A fairly basic, flat grave marker with the name, Dorothy Millette Bern, on the north side of East Sacramento’s East Lawn Memorial Park generally receives no attention by visitors of that cemetery.
But then again, few visitors of East Lawn Memorial Park are aware of Dorothy and her association with a real-life Hollywood mystery of the 1930s.
Although the name, Dorothy Millette Bern, might as well be the name, Jane Doe, to most people today, Dorothy made front page news in September 1932.
That news was connected with the mysterious death of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film producer Paul Bern, who had married Jean Harlow, one of Hollywood’s most notable and beautiful actresses, on July 2, 1932.
Harlow had rose to fame through her starring role in the 1930 Howard Hughes produced war film, “Hell’s Angels.”
During her career, the platinum blonde actress appeared in various other movies, including six films with Clark Gable.
Paul Bern, who was born in Germany as Paul Levy on Dec. 3, 1889, was one of the six children of Julius and Henriette Levy. The family immigrated to the United States when Paul was 8 years old.
After taking an interest in drama, and studying, performing and managing in live theater in New York, Paul Bern – which was his adopted stage name – made his way to the Hollywood area in the early 1920s.
Paul experienced much success in California, as he would eventually become a film writer and director for Paramount Pictures Corp. and United Artists. And he later acquired his aforementioned position as an MGM producer.
On Monday, Sept. 5, 1932, Paul was discovered dead in his Bavarian-style mansion at 9860 Easton Drive in Beverly Hills.
His butler, John Carmichael, who was earning $3 per day for his work in the Easton Drive mansion, found him lying naked on a floor with a bullet wound in his head at about 11:45 a.m. But for some reason, the death was not reported until the passing of more than two and a half hours.
An alleged suicide note was discovered at the scene.
The note reads: “Dearest dear, Unfortunately this is the only way to make good the frightful wrong I have done you and to wipe out my abject humiliation, I love you. Paul. You understand last night was only a comedy.”
In her statement to the police regarding the note, Harlow said, “I have no idea what it means. This ‘frightful wrong’ he apparently believed he had done me is all a mystery. I can’t imagine what it means.”
And in regard to the topic of suicide, Harlow added, “Paul often talked to me of suicide as a general topic, but never once did he intimate that he himself contemplated such an act. There was nothing between us that I can think of that would have caused him to do this.”
Harlow’s comments to the police came only after she had delayed their questioning process due to what was being referred to at that time as her “hysterical” condition.
According to an article in the Sept. 7, 1932 edition of The Bee, Harlow was under heavy supervision at her mother’s home, where she had, during the previous day, “made a rush toward a balcony,” which was located about 10 feet above the ground below.
Louis B. Mayer, the Hollywood film executive who stopped Harlow from reaching the balcony, noted that at that point, Harlow said, “Let me go to him. He needs me. Is it too late?”

This alleged suicide note was left at the death scene of Hollywood film producer Paul Bern. public domain

Just prior to his death, Paul seemed to have been experiencing the type of life that many people dream about living.
Paul had a successful career in a field in which he loved, and he was residing in his two-year-old mansion with his new, young wife, Jean Harlow.
The news of Paul’s death certainly came as a shock to many people.
In supporting Harlow’s words, The Bee, on Sept. 6, 1932, reported that although it was believed that Paul had apparently committed suicide, it had not been determined why he would have killed himself.
Also supporting Harlow’s words, Marino Bello, Harlow’s stepfather, noted that Paul had often spoken about suicide.
Bello was quoted in the Sept. 6, 1932 article as saying, “I was told that as recently as three weeks ago, (Paul) Bern had said he did not expect to live out a normal span of life.”
A police investigation revealed that the last book Paul had been reading had the title, “Violence,” and that the book concluded with a sudden death.
In denying that the couple was quarrelsome, Bello said, “They were deeply in love and (Paul) was the most considerate of husbands to her.”
In the same addition of The Bee was a separate article explaining that Slavka Vorkapich, who lived a short distance from Paul’s home, had, along with his family, been awakened by “the roar of (a) car’s engine” during the early hours of the morning that Paul’s body was discovered.
Adding to the mystery of Paul’s death were conflicting stories regarding the whereabouts of Paul and Harlow during the weekend leading up to the discovery of his body.
On Sept. 8, 1932, a coroner’s jury of six men came to the conclusion that Paul was killed “by a gunshot wound in the head with suicidal intent.” But the jury declared the motive as being “undetermined.”
Due to her emotional state, Harlow was excused from presenting her testimony during the proceedings.
Another twist in the Paul Bern-Jean Harlow saga was presented in the Sept. 8, 1932 edition of The Bee.
It was noted that during that same day, George G. Clarken, a Los Angeles life insurance man, who was Paul’s insurance adviser, had revealed that Paul never divorced a woman who he had married a decade earlier.

Dorothy Bern