Marjorie de Loosey Oelrichs Duchin (June 23, 1908 – August 3, 1937) was an American socialite.

Early life

Marjorie was born on June 23, 1908 and was daughter of Marjorie Ramely Oelrichs (née Turnbull; 1883–1952) and Charles de Loosey Oelrichs (1882–1973). After her parents divorce, her father remarried to Madeleine Lucienne Meyer, a daughter of Millius Pierre Meyer, in 1926. Her paternal grandparents were the former Blanche de Loosey and

Charles May Oelrichs Charles May Oelrichs (August 27, 1858 – January 15, 1932) was an American broker and clubman who was prominent in New York society during the Gilded Age. Early life Oelrichs was born on August 27, 1858, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the son o ...

, a wealthy broker who was prominent in New York society during the

Gilded Age In United States history, the Gilded Age was an era extending roughly from 1877 to 1900, which was sandwiched between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was a time of rapid economic growth, especially in the Northern and Weste ...

. Her maternal grandparents were Lt. Commander Frank Turnbull, a retired naval officer, and his wife, the former Marion Louise Bates, descendant of William Bradford, a governor of

Plymouth Colony Plymouth Colony (sometimes Plimouth) was, from 1620 to 1691, the British America, first permanent English colony in New England and the second permanent English colony in North America, after the Jamestown Colony. It was first settled by the pa ...

in the 17th century. A maternal aunt was suffragist Alison Turnbull Hopkins. Her paternal aunt was poet and playwright

Michael Strange Blanche Marie Louise Oelrichs (October 1, 1890 – November 5, 1950) was an American poet, playwright and theatre actress. Oelrichs first used the masculine pen name Michael Strange to publish her poetry in order to distance her society reput ...

Professional life and marriage

A well-known New York and Newport beauty, she was described by

Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...

as having "waxen skin and eyebrows like butterflies." An

Edward Steichen Edward Jean Steichen (March 27, 1879 – March 25, 1973) was a Luxembourgish American photographer, painter, and curator, renowned as one of the most prolific and influential figures in the history of photography. Steichen was credited with tr ...

photograph of Oelrichs was included in an advertisement for Pond's cold cream in a 1926 copy of ''

Ladies' Home Journal ''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States. In 18 ...

''. She became the wife of dance bandleader

Eddy Duchin Edwin Frank Duchin (April 1, 1909 – February 9, 1951), commonly known as Eddy Duchin or alternatively Eddie Duchin, was an American jazz pianist and bandleader during the 1930s and 1940s. Early career Duchin was born on April 1, 1909 in Cambri ...

after the two met at the Waldorf, and wed at her mother's apartment at the Hotel Pierre on June 5, 1935, officiated by Judge Vincent Lippe.Walker, Leo. ''The Big Band Almanac.'' Page 109. Da Capo Press, 1989. Marjorie was removed from the ''

New York Social Register The ''Social Register'' is a semi-annual publication in the United States that indexes the members of American high society. First published in the 1880s by newspaper columnist Louis Keller, it was later acquired by Malcolm Forbes. Since 2014, it ...

'' for marrying Duchin because Eddy was Jewish; her reaction was reportedly "Who cares? It's just a phone book." Oelrichs died on August 3, 1937 in the Harbor Sanitarium at 667 Madison Avenue, just six days after the 1937 birth of the couple's son, Peter Oelrichs Duchin (born July 28, 1937).''Dictionary of American Biography.'' Page 188. 1959. After Eddy's death in 1951, Peter was raised by close family friends, statesman

W. Averell Harriman William Averell Harriman (November 15, 1891July 26, 1986), better known as Averell Harriman, was an American Democratic politician, businessman, and diplomat. The son of railroad baron E. H. Harriman, he served as Secretary of Commerce un ...

and his wife,

Marie Norton Harriman Marie Harriman ( ''née'' Norton, formerly Whitney; April 12, 1903September 26, 1970) was an American art collector and First Lady of New York from 1955 to 1958. She was the second wife of former New York Governor and diplomat Averell Harriman. ...

In popular culture

Kim Novak Marilyn Pauline "Kim" Novak (born February 13, 1933) is an American retired film and television actress and painter. Novak began her career in 1954 after signing with Columbia Pictures and quickly became one of Hollywood's top box office stars, ...

portrayed Oelrichs in the 1956 biopic ''

The Eddy Duchin Story ''The Eddy Duchin Story'' is a 1956 Technicolor film biopic of band leader and pianist Eddy Duchin. It was directed by George Sidney, written by Samuel A. Taylor, and starred Tyrone Power and Kim Novak. Harry Stradling received an Academy Award n ...

'' opposite

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include '' Jesse James'', ...

as Duchin.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Oelrichs, Marjorie 1908 births 1937 deaths American socialites Deaths in childbirth Oelrichs family