[Lon Haverly]

I got an interview with his friend of his last ten years. I learned some funny things about him, some of which cleared up misinformation.

He was not Jewish, poor, nor did he draw German Nazis to escape death!!! But he was in Poland when the war started. He was a Count, and very well educated from a very rich industrial family. At twenty, he joined the Polish army. After 11 days of fighting, he was captured and held in a prison camp for a year. He escaped, fled to Egypt, where he learned that his uncle had joined the RAF. He never was allowed back in to see his family in Poland, and was cut off from all financial support from them. He enlisted in the RAF (Royal Air Force of England) and flew a P-51. Was shot down several times. After the war he was given free education at Oxford for his service to England, then went to Italy to study at the art institute in Florence. He painted several heads of state in Europe, including the Belgian King.

He married a rich American of Venezualan descent, and came to Hollywood, where he successfully continued his painting career.

Here is a funny note. He once was commissioned to paint Gina Lollobrigida for MGM. After he finished the painting and was paid, she sued MGM, quit and moved back to Italy. MGM never took delivery on the painting. He had another commission for a lady who was not physically attractive. She wanted him to use her face, but make up a composition for a full figure painting. He washed off the head of Gina Lollobrigida, and painted her's in place! She was very well pleased.

Here is a photo of him painting Esther Williams, with whom he had a secret affair. MGM actually bought a house in Phoenix for him and paid him handsomely to move there to hide the scandal with their most successful starlet.