Menage-a-trois

 The Duels

Barbara Payton

Actor Franchot Tone, from France, was involved in two notable Menage-a-trois incidents; they had very different endings though.

The most notable trio was when he was the center of the row between Bette Davis, and Joan Crawford. The rows between Bette and Joan were relentless, and only ended when Joan died. The rows did no serious damage to the careers of either lady.

Several years later, he was involved in another Menage-a-trois, this time the outcome was very different. This trio involved Franchot, and actor Tom Neal over rising starlet, Barbara Payton. This row got so violent Franchot ended up in hospital with a broken nose, and fractured jaw, and labelled Barbara as box-office poison. Tom Neal is best kown for the movie Detour, with Ann Savage.

From rising star to box-office poison.

The glamourous starlet, who months earlier studios raged for had now become known as too much trouble, and was rejected. In her later years, she was more often seen on police bulletins, than in Hollywood. Apparently, months before her death, a former colleague saw her selling herself to get money for a meal