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Freel grew depressed as her career failed to take hold and her marriage to Ross
Alexander grew strained. On December 6, 1935, she took a .22 rifle from a gun rack in her home and shot herself through the temple. Freel died early the following morning at Emergency Hospital in Los Angeles. She was 28
219:, governor of New Jersey. Friends and relatives of the actress asked Hoffman and Governor Merriam of California for an exhaustive probe. Freel's father William was quoted as saying that, at the time of his daughter's death, he was not sure she took her life.
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years of age. Her husband confided to police that he and Freel had a "small spat" during the evening. She was disappointed about some screen tests on which she had high hopes, but which were unsuccessful.
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She played leading roles in several eastern stock companies, including the
University Players of Old Silver Beach and the Palm Beach Players. Among Freel's stage performances was a role in the play
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December 14, 1935, in Sacramento, California, the state of California opened an investigation into the "strange death" of Aleta Freel. The inquiry was requested by
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following a backstage romance. Alexander was originally from
Brooklyn, and began his career in New York. He was cast in many Broadway productions, one of which was
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She was educated at the Bergen School for Girls in Jersey City. She graduated from
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386:"Anne Nagel's Death Revives Old Mystery", Monday, August 29, 1966, Page A11.
392:, "Probe of Girl's Death Is Ordered", Sunday, December 15, 1935, Page 19.
367:"Ross Alexander: The Tragic Suicide of a Closeted 1930s Hollywood Star"
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404:, "Aleta Freel Ends Life In Hollywood", December 8, 1935, Page 44.
133:(June 14, 1907 – December 7, 1935) was an American stage actress.
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300:"A Star Cluster in the Professional Firmament"
253:. Utah, Ogden. December 15, 1935. p. 22.
222:Nine months later, Alexander married actress
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172:in Fall 1933. Her Broadway credits include
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489:Actresses from Jersey City, New Jersey
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188:Freel was married to Hollywood actor
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298:Barrangon, Eloise (November 1931).
384:Appleton, Wisconsin Post-Crescent,
355:. New American Press. p. 103.
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504:Suicides by firearm in California
390:Charleston, West Virginia Gazette
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322:"("Aleta Freel" search results)"
509:20th-century American actresses
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170:Ritz Theater in New York City
168:, which was performed at the
304:The Smith Alumnae Quarterly
251:The Ogden Standard-Examiner
124:Dr. and Mrs. William Freile
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435:Internet Broadway Database
328:. Playbill. Archived from
499:American stage actresses
147:Jersey City, New Jersey
66:Los Angeles, California
47:Jersey City, New Jersey
116:(1934–1935; her death)
351:Fonda, Henry (1981).
494:Smith College alumni
178:Three Times the Hour
369:. 28 December 2020.
264:Allen, John R. Jr.
74:Cause of death
396:The New York Times
217:Harold G. Hoffman
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431:Aleta Freel
210:Henry Fonda
176:(1931) and
166:Double Door
131:Aleta Freel
23:Aleta Freel
468:Categories
378:References
224:Anne Nagel
194:The Ladder
137:Early life
94:Occupation
39:1907-06-17
230:Footnotes
156:in 1928.
121:Parent(s)
105:1931–1934
336:June 16,
310:(1): 26.
280:June 16,
180:(1931).
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353:My Life
97:Actress
78:Suicide
160:Career
110:Spouse
68:, U.S.
49:, U.S.
308:XXIII
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
