Olive Thomas was a Ziegfeld Follies girl and silent film star. Her death was one of the first celebrity scandals.
Olive Thomas was born Oliva Duffy on Oct. 20, 1894 in a small town in Pennsylvania. She had two younger brothers named James and William. She later had a half-sister named Harriet.
In 1911, when Olive was 16, she married Bernard Thomas. The marriage only lasted two years, separating in 1913. Olive then moved to New York City to pursue modeling and performing.
In 1914 she entered and won The Most Beautiful Girl In New York City modeling contest. After winning she appeared on many magazine covers and modeled for several famous artists including Harrison Fisher.
It was Harrison Fisher who wrote to Ziegfeld to tell him about Olive. She was hired to appear in The Ziegfeld Follies of 1915. Olive proved to be very popular and was then cast in The Ziegfeld Midnight Frolics (more on the Frolics another day :-)
Olive's popularity continued to grow. She had many male admirers, including the German ambassador who reportedly gave her a $10,000 string of pearls.
She still modeled while appearing in the Follies. She was the very first Follies girl to be painted by Alberto Vargas. It was painted not long before her death and is even entitled, "Memories Of Olive." Ziegfeld bought the painting and hung it in his office, much to the displeasure of his wife.
Another of Olive's admirers was Ziegfeld himself. The two began a relationship despite Ziegfeld being married to actress Billie Burke (definitely not the first affair Ziegfeld would have with one of his Follies girls.) Olive broke off the affair when Ziegfeld refused to leave his wife.
In 1916, Olive met Jack Pickford, brother of film star Mary Pickford. The two eloped in Oct. of 1916. Pickford's family did not approve of Olive or the marriage though they did attend her funeral.
The couple had a passionate but turbulent relationship. The two were often partying and would often get into epic fights, followed by epic "making up."
In 1920, the couple decided to go on a second honeymoon to Paris. On Sept. 5, the couple came back to their hotel room at The Ritz at 3am after partying all night. Pickford was asleep when he was woken up by Olive screaming "Oh my god!" She had ingested mercury bi-chloride which was prescribed to Pickford for treating his syphilis. Olive was rushed to the hospital and had her stomach pumped several times. Pickford stayed by her side for 5 days until Olive Thomas died on Sept. 10, 1920.
Even before she died, the press began to sensationalize the circumstances surrounding her hospitalization. When she did die, the press furor exploded. Theories and rumors began to circulated about Olive's death being either suicide or even murder.
One theory was that it truly was an accident on Olive's part. It was said that Olive was very intoxicated before the event and believed the bottle of medicine was simply more alcohol. The label on the medicine was also in french which was said to contribute to her confusion. Another theory was that the couple had been fighting about Pickford's infidelities and Olive drank the medicine in an attempt to commit suicide. Another theory was that Olive drank the poison to commit suicide after learning that she too had contracted syphilis, given to her by Pickford. The most outrageous claim was that Pickford had tricked her into drinking the poison to collect the life insurance money. Pickford of course denied all allegations. Her death was ruled accidental by the Paris officials that performed the autopsy.
Jack Pickford sailed with Olive's body back to America (during which Pickford reportedly attempted suicide.) At Olive's funeral, police had to be called in to handle the large crowds and several women were reported to have fainted during the service. Olive is buried in the Pickford Mausolieum at Woodlawn Cemetary in the Bronx.
There have been documentaries and books released on the subject of Olive Thomas as well as stage shows. Speakeasy Dollhouse staged an interactive theatrical experience called Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolics where the story of Olive Thomas and her death were told throughout the Liberty Theater on 42nd street in New York City. A musical version of Olive's life, entitled "Ghostlight", written by Matthew Martin and Tim Realbuto has had several workshops with big names such as Carolee Carmello, Daisy Egan, Rachel York and Michael Hayden.
Olive Thomas has not entirely left us however. It is widely believed that Olive's ghost haunts The New Amsterdam Theater in NYC, the same theater where she performed in The Ziegfeld Follies and Midnight Frolics. She can reportedly be seen carrying a small blue bottle (like the one containing the poison that killed her) and wearing a beaded, green dress. She even caused a security guard to call the VP of Disney Theatricals (the owner of the theater) at 2:30am to tell him of the event. She is said to appear to mainly men and is even know to pinch a bottom or two. Naughty girl! A portrait of Olive hangs right by the stage door to the theater and cast and crew say goodnight to her as they leave to appease her.
