Volume
3: After the War examines
Jeanette MacDonald and Gene Raymond’s lives following World War II, when
changes in the entertainment industry affected their careers. Many planned projects never materialized,
some of which are described in detail, showing the disappointment that the
Raymonds encountered. The strain and
frustration they faced in their careers, as well as the continued interference
from Gene’s mother, put stress on their marriage. They often were apart, due to their work and
Gene’s service in the Air Force Reserve.
Additionally, Jeanette had numerous health problems, which led to her
untimely death. Although Gene remarried
nine years after he was widowed, he never stopped loving Jeanette. He kept her legacy alive by playing an active
role in her fan club, taking flowers to her crypt, and promoting her career in
TV and print interviews. The third
volume addresses some of the erroneous information published in other books,
web sites, and blogs, and includes the bibliography for the series. As with the other volumes, it includes some
photos from the Raymonds’ collection and utilizes personal letters, private
papers, and various drafts of Jeanette’s unpublished autobiography. The cover depicts the Raymonds walking in
their gardens, a wistful image reminiscent of the end of Jeanette’s favorite
film, Maytime. It shows how happy they were to finally be
together after the war, unaware that, in less than twenty years, they would be
separated by death.
