Linda Darnell, one of five children of a postal clerk, grew up fast. At 11, she was modeling clothes, giving her age as 16. At 13, she was appearing on the stage with little theater groups. Her mother encouraged her to audition when Hollywood talent scouts came to Dallas. She went to California and when the studio found out how young she really was, she was sent home and told to come back when she was 15. Her fourth film, Star Dust, was based on this real life experience. It was Star Dust that Darnell was watching the night of April 9, 1965, at the home of her former secretary, located in Glenview, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The house caught on fire in the early hours of the next morning and Darnell died that afternoon in Cook County Hospital. The character she played in one of her best known roles, Forever Amber survived the London fire, the plague and the perils of being the mistress of the English king, Charles II.



Hotel for Women (1939): $750/week

Born at 4:40am-CST. Died in a fire of unknown source while visiting friends. While sleeping upstairs and awakened by smoke, she tried to exit through the downstairs door, but was trapped. Badly burned over 90% of her body she died the following day in the hospital. Source: "Hollywood Beauty" by Ronald L. Davis University of Oklahoma Press. Mother of Charlotte Mildred Adams (nicknamed Lola). Born on January 5, 1948; adopted in 1948 while Darnell was married to Peverell Marley. One of her closest friends was actress Ann Miller.