Paula
It was dark and rainy in Los Angeles on December 21, 1947, the day that I was born. Dr. Jones, in a festive spirit exclaimed, "Her skin is the fairest I've ever seen! You should name her Mary." My mother pondered upon his suggestion until my father arrived. She was still drowsy from the delivery, but managed to prop herself up in bed.
"Her hair is sure red." My dad said.
"What do you think about the name of Mary?" Mom asked.
"Since, when?"
Upon hearing about the doctor's sentiments and with due respect, my father replied, "No, we'll name her Paula, just like we planned." And, so it was . . . Paula Louise Ann Goetten.
I was born into a family, of Italians and Austrians. My parents were both first generation Americans. My father's family had immigrated from Vienna, Austria and settled in St. Cloud, Minnesota, in 1904. Hedwig Himsel, my paternal grandmother, spent her youth in the 200 room, Castle von Altendorf, her ancestral home until she married my grandfather, Peter Goetten. Being young and adventurous, they decided to move to the United States, where my grandfather opened a meat market business on St. Cloud's Fifth Ave. near First Street. Later, with their five children, they moved out west to Hollywood ~ where they became steeped in the film business and adopted the show biz name of Marlowe.
The move was mainly to accommodate their eldest daughter's acting career, which was far surpassing the meat market in dividends. Born, Gisela Valeria, my aunt took the name of June Marlowe. She was lovely and kind young lady. A director spotted her in 1923, and she made her first on screen appearances that year. The director cast her in some short films to see how she would photograph. In no time at all she began landing large parts at Warner Brothers and Universal Studio's. She was most famous for her role of "Miss Crabtree," the charming schoolteacher, in the Our Gang and Little Rascals series. However before that, she appeared in the original Rin Tin Tin movies and also appeared in many silent films, working with actors such as the renown John Barrymore, the greats, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy and many others.
The second oldest daughter, Ilona, became very wealthy. Her husband Ross Cortesse, an innovative real estate developer came into his own. He first built the Rossmore Tract Homes, during the war and later, the famous, "Leisure World" retirement city, in Laguna Beach. The next oldest child, Uncle Armor, was prop man for such TV Highlights as, The Beverly Hillbillies, Barnaby Jones and The Loretta Young Show. Louis, was a director from 1935 to 1971 with Warner Bros. and Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. The youngest child, was my father, the handsome and gentle, Gerald Peter. Stellar in academics, he graduated from UCLA with honors. While seriously considering the Jesuit priesthood, he stumbled into a contract with Universal Studio's as an actor. He was also to become his family’s black sheep.
This is wonderful!!! I wish I had found you before I published my book "Looking for Miss Crabtree". I would still love to talk with you about your aunt, if you are ok with it.
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