Mysterious Facts About Paul Bern, Hollywood's Lost Son
Some Hollywood murders just seemed to have all the right elements, and the story of Paul Bern absolutely reeks of them: a rising and beautiful starlet, a powerful MGM producer, a secret and possibly deranged ex-wife, and a white bathroom slowly filling with blood. This absolutely true story even has a butler in it—although I'm pretty sure he didn’t do it. There is one thing that this story lacks, though: someone behind bars. So, get out your fedora and fingerprint kit: these facts may just lead you to solving the mystifying case of Paul Bern.
1. He Had A Sweet Childhood
Paul Bern started his life as Paul Levy in 1889 in Prussia. He and his five siblings lived quite literally like kids in a candy store—because their parents owned one. Life, however, was not at all sweet for the family and, because of prejudice against Jews, Bern’s father took a drastic measure. He packed them all up and looked for somewhere new to live.
Like many Europeans at the time, they put all their hopes in one place: America.
2. He Faced Back To Back Losses
In 1908, just ten years after settling in New York City, Bern’s father passed—leaving his wife alone with six children. Somehow the family continued to survive in their still relatively new country. But then Bern faced yet another tragedy. Twelve years after his father passed, his mother had a terrible accident. Although, some say it wasn’t an accident at all.
3. There Was A Dark Reason
This is what we do know: Henriette Levy drowned. What we don't know is why. The easy answer is that it was some sort of accident, but there are darker accounts as well.
Some say Bern’s mother purposely drowned herself, and for a startling reason—one that should have messed up Bern’s life forever.
4. He Had A Problem
Before there was the drowning, there was a problem. Paul Bern had met a woman and, like most young men, wanted to marry her. Bern met Dorothy Millette in 1911, and his mother was strongly against the two love birds tying the knot.
Was it because of Millette’s deep emotional and mental problems? Sounds like a good reason to me.
Well actually, the real reason was much more troubling than that.
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