In the 1930s, rumours spread fast that two very handsome Hollywood heartthrobs at the time, Cary Grant and Randolph Scott, were in a romantic relationship. But was it true, when Hollywood of that period was run by the strict studio system? With their public and personal life always got arranged by the studio, these leading men were, undoubtedly, never granted the rights to have their own homosexual relationships in plain sight.
They were said to first meet in 1932, on the set of the Paramount drama
Hot Saturday, on which they immediately got along well with each other. Soon they began living together, sharing a Santa Monica beach house, which was jokingly known as “Bachelor Hall,” and a mansion in Los Feliz. For nearly 12 years, they lived together from time to time. There were also various reports of attractive and beautiful women repeatedly passing in and out of their house, though it was said that they were all made up by the studios.
Carole Lombard, the pair’s mutual friend, once quipped, “Their relationship is perfect. Randy pays the bills, and Cary mails them.” American fashion critic Richard Blackwell claimed in his memoir that they were “deeply, madly in love, their devotion complete” during his months living with them. However, Jennifer Grant, daughter of the two-time Oscar nominee, wrote in her memoir that, “Dad somewhat enjoyed being called gay. He said it made women want to prove the assertion wrong.”
By the mid-1940s, the pair were no longer living together. It was rumoured that their parting came from constant pressure from the studio heads to protect their image. Nonetheless, Grant and Scott still remained extremely close throughout their lives.
Here are some photos capturing the two of them together:
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1933. Chocolate birthday cake for both Cary Grant and Randolph Scott from Nancy Carroll on the Paramount set. |
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November 24, 1933. Cary Grant, Randolph Scott and Virginia Cherrill aboard the SS Pars on its arrival at Plymouth, England. |
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1935. A servant pouring tea for the actors in their house. |
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1935. Grant and Scott doing their daily activities in their house. |
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1935. Grant and Scott doing their daily activities in their house. |
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1935. Washing dishes together. |
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1935. In their house in Santa Monica. |
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1935. In their house in Santa Monica. |
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1935. Grant playing the piano while Scott listening. |
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1935. The two actors casually chatting. |
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1935. Grant and Scott doing their daily activities in their house. |
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1935. Grant and Scott doing their daily activities in their house. |
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1935. Singing together. |
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1935. The two actors standing in front of their house in Santa Monica. |
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1935. In front of their new home which looks out over Santa Monica sea front. |
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1935. Working out together. |
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1935. Working out together. |
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1935. Running on the beach. |
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1935. Running on the beach. |
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1935. Poolside at their Santa Monica beach front house. |
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1935. Poolside at their Santa Monica beach front house. |
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1935. Chatting and sharing smokes. |
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1936. Randolph Scott, Virginia Bruce and Cary Grant enjoying beverages at a Hollywood event in California. |