|
|
In his book he reveals how he personally met with Nancy in 1951 while researching material on his uncle, the late James Quirk of Photoplay magazine fame. Lawrence Quirk found Nancy to be extremely gracious and charming, and said he holds a genuine affinity for her to this day. Nancy was actually quite frank in discussing her affair with Joe, and if I must say so, if the quotes Mr. Quirk attributes to her are indeed verbatim, Nancy did not pull any punches -- some of the details discussed are intimate.
According to Quirk, in 1951 Nancy still harbored ill feelings
toward Kennedy. She seized the opportunity during their interview to make disparaging remarks about ole Joe and his treatment of the women in his life. Quirk points out that Nancy, to her credit, was protective of both Gloria Swanson, Joe Kennedy's famous mistress, and of Kennedy's lifetime partner, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy.
Am I convinced that this affair did indeed occur ? No, not quite, but it may have. Of course there is no way of truly knowing whether an affair did occur because the two key players are long gone. But, there are a few statements in the book that have given me reason to cast a proverbial suspicious eye.
In his book, Quirk identifies Nancy as the " daughter " of famed restaurant entrepreneur Billy LaHiff ( Lahiff). Furthermore, he not only implies that Nancy's fame can be attributed to her "dad" Billy's connections, he claims Nancy arrived in Hollywood armed with a solid contract. Nancy's fans know none of this is true. Nancy was the niece, not the daughter of Billy Lahiff, and she arrived in Hollywood with her then husband James Kirkland, -- and without fanfare or contract. Numerous screen tests and considerable time passed before Nancy was given any real notice. And it was her husband Jim working quietly behind the scenes, who was instrumental in getting Nancy's movie career underway.
Keeping these inaccuracies in mind, I can't help but conclude that Mr. Quirk may have taken a bit of creative liberty in reporting some of what he has written in the chapter which discusses Nancy. Another example I cite is when Mr. Quirk goes on to say that there were " many more men and several more marriages" for Nancy after her affair with Joe Kennedy, Sr. Mr. Quirk also claims the studio moguls were getting a little hinky about Nancy's moral character, even alluding that this concern may have been a reason as to why Nancy's Hollywood career ended so quickly. First of all, I don't consider Nancy's additional two marriages as " several ", do you ? Then there is Quirks mention of the film The Night Angel as a " hit " film, in which Nancy, " suffering from depression," somehow managed to " pout her way through ". This is a hoot! Most fans and critics alike recognize " The Night Angel " as a flop, not a hit. It was also one of Nancy's less lauded performances, and I've read elsewhere that some film historians believe this film marked the beginning of the end of Nancy's career.
Shortly before her death, film historian and writer Dan Van Neste asked Nancy's daughter Patricia Kirkland Bevan about the allegation of an affair between Nancy and Joe. Mrs. Bevan said she never heard of this allegation before, and suggested that perhaps Nancy was being confused with actress Gloria Swanson. Now, I am not saying a then 6 year old Patricia should or would have been aware of such personal events in her mother's life, but even as a mature open-minded woman, she was unable to substantiate even a hint of a *rumor* of such an affair between her mother and Mr. Kennedy.
As previously mentioned, the main players are long gone. Nancy and Joe Kennedy definitely knew one another -- as a matter of fact, in 20s & 30s Hollywood, the *East Coast* Irish socialized frequently. But, since they are surely the only two people who really know if anything went on between them in early 1931, you'll have to decide for yourself. If you would like to know more about the conversation and quotes attributed to Nancy by Mr. Quirk, e-mail me, or if you would like to read "The Kennedys in Hollywood", check your local library or go to the Shopworn Angel's Shoppe and check out the bookstores listed there to see if they have a copy for sale. Despite my feeling about the chapter on Nancy Carroll, I truly enjoyed Lawrence Quirk's book and feel it's a must-read/have for anyone interested in Hollywood or the Kennedys!
