Gladys Frazin

Biography

Gladys Frazin was born on June 21, 1900 in Chicago, Illinois. She began her career on the New York stage. In 1918 she married theatrical agent Leo Lowenstein. Their son, Leo Jr, was born two years later. Gladys starred on Broadway in The Masked Woman and toured the country in White Cargo. She became a popular stage star and was featured on the cover of The National Police Gazette. In 1924 she made her film debut in the drama Let No Man Put Asunder. She left her husband and married actor Douglas Gilmore but they were divorced in 1925. Her third marriage, to Richard W. Lehne, only lasted a month. Gladys went to London to star in a stage production of The Trial of Mary Dugan. She married comedian Monty Banks in 1929. They costarred together in The Compulsory Husband and Monty adopted her son. Gladys appeared in some British films but she never became a major star. Her final role was in the 1931 drama The Other Woman. In April of 1932 she disappeared for several days after having a nervous breakdown. Soon after Monty filed for divorced and Gladys moved in with her parents in New York City. She and Monty announced they were going to remarry in 1934 but they broke up again. Gladys was diagnosed with schizophrenia and suffered from severe depression. On March 9, 1939 she committed suicide by jumping out of her sixth floor bedroom window. She was only thirty-eight years old. Gladys left a suicide note that said "Mother and Dad, Please forgive me for what I am doing. I cannot suffer any longer. Love, Gladys."