Episode 74: On The Horizon
A lonely heiress finds herself on a cruise around the world. After a year of heartbreaks, will she ever find her happily ever after?
December 1931, Barbara Hutton travels on the Empress of Britain on a 4 month world cruise hoping she will find love in the end. She reminisces over the last year and a treasure hunt at Jean Patou’s home with Prince Alexis Mdivani, Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani, and Elsa Maxwell. Meanwhile divorce proceedings in Latvia are attempted by Edward McLean against Evalyn Walsh McLean and Princess Ava Alice Murial Astor Obolensky against Prince Serge Obolensky.
Other people and subjects include: Jean Patou, Prince of Wales, Viscountess Thelma Morgan Furness, Phil Plant, Latvia divorce, Washington Post, Hope Diamond, Prince Girolamo “Jerome” Rospigliosi, Marian Snowden, world cruise, treasure hunt, reconstructing events, discovering new information and correcting timelines, listener habits, Danish grandmother & heiress, Belle Baruch, Sailing Baruch, Jr., Bernard Baruch
Archival Music provided by Past Perfect Vintage Music, www.pastperfect.com.
Extra Notes / Call to Action:
The Gilded Age: A Fashion Coloring Book by Discovery Lair. There are 50 hand drawn illustrations mostly inspired from the 1890s and features several outfits and activities ranging from debutantes, operas, outdoors, and play. Available on Amazon in the Books section, the link will be available in the transcript and the News | Events section at asthemoneyburns.com.
Amazon.com: The Gilded Age: A Fashion Coloring Book: 9798365837799: Lair, Discovery: Books
Amazon Books: The Gilded Age: A Fashion Coloring Book by Discovery Lair link
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Publish Date: December 22, 2022
Length: 18:30
Opening Music: My Heart Belongs to Daddy by Billy Cotton, Album The Great British Dance Bands
Section 1 Music: Nightfall by Benny Carter & His Orchestra, Album Nightfall – Sophisticated Jazz Classics
Section 2 Music: A Reckless Night On Board An Ocean by Sydney Lipton, Album The Great Dance Bands Play Hits of the 30s
Section 3 Music: If This Is Only The Beginning by Billy Ternent, Album Elegance
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 074 – On The Horizon
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.
00:28
Story Recap
Celebrations abound as Spanish painter Sert visits his murals at the new Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and Cobina Wright opens her new exclusive supper club.
Now back to AS THE MONEY BURNS
Title
00:47
On The Horizon
[Music Fade Out]
Episode Tag
A lonely heiress finds herself on a cruise around the world. After a year of heartbreaks, will she ever find her happily ever after?
01;00
[Music – Nightfall by Benny Carter & His Orchestra, Album Nightfall – Sophisticated Jazz Classics]
Section 1 – Story
[Music Fade Out]
01:14
Mid-December 1931, the Atlantic Ocean
Barely in New York, chubby budding fashionista heiress Barbara Hutton starts an around the world trip. She boards the Empress of Britain as it heads eastward on a 4 month tour, 128 days, 64 at sea, 64 at port.
Her nonstop travels help avoid further criticism that lingers after her elaborate debutante ball held one year ago in 1930. The over indulgent extravagance next to a nearby soup kitchen inflamed the press and public.
Avoiding press while also dealing with less lucrative circumstances, this new season’s debutantes are forgoing large private events. The whole debutante production is to aid in getting a young lady married. A seemingly romantic period in a society girl’s life.
02:05
While Barbara has never fully believed anyone could love her for her, she still dreams of true love. She now embarks on a multi month cruise nursing a year of heartbreak after what should have been an amazing year.
She bowed at Buckingham Palace, danced with the Prince of Wales, lost her millionheir fiancé Phil Plant, is chased by an Italian Prince, and potentially dating another Park Avenue lad. Over and over, Barbara finds her chances at love dashed.
After their breakup, Phil Plant first sailed for India and is now nursing his broken heart in Bermuda with his mother Sarah Mae “Maisie” Caldwell Manwaring Plant Hayward and stepfather William Hayward.
02:49
Wrapped in a fur coat, Barbara strolls across the deck trying to clear out her head. Things might not feel so bad if other circumstances hadn’t prevailed.
Her best friend Silvia de Rivas de Castilleja de Guzman married Count Henri de Castellane after her former lover Prince Alexis Mdivani married American heiress Louise Van Alen.
Everyone around Barbara is getting engaged and married, or so it seems.
She’s not paying attention to the marriages that are failing apart.
03:18
Back in New York on December 17th, 1931, a taxi driver knocks on a door and leaves nice Christmas package for Hope Diamond owner Evalyn Walsh McLean. Coming all the way from Europe, the package includes gifts for their children from her wayward husband Edward McLean and a notice for a divorce petition in Latvia. The newspapers light up over the Washington Post owner being potentially held in contempt as the New York court has ruled he cannot be divorced anywhere but within its jurisdiction. Edward had previously attempted a divorce in Mexico but failed.
03:53
Also in Latvia, American heiress Princess “Ava” Alice Muriel Astor Obolensky has finally petitioned to divorce her husband Prince Serge Obolensky. Their separation happened months before, and Ava already has a new lover. The wealthy heiress is divorcing her penniless Russian prince who now works as a hotelier for her brother Vincent Astor.
Latvia has become the international hot spot for divorces. One reason, the cost of divorce is only $1.50, yes that’s right for the price of $29.41 in 2022. Another reason is likely due to less requirements for proof of dissolution than in Reno and Paris courts and lastly also more favorable settlements to the petitioner not wanting to make large payments to a spouse.
04:40
No Barbara isn’t paying attention to those stories only focusing on the fantasy. The beginning of love and courtship, not the later aftermath. The hope of a happily ever after with a handsome lover and possibly a prince.
Rather ironic, since she spent the summer hob knobbing with several including the Prince of Wales. She danced with him after her bow at Buckingham Palace then shortly after was invited to an afternoon tea. They were even in Biarritz at the same time, and so was the Prince’s lover Viscountess Thelma Morgan Furness. Another ardent Italian Prince Girolamo “Jerome” Rospigliosi pursued Barbara across Europe and into Biarritz but eventually had to give up. In November, he married another American heiress Marian Snowden, though the heiress fortunes are not remotely equal.
05:33
Lingering into October 1931 in Biarritz, Barbara hangs out with her friend and confident the roly poly hostess extraordinaire Elsa Maxwell, who invites her to a party at fashion designer Jean Patou’s place. On Tuesday, October 6th, 1931, Patou graciously accepts the young heiress into his abode. For his guests, he hosts a small treasure hunt with jewels buried along the sandy beach. Delighted, the guests spread out in search for the tiny treasures. Barbara’s keen and discerning eye sees plenty of sparkles but can spot a good gem like a hog and truffle. She doesn’t trifle with the smaller ones and instead locates a nice big emerald.
06:13
Also hunting about is Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani. The former It Girl debutante and yes recent newlywed to Prince Alexis Mdivani. Barbara has always had a crush on the debonaire dispossessed Georgian – Russian royal. The two young heiresses discreetly avoid interacting with each other. An unspoken rift due to Barbara’s perpetual interference in trying to reunite the Prince with Silvia.
A gleam from a red ruby ring throws a dagger into Barbara’s heart. That was once her ring, she gave to Alexis so he could pawn it and run off with Silvia. Now it decorates the hand of Louise.
Barbara tries to distract herself looking for other baubles, maybe a good pearl strand or a sapphire to match her eyes.
06:59
Now late December 1931 in Paris, Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani attends a tea at the Ritz wearing a smart tailored silk dress with wide white revers and deep white cuffs almost reaching to the elbows.
Back at sea, Barbara sighs while looking at the dark blue horizon. Life is supposed to be getting better. She has gotten some fashion worthy press, but others are very critical of her every move.
She pulls out from her beaded purse a distinct familiar envelope. She opens and reads the letter. She stares back out to the sea. Her mind percolating what might be next on the horizon.
She’s a young woman ready to find love. Something seemingly endlessly thwarted by her hefty bank account. Will the new year and this cruise yield her a better chance at romance and treasures ahead?
07:54
[Music – A Reckless Night On Board An Ocean by Sydney Lipton, Album The Great Dance Bands Play Hits of the 30s]
Section 2 – History & Historiography
[Music Fade Out]
08:09
As I have said multiple times, tracking down these stories has been an ever winding and twisted road. I can hardly rely on the biographies for exact dates and times. Maybe it’s blurry memories, others might be embellishments, and in one instance downright fabrications.
In addition to the Barbara Hutton’s multiple biographies, there is a 4 part Cosmopolitan series written by Elsa Maxwell which details Elsa’s own eye witness version of events. She will also repeat the story in print at least one more time.
Now here’s the thing there are hardcore definite dates that are consistent like birth, marriage, divorce, and death dates. Then there are others that are more flexible. It’s more about the order of events or situations rather than concrete dates.
08:55
This is where I could pull my hair out. For several years now, I have an ongoing timeline of key events and situations, with this I map out story arcs and episodes. As I progress, I then go into verification and pulling more details. Every now and then I stumble across a wonderful addition or a major correction.
Now when it comes to historian like accuracy, I would never rely on Elsa Maxwell. She is very witty and entertaining and can spin a yarn, but with details and facts she is far more fluid and slippery. It is more like she can’t care or be bothered. It’s not even a second thought. Glaringly and obviously wrong dates. A different personality far from my own.
09:41
Elsa claims to be the first to introduce Barbara to the fashion designer Jean Patou at a luncheon party at his Biarritz home. There Elsa also adamantly claims that Barbara first met Prince Alexis Mdivani. Well, we know the latter isn’t true, but it is likely Barbara is lying and hiding the truth about her connection to the Prince from Elsa. Thus Elsa maintains her involvement and credit whether good or bad for the introduction, and Elsa dates this event to be around 1928 or 1929 – completely wrong because in the same accounts she also indicates the Prince is newly married to Louise Van Alen, and we know for certain that event happened in May 1931 – plenty of news headlines to verify that date.
Still Elsa’s recounting the event helps recapture the emotional mood. Her multi-article expose in Cosmo is published in 1938 and her book RSVP in 1954 which makes it closer to the time of events while the biographies won’t be written until at least 3 decades or more after the events being portrayed in this series.
10:47
In this case, only some of the biographies detail that particularly important scenario when Barbara Hutton first meets with fashion designer Jean Patou and the possibility that Prince Alexis Mdivani and Louise Van Alen is among them. In the few accounts that cover it, they don’t give a specific date but rather an incident in a series of other events thus sequential relevance while the actual timelines remain unknown, though it would appear that this incident would have happened in 1932.
However when I was researching for the Thanksgiving episode everyone’s whereabouts, I ran across a 1931 article referencing Jean Patou hosting a party with Princess Louise Astor Van Alen Mdivani and Barbara Hutton participating in a treasure hunt.
11:36
The article has only a 2 sentence reference, but that’s enough to screw up the assumed known timeline in a sequence of events as retold by several later eye witness or maybe nearby witness accounts. Of course, it seems inconsequential at the time and not particularly important to most, the 1 year differential is a mere oversight. The main sequence and events will still occur next year 1932 as our very twisted tale plays out. Maybe a repeat or similar scenario will occur but with larger consequences emanating immediately afterwards.
12:13
So many things are subject to memory in these tales. Situations, scenarios, interactions, some detailed in newspapers, maybe a few diaries, and others as gossip and hearsay over the years and even decades later. In recalling things 30 or 50 years later, a year might seem not so important. Overall, I try to focus on the underlying emotional facts in a given situation. This requires a certain finesse in sequencing to connect and relate psychological states behind why choices are made, what is understood, and where and when one is being deceived. The slow descent into hell and not the smug looking backwards of 20/20 hindsight.
Therefore this new fact, well, let’s say it is proof that a plot is hatched even sooner than anticipated. This might be the real beginning of several more betrayals ahead.
This new revelation indicates there is a far longer and more convoluted web of tales to be told. So stay tuned…
13:23
[Music – If This Is Only The Beginning by Billy Ternent, Album Elegance]
Section 3 – Contemporary & Personal Relevance
[Music Fade Out]
13:44
I love stories. I’m obsessed with stories, and if there is a historical element all the better. I love when friends, family, coworkers, and strangers tell me anecdotes of their lives.
I am grateful to you who listen faithfully. Last year, I lost my number one fan and her input. Luckily, I have my then number two fan in my close personal circle to help fill in some of the void.
14:10
I love when I hear people listen to the episodes with their romantic partners or as part of a routine. My most devoted listener has possibly listened and re-listened to more episodes than anyone else as part of his nightly bedtime routine with his father. His favorites include Episode 04: Wonderful Things, Episode 10: The Iceberg Cometh, plus several others.
14:34
Now there is one special story I would like to share with you, coming from a listener in Denmark.
This summer during a family trip, he was listening to my podcast with his elderly father when the name Sailing Baruch, Jr. is mentioned. His father immediately recognizes the name in relation to his mother. After hearing the story, the family looks through old photographs and learns of a related story in the family history. The listener’s grandmother was an heiress in Denmark. After a failed engagement to an actor, she comes to the United States for a visit in 1938.
There the Danish grandmother meets and befriends Sailing Baruch Jr.’s first cousin and his uncle financier Bernard Baruch’s daughter Belle Baruch. The two women would share a decades lifelong friendship ending with Belle’s death in 1964. In the letters exchanged and others kept in the Baruch family collection, the listener found more proof of the troubles and fears of the rich. Reiterating this series’ motto – All they want is love. Everyone else wants their fortune.
A loving and heartbreaking tale all on its own.
15:43
This holiday season I hope you get to spend some time with family and friends and enjoying tales old and new.
I would like to thank a few people and podcasts for the last year –
Proud Stutter, which I cohosted with Maya Chupkov an episode talking with Desiree Tracie Cole.
My podcasting friends –
The Evil Genius Chronicles
The Mimosa Sisterhood
I’m Kind of A Big Deal
A Line Drunk
The Empires Podcast
The Presidencies podcast
What’s Her Name
The Queens Podcast,…
Earbuds Collective
Tink Media
Great Pods
Instagram & Facebook Groups – Mansions of the Gilded Age and The Gilded Age Society, Power Privilege and Money Group
Twitter – Second Glance History
New York Adventure Club for bringing back my Waldorf-Astoria webinars
16:31
And last but not least, the amazing collaboration in every episode with Past Perfect Vintage Music, whose music has added so much mood and atmosphere as the story transitions between the different sections.
16:44
More tales will be coming in the New Year as things get darker and twisted in 1932. More scandals, scams, seductions, and how a famous kidnapping impacts our characters.
16:57
The holidays are among us, and if you are looking for a special fun and relaxing distraction for a fashion history buff or creative outlet. Then check out: The Gilded Age: A Fashion Coloring Book by Discovery Lair. There are 50 hand drawn illustrations mostly inspired from the 1890s and features several outfits and activities ranging from debutantes, operas, outdoors, and play. Available on Amazon in the Books section, the link will be available in the transcript and the News | Events section at asthemoneyburns.com. That’s the Gilded Age: A Fashion Coloring Book by Discovery Lair.
Amazon.com: The Gilded Age: A Fashion Coloring Book: 9798365837799: Lair, Discovery: Books
If you enjoy As The Money Burns, then please share, like, & subscribe.
Hook
17:39
[Music – My Heart Belongs to Daddy by Billy Cotton, Album The Great British Dance Bands]
Next when we return to AS THE MONEY BURNS…
Until then…
Credits
17:59
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, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Transcripts, timeline, episode guide, and character bios are available at asthemoneyburns.com.
18:30
THE END.