Category Archives: Lance Brisson

The Marriage of Rosalind Russell and Frederick Brisson

rosalind russell frederick brisson
Rosalind Russell and Freddie Brisson

Rosalind Russell and Frederick Brisson were married for 35 years, a record for a Hollywood marriage. As we have all observed over time, Hollywood marriages aren’t always the easiest to keep together, and who knows what factors are the cause of these breakups? Even though Roz and Freddie (as he was usually called) had their song, which their good friend Frank Sinatra sang to them in 1940 (“I’ll Never Smile Again”), I have a song in mind for them. Frank was a new sensation at the time and only about 25 years old, but he became good friends with the Brissons after that. But I digress. I made a video about a year or so ago celebrating the marriage of Roz and Freddie. I used the song “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” by Michael Bublé. It seems to fit them perfectly. And whenever I hear this song, I think “Roz and Freddie.”

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Freddie Brisson and Rosalind Russell at the Stork Club, 1945

It was about 1940 that Frederick Brisson and Rosalind Russell first started dating. A funny story was that when Freddie was on his way to the United States in 1939, all they played on the boat was “The Women,” and after he saw Rosalind’s insane antics over and over again, he thought, “I’m either going to kill that woman or I’m going to marry her.” And marry her he did. But it was difficult going at first. He begged and pleaded with his good friend Cary Grant to get him a date with her, as Cary was filming “His Girl Friday” with her at the time. And Roz said, “Every day Cary would come to the set and say, ‘Do you know Freddie Brisson? And I’d say, ‘No, what is that? A sandwich?’” Eventually, however, they ended up going to the races (at Santa Anita Racetrack) together and as most fairytales go, they fell in love and got married (the following year, 1941).

rosalind russell frederick brisson
Rosalind Russell and Freddie Brisson

When I gushed about his parents in a letter I sent to Lance Brisson, I was thrilled to receive a response. And he said something like (because I do not have the letter by my side at the moment) “My parents had a good marriage, albeit one that had them traveling a lot.”

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Lance Brisson, Rosalind Russell, and Freddie Brisson while Roz was filming “Auntie Mame”

I think one of the reasons they had such a long lasting marriage was because they knew how to laugh with each other, at each other when the time warranted. They had a lot of fun together and they loved each other very much. As Roz said at their 25th wedding anniversary in Las Vegas, “25 years is a long time. But it’s also a very short time when you love someone.”

rosalind russell frederick brisson
Rosalind Russell and Freddie Brisson

Roz usually radiated a love of life all around her, and I am sure Freddie just loved that about her. And I am sure they were both very happy that she made it to her 35th wedding anniversary. That is a milestone year and when Freddie gave her a little gold bracelet that had “35” encrusted in diamonds, she was so delighted that she said “I’ll never take it off.” She died the following month that year in 1976, and as Freddie wrote, she never took that bracelet off. Theirs was a bittersweet ending, but they had 35 years filled with joy and laughter and who wouldn’t want that?

Rosalind Russell and Freddie Brisson's 25th anniversary party, hosted by Frank Sinatra
Rosalind Russell and Freddie Brisson’s 25th anniversary party, hosted by Frank Sinatra

Photo of the Day

I feel like I became a recluse recently or something, and completely forgot about my blog. I need to turn my life around and get going on this blog as well because it does make me happy when I write for it. I just forgot about that joy. By the way, I will be helping out with the Classic Actress Tournament again, which I guess will start in March. This means that I need to start making my list for the 1940s era of classic actresses. Of course, if you have any suggestions of an actress you’d like to compete as one of the 32 actresses, let me know 🙂 Thank you!


Sorry about the watermark, but I thought you’d enjoy this one because Roz’s son, Lance and husband, Freddie are in it. I love family photos! This was, of course, when she was filming “Auntie Mame”

I love finding new photos

So… I was browsing, looking for some photos of Roz I perhaps hadn’t seen before… and I found some I really like 🙂 

Thought I’d share some of them on here… Just so you all know, I love any photo of her with her husband/family. Love!

With her husband, Freddie, 1949
Right after they got married, 1941. Note the U.S. flag on the left and the Danish flag on the right.
Giving her 3 1/2-year-old son, Lance, a bath
Publicity photo for “No Time For Comedy” with James Stewart (who doesn’t love him, right?)