IRENE'S LAST NIGHT @ THE HOLLYWOOD KNICKERBOCKER

Irene Gibbons was known by only her first name, and was one of the most successful costume designers in motion picture history.  She took over from Adrian at MGM, and went on to establish her own company, Irene, Inc.  

 Billing herself simply as "Irene," her first work came in 1933 on the film Goldie Gets Along featuring her designs for star Lily Damita. However, her big break came when she was hired to create the gowns for Ginger Rogers for her 1937 film Shall We Dance with Fred Astaire. This was followed by more designs in another Ginger Rogers film as well as work for other independents such as Walter Wanger Productions, Hal Roach Studios as well as majors such as RKO, Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures. During the 1930s, Irene Lentz designed the film wardrobe for leading ladies such as Constance Bennett, Hedy Lamarr, Joan Bennett, Claudette Colbert, Carole Lombard, Ingrid Bergman, and Loretta Young among others.

 Irene confided to her close friend Doris Day that the marriage to Gibbons was not a happy one. Some say she was in love with Gary Cooper who died in 1961.   Hollywood babylon claimes she was in love with Elizabeth Taylor. somehow that seems more plausible to me. She was also very close with Doris Day.  rumors about her have swilled around hollywood for years. 

Officially, her husband was quite ill, and she was upset over his condition.  He had several strokes and was paralyzed.  
On the 15th of November 1962, at 2am, Irene checked into room 1129 of the Knickerbocker Hotel.  They found 2 pint bottles, one empty and one in the bathroom with 2 shots left in it.  During those few hours, she penned a two page suicide note mentioning her husband's illness, and apologizing to hotel guests for any inconvenience her death may cause.  At 3:12 that afternoon she pushed the screen of her window and jumped.
 
Mr. Lombardo was staying in room 429 and heard the crash on the roof, and contacted the hotel manager, Mr. Tozzi, who discovered Irene on the 3rd floor roof, 9 feet in front of room 329.  She was found immediately (not several days later) and her wrists were not cut.  She did have a sore on her hip which was bleeding, and they found a bloody bandage in the room.

In her purse, which was also left in the room, there was $1.62 in cash, cosmetics, 3 credit cards and a drivers license.
She was 60 years old.

She was cremated and is located in Forest Lawn Glendale.

The Knickerbocker is now a retirement home, the former home of Larry Fine of the Three Stooges, and where Frances Farmer was arrested andWilliam Frawley pronounced dead in the lobby, and director D.W. Griffith collapsed in the lobby and died.