Daughter of a Hungarian Baron and a Countess, Lya De Putti was done in by a chicken bone. After a brief stint in Hungarian Vaudeville, she made several films at the German UFA Studios, most notably Variety in 1925. Following her success in Eastern Europe, she attempted a Hollywood career and failed. A bid for Broadway also fizzled. In despair, possibly eating more than was good for her, she swallowed a chicken bone which had to be removed by emergency surgery. Complications followed which De Putti, already weakened by pneumonia, did not survive. On November 27, 1931, Lya De Putti died in New York, all but forgotten by the public. She was 34.
I wonder how many stories like this still happen in Hollywood. Starlet goes there, doesn't make it, and then has an early end.
ReplyDelete