"I want nothing that I haven't earned thru my own efforts." ~ Isabel
Isabel Jewell was born on July 19, 1907 in Shoshonu, Wyoming. Her father was a successful doctor and the family lived on a large ranch. Isabel was educated at St. Mary's Academy in Minnesota and later attended Hamilton college. When she was a teenager Isabel began acting in stock companies. In 1930 she was cast in the Broadway show "Up Pops the Devil". Her performance earned her rave reviews and a talent scout brought her to Hollywood. She started getting supporting roles in movies like Manhattan Melodrama and Marked Woman. Unfortunately Isabel found herself typecast as a tough-talking blonde and she was rarely given leading roles. She once called herself "the most unsuccessful successful actress in Hollywood". Isabel had a serious romance with actor Lee Tracy and the press reported they were engaged. After they broke up Isabel said she never loved anyone as much as she had loved Lee. She married radio personality Walter Crump in 1936. The following year she starred as a prostitute in the drama Lost Horizon.
In 1939 Isabel played Emily Slattery in the epic Gone With The Wind. She continued to make movies throughout the 1940s but her parts were usually small. Isabel divorced Owen and married actor Paul Marion in 1941. Sadly this marriage would only last two years. At their divorce trial she testified that Paul flew into violent rages. Isabel was disillusioned with Hollywood and decided to move to Las Vegas. In 1959 she was arrested for writing bad checks. Two years later she spent five days in jail for driving drunk. Despite her personal problems Isabel never gave up on her acting career. She made a guest appearance on Gunsmoke and had a small role in the 1972 horror film Sweet Kill. On April 5, 1972 sixty-four year old Isabel was found dead in her home. The coroner said her death was caused by natural causes. Isabel was buried in her hometown of Shoshoni, Wyoming. At the time of death Isabel had no family and most of her belongings were given to a friend.
~ Original biography by Elizabeth Ann 2014
~ Original biography by Elizabeth Ann 2014
With Janet Gaynor