Brenda Frazier

American socialite, the "Debutante of the Year" in 1938. Canadian born Frazier was noticed by a New York society tabloid columnist and was predicted to be the belle of her season. He was right on target. Within two years, Fraziers name and photograph were continuously appearing nationwide in cafe society publications, unofficially crowning her the worlds "Glamour Girl No. 1." Pushed to the top by her social climbing mother and grandmother, Brenda was a pawn to further the ambitions of these two selfish women. Using Brendas four million dollar inheritance to fuel her ascent into cafe society, they groomed her into a professional beauty by dressing her in furs and jewels and encouraging her to date wealthy, socially prominent men. Their regimen culminated in a debutante ball that received press coverage on a par with a presidential inauguration. The coming-out event took place at the Ritz Hotel in New York on 12/ 27/1938. Thousands of dollars and months of planning had been spent to introduce Frazier to society in the politically correct manner. Fifteen detectives disguised in white tie and tails were hired to work the occasion, keeping an especially close eye on the Rothschild diamonds on the necks, throats and fingers of certain attendees. After bitterly complaining to cancel the whole affair, flu-stricken, edema suffering Frazier rose to the occasion and danced all night and, as the gala was finally winding down at 6 oclock the following morning, commuters on their way to work read the accounts of her outstanding social success. Across the continent in San Francisco the headlines read: "Brenda is finally out. Now we can all relax." It was estimated that between 12/16/1938 and 1/7/1939, thoroughbred-in-training Frazier had spent a marathon 140 hours on the dance floor and danced a total of 70 miles. The success of the coming out party resulted in a search by mom for a suitable husband for her stock in trade daughter. "Unless I married well, the whole year would have passed in vain." Frazier later wrote. " I was bred and trained to be married, run a household, give parties, and rear daughters to have their own debuts and sons to dance with a new generation of debutantes." A potential husband surfaced in the form of one-time professional athlete John "Shipwreck" Kelly, and Frazier and Kelly married in December 1941. Daughter Victoria was born in 1945 and was subsequently shipped off to boarding school. Success as a debutante had its limits; playboy "Ship" did not have a steady career and, after his prolonged hospital sojourn in 1950 while recovering from several operations, Frazier asked for a separation. They divorced in 1956. After age 30, Brenda found herself alone and living in relative obscurity, no longer pursued by reporters and photographers. She had lost her domineering mother, was losing her looks and was deeply in debt. Unable to cope with independence and its attendant responsibility, she drank and took tranquilizers to calm her nerves and ease her chronic bouts with depression. "Things really started to go downhill after she and Daddy broke up," said daughter Victoria. Her clouded judgment led to two unstable relationships, first with Count Vasilli Adlerberg, an obsolete Russian nobleman, then Count Pietro Francesco Mele, the only son of one of Italys wealthiest families. Meles unpredictable mood swings required careful handling, and their jet set lifestyle between Italy and New York ended after thre Read less