Merna Kennedy
Her profile says she died pretty young of a heart attack. Is there more to this story?
shareMerna Kennedy was a close friend of Chaplin's second wife Lita Grey; Lita had recommended Merna for the part. With the exception of Paulette Goddard, none of Chaplin's leading ladies kept the fame after leaving the comedian, and Merna's career was declared more or less finished before it really had started. According to Lita, her friend had an affair with Charlie while the couple was still married, which broke their friendship; Kennedy was married twice, but none of the marriages turned successful. As you says, she died young of a heart attack. That's all I can recall.
sharebeautiful girl . sad. charlie could never keep his pants zipped up.
shareMerna Kennedy retired from making movies in 1934 when she married director Busby Berkley. The marriage only lasted a year. She died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 36 shortly after getting married in Las Vegas. The Circus was, I believe, her first film. Sound gave her a chance to show off her dancing and singing skills but I believe she retired before she could "catch on" so-to-speak. Just my two cents. :-)
sharei like to add, i thought she acted really well in the scene were Rex the real tightropewalker is doing his act and she's madly in love, clapping and laughing hysterically :)
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