Episode 89: Social Swirl
Annual summer competitions and events are in full swing, and a once unfashionable heiress is now as notably stylish as a queen.
#DorisDuke, #QueenMary, #RoyalAscot, #JohnJacobAstorVI, #Titansubmersible, #Titanic, #Lindberghkidnapping, #Insullcollapse
June 1932 brings lots of bad news that bleeds into July 1932 with Lindbergh kidnapping and hoax trials and the collapse of the Insull energy empire. Thus distraction and fascination is back on the wealthy as they enjoy their summer activities. Doris Duke makes fashionable statements at Royal Ascot and a dinner party.
Other people and subjects include: Nanaline Duke, Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani, Prince Alexis Mdivani, Daisy Van Alen, William “Sam” Van Alen, James “Henry” Van Alen, Princess Mary McCormic Mdivani, Prince Serge Mdivani, Princess Mae Murray Mdivani, Prince David Mdivani, John Jacob Astor VI aka “Jakey”, Vincent Astor, Helen Astor, Madeleine Talmage Astor Dick, Enzo Fiermonte, Cornelius “Neil” Vanderbilt IV, Grace Wilson Vanderbilt, Alice Vanderbilt, Countess Gladys Vanderbilt Szechenyi, Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney – Gertrude Vanderbilt, Virginia “Birdie” Graham Fair Vanderbilt, Caroline Astor, Mrs. M. Orme Wilson – Carrie Astor, Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, William K. Vanderbilt, Harold Vanderbilt, William H. Vanderbilt, Gloria Vanderbilt, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, Viscountess Thelma Morgan Furness, Queen Mary of England, Prince of Wales – Prince David – King Edward VIII – Duke of Windsor, Josephine Hartford Makarov, Evalyn Walsh McLean, Charles Lindbergh, Gaston Means, Violet Sharpe, John Hughes Curtis, Lindbergh kidnapping, fraud, hoaxes, Earl of Poulet, Bridget Poulet, Sam Insull, Insull energy empire collapse, John D. Rockefeller, Edith Rockefeller McCormick, Mrs. “Syrie” Somerset Maugham, Liza Maugham, Constance Bennet, Garrow Greer, Dr. Wallace Murphy, all-white décor trend, Astor yacht Nourmahal, Chicago Civic Opera, Chicago, Newport, London, Royal Ascot, Buckingham Palace, royal garden party, 1932 Olympics, repetition device for reconnecting & familiarizing the past, synchronicity, rabbit holes, ties that bind, HBO’s The Gilded Age tv series, accolades change to criticisms, wealth and fame magnification of attention, schadenfreude, malicious envy, self-righteous indignation Titanic, Titan submersible, immigrant boat disaster, Hamish Harding’s son, Cardi B, Blink-182 concert, public humiliation and flogging, fishbowl microscope, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, social media posts, social blunders, scandal
Archival Music provided by Past Perfect Vintage Music, www.pastperfect.com.
Extra Notes / Call to Action:
New York Adventure Club www.nyadventureclub.com
Thursday, July 13th, 8pm EST / 5pm PST – Waldorf Astoria Hotel Part 1: A New Standard of Luxury (pre-1929), Come learn more about the Astor family dispute behind the famous hotel and its construction as well as the hotel’s influence on luxury travel and fine dining. Connections to the Titanic as well as other events and famous people will also be explored. But all good things come to an end.
Thursday, July 20th, 8pm EST / 5pm PST – Waldorf Astoria Hotel New York Part 2: Manhattan’s Grandest Hotel (1931-present), The second version of this fine luxury hotel comes during the dawn of new era which will bring new challenges and excitement. A lingering Astor family connection adds to the saga until a new family the Hilton dynasty rises and takes over. More celebrities and events will add to allure of this hotel. Finally, updates reveal the recent renovations, an auction, and the future for the third incarnation.
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Publish Date: July 08, 2023
Length: 24:18
Opening Music: My Heart Belongs to Daddy by Billy Cotton, Album The Great British Dance Bands
Section 1 Music: With Thee I Swing by Carroll
Gibbons, Album The Age of Style – Hits from the 30s
Section 2 Music: Ain’t
She Sweet by Piccadilly Revels Band, Album Charleston – Great Stars Of the 20s
Section 3 Music: Plain
Mary Jane by Mrs. Jack Hylton, 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 089 – Social Swirl
Outline
Royal Ascot fashions
Summer activities
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
While Barbara Hutton and Doris Duke travel on the same ocean liner, Huntington Hartford and Jakey Astor plan their own summer adventures.
Now back to AS THE MONEY BURNS
Title
00:46
Social Swirl
[Music Fade Out]
Episode Tag
Annual summer competitions and events are in full swing, and a once unfashionable heiress is now as notably stylish as a queen.
01:02
[Music – With Thee I Swing by Carroll Gibbons, Album The Age of Style – Hits from the 30s]
Section 1 – Story
[Music Fade Out]
01:20
The summer social competitions begin as many maneuver about from one location to another as the activity, event, or capital “S” Society dictates.
And while those in Society are definitely keeping track of who is who and where and when, the masses are also taking note. Yes, the Great Depression rages on and financial times are bleak – so what better way to get through tough times than speculating on the super rich, either vicariously enjoying the fantasy of finer things or righteously condemning their frivolous and distasteful extravagances.
01:56
A recent article indicates how several heiresses are breaking the age old tradition of not getting any press announcements except for birth, marriage, and death. Now select chosen beauties have their own following. Included in the must watch list – Barbara Hutton, Doris Duke, and Josephine Hartford Makarov (Makaroff).
A much welcome distraction from otherwise dreary news in the papers. Situations exposed in June 1932 that bleed well into and beyond July 1932.
02:29
The ongoing morbid and retributive fascination over the Lindbergh baby’s kidnapping and murder escalates into public calls demanding blood. The crime’s aftermath led to more crimes and tragedy. Those already involved and in close proximity find themselves under immense scrutiny, so much so that by —
Friday, June 10th, 1932
Humiliated and broken down, Lindbergh maid Violet Sharpe swallows poison and is found dead by suicide rather than answer the questions over her whereabouts the night of the kidnapping. The truth,… she had a clandestine tryst on her night off that would have been morally unacceptable.
03:11
That same day Gaston Means is sentenced to 15 years in prison for defrauding Hope Diamond owner Evalyn Walsh McLean out of $100k (yes, nearly $2.2 million in 2023) in efforts to recover the missing baby. Gaston is publicly denounced as the meanest of the most despicable sort trying to profit off this tragedy and now on his way to Leavenworth. Without hope of financial recovery, Evalyn pawns her ill-fated jewel to cover a loan.
As Wednesday, June 22nd, 1932 rolls around a flurry of press notes it would have been the toddler’s 2nd birthday.
03:50
Next up shipbuilder John Hughes Curtis goes on trial for his faked negotiations and misleading Lindbergh. During the lengthy trial on Tuesday, June 28th, 1932, famed aviator Charles Lindbergh testifies in court how he was led down multiple wild goose chases in search of his child. On Tuesday, July 12th, 1932, Curtis is sentenced to 1 year in prison and $1000 fine (in 2023 that’s only $22k), with all the aerial and nautical searches seems to be like a very low figure indeed. With another Lindbergh baby due in August, security remains a primary concern.
04:29
Still the biggest news in June 1932 has to be Sam Insull and the collapse of his energy empire. His company serves as a de facto holding company of sorts, and its downfall impacts over 600,000 shareholders losing their life savings. A $500 million implosion with only $27 million in equity (for 2023 that’s $11 billion implosion with only $600 million in equity).
Originally born British but became a U.S. citizen in 1896, Insull heads back to Britain to live the remainder of his days on a very small modest pension of $18k a year (that’s still almost $400k in 2023), but he will soon to be required to return to the U.S. for more scrutiny over mail fraud and anti-trust dealings. Once again legislation will pass in 1935 to prevent future misdealings by holding companies based on this devastating collapse.
05:28
Insull had made his way far into Chicago society through his charitable contributions including the Civic Opera, making him close allies with John D. Rockefeller’s rebellious daughter Edith Rockefeller McCormick. During Insull’s opera enthusiasm, he befriends opera singer Mary McCormic, who is now a Princess Mdivani married to Prince Serge Mdivani of the infamous clan. It is implied Mary’s connection with Insull is the biggest lure for Serge. A Mdivani always takes finances into consideration before a seduction.
06:02
The L.A. based dispossessed Russian royals and brothers Prince Serge Mdivani and Prince David Mdivani themselves have been involved in shady business dealings over oil properties, and creditors are coming due. Their formerly somewhat fairly wealthy entertainment wives opera singer Princess Mary McCormic Mdivani and actress singer Princess Mae Murray Mdivani have grown tired of their husbands’ spendthrift pursuits depleting their hard earned finances.
Youngest brother Prince Alexis Mdivani has no intention of using his own wife Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani’s substantial fortune to bail them out. Instead, Prince Alexis does everything possible to keep his blueblood wife away from his lower actress relations.
06:48
With the papers about all things dark and bleak, is it no wonder that some might want a lighter distraction? A dream or fairy tale to hold onto…
In another news article, newsman heir Cornelius “Neil” Vanderbilt IV updates who is ruling the modern 400. The 400 – a list created by Caroline Astor and Ward McAllister to exclude people from Caroline’s lavish Gilded Age parties in her Fifth Avenue home. Caroline is the grandmother of Vincent Astor and John Jacob Astor VI aka “Jakey” and great grandmother of Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani and her brothers James “Henry” Van Alen and William “Sam” Van Alen.
07:28
In his article, Neil points out that the current reigning 400 members have 75 distinguished social mentors from the past with probably 1500 newer members of sorts. Ah, our twice bankrupt, divorced, and disinherited heir Neil should know as many on the list are his direct family members from one side or another. From the past, the still reigning members include Daisy Van Alen – the mother of the above siblings along with Neil’s mother Grace Wilson Vanderbilt, his aunt Countess Gladys Vanderbilt Szechenyi, another aunt Mrs. M. Orme Wilson (eh-hem Carrie Astor – Caroline’s daughter), grandmother Alice Vanderbilt, former aunt Mrs. Virginia “Birdie” Graham Fair Vanderbilt, aunt and artist Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney – also known as Gertrude Vanderbilt. Former aunt and queen Alva Vanderbilt Belmont is not included and in fact has been quite ill recently having her adult children gather to her bedside. Her sons and Neil’s cousins William K. Vanderbilt and Harold Vanderbilt both fill the Society pages in somewhat happy marriages – a contrast to their parents. Their father and uncle William H. Vanderbilt is on the above list as well.
Somewhere maybe Neil’s little cousin Gloria Vanderbilt will join her family’s activities in Newport this summer having recently returned from Europe with her widowed mother Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt. Her maternal aunt and mother’s twin Viscountess Thelma Morgan Furness is the current known mistress of the Prince of Wales.
09:02
Also Neil notes the newer attitudes in the social swirl, the time for parties still occurs but the manner and ostentation are far downplayed. The gatherings seen as more generous to charities and struggling friends with a veneer of joviality. Formerly lavish entertainment at large mansions or cottages are replaced by hotels, clubs, or more public facilities. Elaborate balls are downgraded to dinners, small dances, teas, or even buffet style meals. Clothing is less showy and opulent, and ladies take taxis instead of chauffeur driven town cars.
09:37
With all that, Newport’s season kicks off on —
Saturday, July 2nd, 1932
A dinner-dance at the Clambake Club followed by
Sunday, July 3rd, 1932
Neil’s mother Grace always ready to throw a party under any circumstances more than happily takes up hostessing a dinner for the yachting activities. Vincent Astor with his wife Helen Astor also host a party aboard their yacht Nourmahal. Prince Alexis Mdivani and Princess Louise Van Alen Mdivani will watch the yacht races with her family.
By July 4th and throughout the week, yachting activities and races fill the time. Soon, Newport will shift to other annual activities like the floral and horse shows and the August tennis tournament.
10:22
Over in England the same week, a formerly awkward and unfashionable teen heiress is now celebrated for her sartorial choices. Only two ladies get the press attention and accolades from one of the largest fashionable events in the world – Royal Ascot, which is in full force before Wimbledon later in the month. A gallery of fashion phenomena – hats, colors, and other trends. One lady dares to wear beach pajamas.
The ever queen of style the real Queen Mary of England is noted for wearing a turquoise colored hat while American heiress Doris Duke dons a helmet shaped bowler.
Other applauded styles of the tall and fair American heiress are a yellow crepe gown and a scarlet georgette at other London events. Doris’s new fashion sense is getting much attention both stateside and abroad, but she might not have only caught the eyes of those into fashion but one Earl of Poulett, who seems a little more than smitten by her. Poulett’s sister is the fashionable Bridget Poulett who insists all females must maintain beauty standards at any costs, and both siblings seem to have a flair for monetizing their circumstances. Such a match would qualify Doris for the red booked “Peerage” status – the long reigning British predecessor to the American Social Register.
11:45
By mid-July 1932, Doris also attends a party hosted by Mrs. Somerset Maugham, aka Syrie, the former wife of the famous playwright whose marriage had a little bit too much scandal but in her own right is a popular interior decorator trendsets all-white designs to those posh in London, Palm Beach, and Hollywood. Syrie once used white peacock feathers to replace flower arrangements. Though this summer, Syrie is promoting brown and white for sportswear fashion. She recently offers to decorate newly married film star Constance Bennett’s new boudoir in all-white of course. Syrie believes women no matter their station should work for a living – Doris’s mother Nanaline Duke should be appalled if not so enamored by Syrie’s status. After closing her Michigan Avenue shop in Chicago, Syrie returns to the London socialite scene and throws a dinner-dance for her daughter Liza Maugham. All guests dress in white and some in pale pastel shaded colors which pop against the otherwise all-white two room event.
A Royal Garden Party will follow days later at Buckingham with those attending dressed in garb as royal waterman to assist with boating on the royal palace lake. The celebrated cider cup will be served by the royal kitchen.
13:05
On Friday, July 15th, 1932, out in California and disappointing Newport debutantes, John Jacob Astor VI, aka Jakey, changes his plans from seeing the Olympics in Los Angeles which starts at the end of July and instead heads to Hawaii for 8 days before heading to the Orient towards Europe. Avoiding his older half-brother Vincent Astor, Jakey travels with Garrow Greer and Dr. Wallace Murphy. Jakey’s mother Madeleine Astor Dick frolics in Venice Beach with his two younger half-brothers, and possibly Italian pugilist Enzo Fiermonte will join them, having met Madeleine on the ocean liner Vulcania back in January *1932, and is offering to train her boys.
Now one little odd rumor is that heiress Barbara Hutton has taken up the pen and written her own novel “Rich Nobody,” a thinly veiled autobiography at that. Many fear that if such a book does exist it might be quite scandalous and revealing. But alas those are only whispers, maybe…
14:08
Oh who cares? It’s summer, and it’s time to have some fun.
What is also very true is that worst might still be more to come, and sensing that keeps everyone on edge. Who will be the next to fall? What tragedy or scandal will occur next? And yes, there is always a next…
14:30
[Music – Ain’t She Sweet by Piccadilly Revels Band, Album Charleston – Great Stars Of the 20s]
Section 2 – History & Historiography
[Music Fade Out]
14:44
For those who have listened to multiple episodes, then you are far aware of the tiny little details and tidbits that seem to add up over time. Innocuous maybe even somewhat vacuous details that on their own are of little value but when used as a thread to connect and relate to others surmount in significance over time.
It’s hard in reviewing any period of some relative distance to remember and understand that world as it is. I am working hard to familiarize the world for those of us on the outside. The repetition building in familiarity through time, place, and especially with people. Scenarios and incidents reconnected to more than a space floating in the ether.
15:29
I am a history buff, thus I believe strongly in chronology. There is the theory of synchronicity that we start to notice to what we pay deep attention and then random occurrences begin to feel more related than tangential.
It’s not that every connection I point out is meant to have some profound impact or insight, but rather it’s to make everything be less remote and unfamiliar. Knowing of a particular ocean liner, a fashion trend, a popular hotspot, and especially other cultural touchstones brings the past into the present and possibly spotlights a future.
16:08
As I research and amass an even larger plethora of information, I sometimes get overwhelmed and bogged down if something is significant or not. My obsessive rabbit holes. I also kick myself when later I learn of yet another poignant connection to the larger tales I am weaving around. Case in point, trying a last minute flesh out this episode’s story I find that little Gloria Vanderbilt traveled with her mother aboard the Majestic to New York in March 1932. There’s nothing seemingly relevant to know at that moment in time, but that trip is the beginning of a very traumatic situation for the very young heiress. One that has always been intended to be threaded into our tales. The reference just indicates when that storyline truly began, but of course the world focus and this story’s focus was more on the more prevalent Lindbergh kidnapping and other situations dominating that moment’s consciousness and the lives for our main characters.
17:10
HBO’s tv series The Gilded Age brings back society queen Caroline Astor and her daughter Carrie Astor into a larger public consciousness today, but in the 1930s Caroline still had influence through her descendants. As well as situations like Sam Insull is catastrophic enough to make it into the top 10 of the main news events of 1932, and he is even a part of Orson Wells’ inspiration for Citizen Kane. But it is Insull’s peripheral connection to an in-law of Caroline’s great granddaughter and another potential heiress that hints into other plot points as to why it bares mention though not full focus in our story. Ironic, how long these ties might bind, entangle, and ensnare.
17:58
Long ago, I plotted out parts of our story with pockets that need filling out as we go. Sometimes random encounters that parallel or foreshadow storylines make fun digressions. At others, nothing dominates but there are plenty of tiny threads to serve as reminders who is or will become important at some place in time. The trickle of backstory that crescendos into large waves later.
Tiny threads rewoven into a quilt that illustrates a past and colors in the present in preparation for the unknown future.
As much as we go forward, the past forever makes its presence known. If we are careful and lucky, we might just pick up its lessons in time before we need them most.
18:48
[Music – Plain Mary Jane by Mrs. Jack Hylton, Album The Great British Dance Bands]
Section 3 – Contemporary & Personal Relevance
[Music Fade Out]
19:02
For anyone, an accolade from one day has a bizarre chance of becoming a condemnation in the very near future. Once caught in the public eye, the spotlight can be both harsh and unforgiving.
While finishing the last episode, news broke out of the missing submersible Titan during its descent to view the Titanic wreckage. I briefly noted the incident especially as the past episode featured the Titanic sister ship Majestic and our larger story regularly features Titanic survivor John Jacob Astor VI aka Jakey.
19:35
I want to now discuss a little more the coverage in the news and social media. Both the fascination and the criticism the incident brought up. Several people denounced the fatal adventure for its hubris in a makeshift experimental craft and decadence of a $250k ticket and the elaborate search and recovery costs in these especially harsh times. As well certain critics pointed out another glaring contrast in immediate coverage on the previously overlooked prior week’s fatal boat sinking with almost 700 immigrants on the way to Greece.
20:09
I am not interested in debating morality or logistics of either scenario. Only to show how incidents that involve the extremely wealthy garner intense focus and attention even if only to highlight the opposite. This is completely understandable, but in those *harshest criticisms sometimes the vitriol comes with a bit too much schadenfreude or other malicious envy or self-righteous hate and indignation.
20:38
With modern technology also comes other bizarre interactions such as the social media exchange between Cardi B and Hamish Harding’s stepson over his attending a Blink-182 concert amidst the search efforts. Now that situation is a little convoluted and complicated, but only goes to show a disconnect and divide that quickly occurs when criticizing the privileged. I am not saying the whole situation wasn’t weird – it definitely was, but that when put under the constant fishbowl microscope where your actions are so readily pointed out and dissected is not a fun position to be in. And many are unable to handle it well.
21:17
Ditto for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. They have invited a lot of public attention which first came as accolades, but the tides are now turning to criticism as the scrutiny mounts. The pendulum swings both ways, and the cuts can be quite deep. If they cried about past negativity, how will they handle the much larger and longer lasting tsunami that seems to be forming and heading their way?
21:43
When scrolling through the past, I see instances of this more and more. Knowing back then the scale was completely different. Very few people would receive such attention, where in as today social media often means people might inadvertently invite that attention. A post gets unexpected lots of attention with backlash. But in the 1930s, the attention received was often not desired nor directly courted by the subject.
In the end, social blunders are an inevitable part of human nature. But still public humiliation and flogging can make any situation far worse than necessary. Scandal is generally not a fun ride, and wealth and fame magnify the attention and the vitriol while also extending the timeline in the public eye.
The results? One of the many downsides our heirs and heiresses will learn far too well in the upcoming years, and for some will occur throughout their lives.
22:45
If you haven’t caught them yet, my two webinars on the first and second Waldorf-Astoria hotels return to New York Adventure Club. Come check out – Part 1 on Thursday, July 13th, 2023 and Part 2 on Thursday, July 20th, 2023 at 8pm EST / 5pm PST. Topics include plenty of presidents, royalty, celebrities, underworld figures, and even Lindbergh’s banquet and the Titanic tragedy. Weblinks are available at www.nyadventureclub.com and the News | Events section at asthemoneyburns.com. The fee is $10 each, live with one week access after.
Thursday, July 13th, 8pm EST / 5pm PST – Waldorf Astoria Hotel Part 1: A New Standard of Luxury (pre-1929), Come learn more about the Astor family dispute behind the famous hotel and its construction as well as the hotel’s influence on luxury travel and fine dining. Connections to the Titanic as well as other events and famous people will also be explored. But all good things come to an end.
Thursday, July 20th, 8pm EST / 5pm PST – Waldorf Astoria Hotel New York Part 2: Manhattan’s Grandest Hotel (1931-present), The second version of this fine luxury hotel comes during the dawn of new era which will bring new challenges and excitement. A lingering Astor family connection adds to the saga until a new family the Hilton dynasty rises and takes over. More celebrities and events will add to allure of this hotel. Finally, updates reveal the recent renovations, an auction, and the future for the third incarnation.
If you enjoy As The Money Burns, then please share, like, & subscribe.
Hook
23:29
[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 tennis sensation returns to play both on and off the courts. Wherever he goes hijinks will ensue.
Until then…
Credits
23:45
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.
24:18
THE END.