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Ross Alexander shot himself with a .22 caliber pistol, not a rifle as reported in this Wikipedia article. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Register, File number 65737 for Ross Alexander Smith Jr. (dated January 2, 1937) reports that the nature of the suicide was "shooting - revolver." The coroner's jury concluded that the probable cause of the suicide was "despondency." It might be a good idea to incorporate the word "despondency" in the article since it was use by the coroner. An article in the Los Angeles Times ("Alexander's Fate Detailed" January 7, 1937, Page 2) states that he "shot himself with a hunting pistol." The same article quotes the widow, Anne Nagel, at the inquest as saying that on the night of the suicide, "Ross was playing with his pistol. Pretty soon we both started playing with the gun after he removed the cartridges." The same article reports that during the inquest, Cornelius Stevenson (the butler) had (along with Ross Alexander's father who was visiting) "remonstrated" and "counselled" Ross from shooting himself on December 7, 1936 when Ross was "intoxicated." Another LA Times article ("Grief Grips Anne Nagel" January 4, 1937, Page 3) states "Alexander shot and killed himself with a small caliber revolver in the loft of a barn on the ranch late Saturday. His body was found on a pile of grain sacks, the revolver clutched in his left hand and a bullet wound in his left temple. He was left handed." Ross did not use the same suicide weapon as Aleta Freel. At the coroner's inquest for Aleta Freel Alexander, Ross Alexander said, "I heard two shots and called William Bolden, the butler, to turn on the yard lights. With Bolden following me, I ran around the house and stumbled over my wife's body, pitching to the ground. Her rifle lay beside her." ("Actor Tells Wife's Death" Aleta Alexander Held Suicide" LA Times, December 13, 1935, Page 1). The same article says (regarding Aleta Freel Alexander's father, Dr. William Freel) "He had also been informed that his daughter shot herself with a .22 caliber pistol, whereas she had actually used a rifle." Ross Alexander does not appear, as the wikipedia article states, to have used the same suicide weapon as Aleta Freel Alexander. She used a rifle. Ross used a pistol. Ross Alexander's death is not only reported inaccurately in "Hollywood Babylon." His death his also reported inaccurately (and somewhat flippantly) in the blog forgetthetalkies.com which is cited as a reference in this Wikipedia article. I have PDF copies of these newspaper articles if you want to see them (email me and I can email them to you). I only have paper copies of the coroner's register. Also, what is the source for the rumor: "It is rumored that he accepted his first studio contract, with Paramount, when they agreed to advance him the funds necessary to obtain his divorce" ? This seems to be unsourced.
Ervin64 (talk) 08:06, 17 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Assuming you're not a troll, what is the basis for your claim that he "was obviously of Jewish decent"? Many Jews have the name "Smith", my sister-in-law and her late husband, his parents and their children among them. 12.233.147.42 (talk) 22:34, 11 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]
Ed (talk) 16:26, 14 August 2017 (UTC)If his mother's maiden name was "Cohen" as the article says, then he was Jewish whatever his father was. In Jewish custom, it's the mother's descent which matters.[reply]
