Seductive Facts About Leslie Hutchinson, The Royal Scandal-Maker
In the Roaring 20s, no one lived like Leslie Hutchinson. People came in droves to see the cabaret star’s performances—but the anarchy that went on in his crowds was nothing compared to the chaos and scandal of his personal life.
From secret love children to one of the most infamous royal bedroom gifts in history, Leslie “Hutch” Hutchinson’s story is as juicy as they come.
Leslie Hutchinson Facts
1. He Was A Natural
Born in Grenada at the exact turn of the century, Leslie “Hutch” Hutchinson seemed destined to usher the stodgy Victorian world into a new era of sensual pleasure and thrilling scandal. In 1916, when he was still just a teenager, he moved to New York and ended up playing piano in a series of smoky, dimly-lit bars. It was the beginning of his notoriety, and it went from sweet to scary in an instant.
2. He Was A High Society Darling
Hutch was good enough to land a position in an all-Black band that played across New York City for clients like the uber-wealthy Vanderbilt family.
Yet with this fame came grave danger: Objecting to the racial mixing the band represented, the Klu Klux Klan swore vengeance on the group. Hutch, however, didn’t bat an eye. He just came up with a new, more glamorous plan.
3. He Abandoned His Wife
By 1924, the fully-grown Hutch took himself off to Paris, hoping it was a less prejudiced mecca. Yet this was also a huge betrayal. Just months before his trans-Atlantic move, Hutch had married a humble, normal woman named Ella Byrd. He would have a daughter with her, Lesley, just a couple of years later. Although Ella followed him to France, Hutch still wasn’t the settling down kind. As soon as he got to Paris, he got himself into trouble.
