notes on her whereabouts. Some addictions are hard to stop.
Exasperated by Borromeo’s attention and the Mdivani questions, the press dubbed bachelor girl exclaims, “I am not going to marry anyone. That’s straight and final.”
“What am I interested in? I’m interested in jade – old jade. That’s what I’m going to the Orient to collect. Jade – not husbands or fiancés (fiances).”
Such is the price of being continually reported as the wealthiest American girl, despite the occasional disclaimer to other heiress Doris Duke provides little deterrent for those seeking a fortune.
09:26
Thursday, February 2nd, 1933, Honolulu, Hawaii
The maiden oceanliner Lurline successfully arrives to its first destination, where press notes that Barbara is greeted by her friend the Hawaiian aquatic star Duke Kahanamoku. The warm weather and high seas soften her up with the travel invigorating and stirring up romantic longings. Wistfully and foolishly, Barbara sends off a telegram to a stateside beau, possibly Raymond, maybe not, and invites him to join. After no reply, she continues on her merry way. There is more than plenty to see and do, the hikes, the beaches, the temples, the shopping, and of course the jade…
As they announce her heading to Bangkok, Princess Nina smiles pouring over the papers and headlines.
The Mdivanis start pulling their resources together for a new plan of action.
10:25
[Music – On The Beach At Bali Bali by Billy Merrin & His Commanders, Albums The Great Dance Bands Play Hits of the 30s & Tea Dance 2]
Section 2 – History & Historiography
[Music Fade Out]
10:42
As we get further into the story, it’s getting pretty messy. Much of this overarching story is told only over a few pages while an individual incident might only get a sentence or a couple of paragraphs in each of the biographies on Barbara Hutton. They often reference the generalized press attention while many of the specifics are missing. Though I must admit through the sources I am using, I saw little in the ways described until now. Partially that is likely due to those press references involved a broad spectrum over the years, versus this a more meticulous account getting into monthly and potentially weekly situations.
11:19
When mentioned over only a few paragraphs to cover a period of years in a biography, one sentence encompasses the whole range. It doesn’t say by such and such date or on such and such date this was the gripe then onto the next. We know Barbara Hutton immediately grabbed lots of attention with her debutante ball in December 1930, and after that a trickle here and there with little bumps for minor situations. But it is now 2 years later with all these suitors and the contrasting economic despair with her wealth that we truly see an influx. And of course, something as juicy and gossipy as the entanglement with Prince Alexis Mdivani is always going to drive more attention.
12:02
As I have been ongoingly continuing my research, I sift through a corresponding period of dates to flesh out storylines. Where before the references to Barbara Hutton and Doris Duke were on occasional here and there, they have now become more steady. A lot more duplication of syndicated articles also gives a sort of a somewhat strange viral appeal like certain trendy social media topics and memes. And with the same accompanying photos popping up everywhere, it becomes more apparent how one can begin to feel hounded and confused in a world that was not like that before this point in time 1933.
12:38
Barbara Hutton has been and will continue to fascinate people. Her somewhat forgotten story often resurrected for its cautionary tale aspects. Even now she is getting a semi-revival through social media accounts and channels.
Recently, some YouTube documentaries cover her along with some of the other heirs and heiresses in our tales. Whether you know the full story, only partial bits, or completely new, each video highlights what keeps each tale so fascinating. I, myself, can never get enough of these subjects. In particular, I like and have referenced these two YouTube channels before Forgotten Lives and Ti’s Hot Mess History. What can I say – great minds and tastes think alike.
13:23
Forgotten Lives, YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@ForgottenLives
In Forgotten Lives, you get a European and aristocratic intellectual retelling of stories with a very eclectic range of history. They are relatively short but thorough topics averaging generally 12-25 minutes. The narrator’s seductive voice gives an air of sophistication and cultured relevance to subjects from a relatively distant past. Some recent compilations combine several individual episodes into over an hour. Case in point, —
Tragic Millionaires You Wouldn’t Want To Be by Forgotten Lives December 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slk5vrXphgA
This December 2023 video covers the lives of Barbara Hutton, Doris Duke, Huguette Clark, Anne Cooper Hewitt, and Consuelo Vanderbilt. A common recurring theme links each individual heiress’s troubles with their mothers and lovers.
14:09
Ti’s Hot Mess History, YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@TisHotMessHistory
Covering more recent and mostly American based subjects, Ti’s Hot Mess History is packed with scandal and secrets and attitude. A very modern retelling that gets into the dirt with all the juicy parts exposed. Playfully teasing while giving a serious deep dive into the anatomy of sexual scandals. Her older histories are more than an hour in length, but it goes by quickly and smoothly as any good scandal does.
The Rich Boy Nobody Wanted: Titanic Baby John Jacob Astor VI by Ti’s Hot Mess History December 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rlV8oT6lxs
Ti delves into the Titanic heir Jakey Astor’s trouble in adjusting to life and the failed battles over the family fortune. Ti expanded on this topic after covering the Titanic and his parents’ love story and his mother’s less glorious love life afterwards.
From $42 Million to $3,500 – The Poor Little Rich Girl | Barbara Woolworth Hutton by Ti’s Hot Mess History January 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kLwdJEEUOU
Ti explores the complicated love life of Barbara Hutton. While newer to this particular story, Ti covers many similar to her and offers to cover those who cross over into the story. Doris Duke surely will be on her upcoming radar.
15:12
Each series is absolutely delightful, insightful, and well done.
For those who know or want some more or similar subjects while our story continues to unfold, these channels are well worth perusing their extensive catalogues. Our main characters are featured in only a very small handful.
Links for both in the notes and transcript.
15:33
Don’t worry neither channel spoils our story, at least not anymore than a Wikipedia or any other look into each person would instantly reveal. They are more like complementary and companion pieces to our tales. They do give wonderful details, but the only spoilers would be knowing who married and divorced whom and when, and plus deaths and the like. Like I said, information quite easily accessible to anyone who is even mildly curious.
16:01
In contrast, I have developed my tales for years by following tangents and interweaving storylines that highlight new elements and going more in depth on a particular time, historical era, and stage of life. I’m not only interested in what happened. We’ve known that for years. I am very much more into the why and how things happened on a microscopic and internal level. This also allows me to plant seeds and connections far in advance and savor over the time how things blossom and change. Something as innocuous as a reference to something like jewelry will tie a story thread together over the series. Are you catching all my little easter eggs so far?
16:43
This method also highlights why I have chosen my own story format for our tales – a serialized soap opera building more and more over time. While individually these people each are indeed colorful stories of their own merit, I am much more compelled in seeing more closeup the parallels. In my own historical studies, I always find myself trying to compare and contrast what is happening in multiple areas among different people during the same timeline. For me that helps ground the observations in what is universal from what is particular to a situation or person.
17:16
It also keeps things in relative perspective, the diversions and the past contemporary unawareness of other things on the horizon. Even as I am chasing down the rabbit holes of my subjects, I am reminded of other looming events. A few times articles on Barbara Hutton are beside another rising historical figure Adolf Hitler. Lighter fluffier pieces as he takes over as Chancellor of Germany in January 1933. This is the very beginning and still positive stages in how the world sees him then. But oh how dark we know that history will become.
While it seems history is just in the past, in many ways it is very much a part of our present. The players and circumstances may change, details fade and forgotten, and yet somehow the past always comes back to life.
18:13
[Music – I Guess I Will Have To Change My Plans by Ambrose & His Orchestra, Album The Great British Dance Bands]
Section 3 – Contemporary & Personal Relevance
[Music Fade Out]
18:28
There are always more stories to tell, and it can be amazing how things in the past can parallel eerily to the present. Not exactly surprising as human nature is fairly constant in many, many ways.
And even more so that means our constant interest in gossip, scandal, and whatever is deemed today as celebrity focused by the prevailing standards. Old history is fun, but the modern oohhhh so salacious and more tantalizing. We get to watch up close the twists and turns.
Partially, the past can be neatly summed up. But in the present, you can never quite be sure when the final chapter has actually been told.
Without a doubt, beauty, love, betrayal, power, and fortune always remains a lure, past, present, and future.
19:20
Which brings me to another YouTuber Stephanie Soo. I recently stumbled upon her videos. Another great storyteller – animated in her expressions and phrasing. And wow, does she really get into some crazy modern stories.
I don’t know her full background story. But she tells stories mostly about Asian celebrities and power families. Case in point, in the episode I stumbled upon, she talks about the reigning South Korean power and de facto royal family Samsung and one of the scandals behind the heir apparent – the favorite daughter and her disastrous marriage. Born the second daughter, she is smart, brilliant, extremely beautiful, and determined to marry her poor bodyguard. Plenty of ongoing demands and games to win approval, only to end in the inevitable disaster. For more check out,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKrOBkOT25o
See the settings and names might be different, but that story sounds like it could come straight out of our tales. Hope you enjoy. Links in the notes and transcript.
20:27
Stories old or new and especially anything involving the disaster of love and fortune will always captivate. Our young heirs and heiresses unfortunately will have long lives in the spotlight, and their romantic disasters and failings are only beginning.
20:45
Originally, I was going to plug the YouTube channels Forgotten Lives and Ti’s Hot Mess History here until I realized their recent material made them both relevant to the history section for this episode. Still I want to point them out as they truly are a great source of stories. They are just so delicious, I had to share again. And I will be checking out more of Stephanie Soo too.
Links in the notes and transcript.
https://www.youtube.com/@ForgottenLives
https://www.youtube.com/@TisHotMessHistory
https://www.youtube.com/@StephanieSoo
If you enjoy As The Money Burns, then please share, like, & subscribe.
Hook
21:16
[Music – My Heart Belongs to Daddy by Billy Cotton, Album The Great British Dance Bands]
Next when we return to AS THE MONEY BURNS…
A nearly homeless supreme hostess gets back to what she does best at a luxury hotel, and many don’t want to miss out.
Until then…
Credits
21:34
AS THE MONEY BURNS is an original podcast written, produced, and voiced by Nicki Woodard, based on historical research. Archival music has been provided by Past Perfect Vintage Music, check out their website at www.pastperfect.com.
Please come visit us at As The Money Burns via Goodpods, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook (now Meta), or Instagram. Transcripts, timeline, episode guide, and character bios are available at asthemoneyburns.com.
22:05
THE END.