Remembering Ann Sheridan

Putting the "oomph" back in "The Oomph Girl"


circa. 1943

Stars Reveal Rift After Less Than a Year of Marraige

By Louella O. Parsons
Motion Picture Editor International News Service

The widely publicized Ann Sheridan - George Brent marriage of less than a year has ended.

In a broken voice yesterday George told this writer he and Ann separated Sunday night.

"It is the last thing in the world I wanted," said George, "but I don't see what I can do about it. She wants her freedom and she is going to issue a statement explaining that our marriage is finished."

Ann says that it is George who wants a separation and so she is going to give it to him. I told her it sounded to me like a lovers' quarrel and something which the two of them could straighten out if they would just sit down and talk things over.

"Perhaps there will be a reconciliation, but I doubt it," Ann said. "There doesn't seem a chance. I haven't seen George for a month and Sunday night when we were together we had a big misunderstanding and George said he wanted his freedom and so I am giving it to him."

"Will you get a divorce?" I asked her. Ann said she didn't know.

George told me that he has been teaching flying everyday at Oxnard but the he had been given the day off.

"I just couldn't work," he said, "I was too upset." But even though he was in such an unhappy frame of mind he said he wanted to protect Ann with whom he says he is still in love and always will be.

I must say, even though I had heard rumors of battle from time to time, I couldn't believe these two people, who seemed so congenial and had been in love for the last three years, could end their marriage that promised so well, in just a few hours time.

The romance of Ann and George was front-page copy when they were married January 5, 1942, at the home of George's sister, Mrs. Sam Harris, in Florida. They flew out of Los Angeles in separate planes, meeting there. Ann had told the studio she was on her way to see her mother who was sick in Texas.

This is the second marriage for Ann and the third for George.

The red-headed oomph girl whom the Harvard Lampoon labelled "the worst actress of the year," and lived to eat its words was first married to Eddie Norris. George was once the husband of Ruth Chatterton famed actress, and for a brief period he was married to Constance Worth, also an actress.

Ann, who was ridiculed by so many of the critics when she first started in movies, has made them all take back their criticisms, especially since "Kings Row" when she all but stole the show. She is one of Warners most valuable stars, in that she is box-office.

George, too, has been on of Warners most important start but he is giving it all up to go into the service. He has not yet been drafted but he has a very strong conviction that a man's place at this time is in Uncle Sam's service.


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