The suicide of actress Carole Landis, 29, an overdose of Secondal. Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, July 5, 1948. 

She was found in her bathroom, with her head resting on a jewelry case.

In her bedroom, a mink coat covers a chair, beside the window is a large hairdryer. 

Landis had been despondent, realizing her lover, Rex Harrison, would not leave his wife, Lilli Palmer, for her. She left two suicide notes, one for her mother, and one for Rex, but Rex told his lawyer’s to destroy the one address to him and afterwords denied it’s existence. Though their relationship was an open secret in Hollywood, after her death, he denied it was anything more than a close friendship. He attended her funeral with his wife. 

Rex was the last person to see her alive, having dined with her the night before, escorting her home around 9pm. The next morning he called up twice, and when the maid told him that she couldn’t arouse Carole, he came over. He is listed as the one who discovered her in the detective’s report.

The note she left for her mother reads:

Dearest Mommie,

I’m really, really sorry to put you through this but there is no way to avoid it.

I love you, darling, you have been the most wonderful mom ever.

And that applies to all our family. I love each and every one of them dearly.

Everything goes to you. Look in the files and there is a will which decrees everything.

Goodbye, my angel, pray for me.
SGD/Your baby.

She is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale.