Jeanette Macdonald

JEANETTE MACDONALD d1965. American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (Love Me Tonight / The Merry Widow) and Nelson Eddy (Naughty Marietta / Rose-Marie and Maytime). During the 1930s and 1940s she starred in 29 feature films, four nominated for Best Picture Oscars including The Love Parade / One Hour With You / Naughty Marietta and San Francisco. She recorded extensively, earning three gold records. She later appeared in grand opera, concerts, radio and television. One of the most influential sopranos of the 20th century, introducing grand opera to movie-going audiences and inspiring a new generation of singers. She suffered from heart trouble in her latter years and died aged 61 in 1965 with her husband Gene Raymond at her hospital-bedside.