Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams was born Margaret Thomas Adams on January 11, 1922. During her freshman year at the University of North Carolina she was discovered by modeling agent Harry Conover. She dropped out of school and moved to New York City to be a model. She made her film debut in the 1942 comedy Moonlight Masquerade. For a short time she used the stage name Tommye Adams. On January 22, 1942 she married 41-year-old actor Lyle Talbot; the marriage was annulled just eight months later. Abigail was romantically involved with Tony Martin, Mickey Rooney, and pianist Jose Iturbi. She began a turbulent romance with actor George Jessel in 1944; he was 23 year older and had three ex-wives. They broke up and got back together numerous times. Abigail had bit parts in more than a dozen films, including Bathing Beauty and Marriage Is A Private Affair. In March 1945 she was arrested for hit-and-run driving; the charges were dropped when George Jessel testified in her defense. Abigail's apartment was destroyed in a fire in December 1947. By that time she had a serious drinking problem and her career was in trouble. Her last film was the 1948 comedy The Fuller Brush Man. George proposed to her with a heart-shaped diamond ring but refused to set a wedding date. They continued to have an on-again/off-again relationship. Abigail started singing in nightclubs and wrote a screenplay. She suffered from severe insomnia and began taking sleeping pills at night. In 1950 she attempted suicide by slashing her wrists. She was arrested on December 12, 1954 for public intoxication and ended up her relationship soon after. On February 13, 1955, at only 33 years old, she died after overdosing on sleeping pills. She was found in her bed wearing a blue nightgown. The police ruled her death as accidental but many believe she committed suicide. She was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Charlotte, North Carolina.