Hadley talks about Pauline and says something surprising
Hi Friends,
Thank you to reader “Charles” who left a comment on the blog a few weeks ago and let me know that several of the links I have posted with Hadley Audio don’t work! I have used an online media storage service to save all of the audio material, and unfortunately, they went out of business abruptly, leaving me no way to contact them and no way to retrieve my work. My son has been helping me painstakingly do everything over, and we have every single link working again except three: Hadley’s response to a Moveable Feast, A French Divorce, and “Bumby is born. I noticed that the audio clips take a minute to start, and many are difficult to hear, so be patient! We’re still working on it –
It’s been a long tike since I have posted clips of Hadley talking to Alice Sokoloff (Hadley’s first biographer) about Hadley bittersweet five year marriage to Ernest Hemingway. I am really pleased to start posting the audio again. This particular clip really surprised me, and I’m still trying to figure out if I believe it or not. What do you think?
Click below to listen to Hadley talk:
(The Hadley tapes belong to the Hemingway Collection at the JFK Library in Boston)
I am wondering what you think is not accurate? I went to the house/museum in Piggott,Arkansas and frankly somewhat shocked of what we learned there about Pauline and her life with Ernest.
What did you find to be surprising? I am not really surprised at much anymore. Lol!
Really greatly appreciate all your efforts and hard work!!
Hey Allie! Nice to see your latest post. I find listening to Hadley’s tapes most interesting. Her speculation that Pauline might have committed suicide was intriguing–not because there is any basis in fact, but simply because it was surprising to know that Hadley had even entertained such a thought. Years ago I interviewed Laura Archera Huxley (Ginny Pfeiffer’s long-time companion). She and Ginny were the ones who took Pauline to the hospital the night that she died. I would certainly accept Laura’s version of what happened before putting any stock in the ruminations years later of someone who at the time was all the way across the country and had no contact with Pauline. Hadley only heard anything about Pauline’s death third hand from Ernest, and he heard through a telegram from Ginny. (And by the way, Ernest did not come to Pauline’s funeral, as Hadley says. But then Hadley also says in the tape that her memory is failing her.)
Pauline died because she had a rare undiagnosed tumor of the adrenal gland, which apparently secreted abnormal amounts of adrenaline into the blood stream when she was under stress. She had been having headaches for years and, in fact, had an appointment scheduled at the Mayo Clinic. One of the reasons she went from San Francisco to Los Angeles the day before her death (aside from dealing with Gregory’s arrest situation), was to try to talk Ginny into going with her to Mayo because Ginny also had severe migraines. The night Pauline died, her blood pressure shot sky high, then dropped to zero. Her death certificate indicates “hemorrhage into the adrenal.”
For anyone interested, here is an excerpt from my interview with Laura on March 5, 1998: “She [Pauline] came on a Sunday afternoon. I remember the day very well. I had gone swimming at the house of my producer. I came back and Ginny had fetched her and she was in great pain. We had made a special dinner for her, but she couldn’t eat anything. And we called the doctor. He said to do something. [Laura doesn’t remember exactly what.] Then Ernest Hemingway called. She was in great pain, but she sort of pulled herself together enough to speak to him about this stuff that was happening with Gregory. Then she slept for a little while, and then he called again and I spoke to him. It was the only time I spoke to him. Then at 3 o’clock, we hear this horrendous–she was sleeping in an upstairs room–this horrendous scream–simply horrendous. So we quickly went to the hospital and called the doctor and left her there in the hospital. Ginny was still not feeling very well. I took her upstairs, and I remember seeing the nurses. Then we came home, and the doctor called and said “We couldn’t do anything.”
Hi Ruth,
I was hoping you would respond! You have probably done more research about Pauline than anyone. There are several people who didn’t like what they heard on the post.
I am in no way trying to promote Hadley’s point of view, I’m just providing it! Thank you again, Alliie
Gary, if you listen very carefully (and it IS difficult to hear) you will hear Hadley suggest that Pauline killed herself. Thank you for being such a faithful HP reader!
Fondly, Allie
Thanks for posting this Allie. This certainly contradicts anything I have read or heard about Pauline’s death. But it is interesting to think that that was Hadley’s belief. It is always wonderful to hear her voice and oh how I wish I could sit down in a room with her and chat.
I did hear that & I figured that was what you were referring to. I too thought it must have been bogus. Would have been interesting if Alice had point blank asked Hadley where she got that information. I know she claimed she didn’t remember if it was true. But, a response of Who told her might have been interesting . I just wondered if she would have admitted that Ernest had told her or not. From the research I’ve done it appears to me that Pauline tried to be controlling over Ernest. Am I wrong in that assumption? She seemed to try to use her family money to keep him in her life & he resented it. Did you read the article in the latest Esquire? I bought it. Did you know that AE Hotchner is coming out with a book later this month about their love affair? I am anxious to obtain a copy & read it. I met Hotchner several years ago at a book signing in St. Louis. He talked about his relationship with Ernest. He indicated that they did what Ernest wanted to the majority of the time & AE just followed along.
AE is getting up there in years. Have you ever contacted him about an interview?
We must remember that communication was not as easy when Pauline died as it is now. I’m sure that rumors swirled when Pauline died so suddenly. Hadley had remained friendly with almost all of the old friends from her past with Ernest. Pauline was rootless and seemed to have no real place in life after her divorce. She would, no doubt, have heard what her son, Jack knew and even what Ernest may have told her about Pauline’s death. Pauline was buried in an unmarked grave in Hollywood and was denied a Catholic burial in consecrated ground. All of the bad relations between Pauline and Ernest as well as poor Gregory added to misunderstanding between the principles. It is my understanding that it wasn’t until Greg got his medical degree and studied Pauline’s death information, that he told Ernest what had actually happened with Pauline’tumor. Throughout her life, Hadley was remarkably generous to Pauline in maintaining a uncritical attitude. I don’t think many of us would be that charitable! As for her being forgetful and ungratious, I think that these very tapes prove that not to be the case. Thank you Allie for this wonderful Hemingway Project!