Nationality US Name Louis Gardella | Role Lynne Roberts' ex-husband | |
Born 5 April 1897 Vallejo, California Occupation engineer, motion picture executive Died October 21, 1970, Los Angeles, California, United States Spouse Lynne Roberts (m. 1944–1952) | ||
Louis John Gardella (born 5 April 1897, Vallejo, California, died 21 Oct 1970, Los Angeles, California age 75) was the second husband of B-movie heroine Lynne Roberts.
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Early years
Louis J Gardella was the son of Joseph Gardella, who owned a tallow works, and Carlotta Gardella, both Italian immigrants. Louis Gardella had two years of college, was a steel company engineer, then an official of the War Production Board. Later Gardella worked as an assistant to Republic Pictures president Herbert J. Yates. Gardella married former child actress June King in Las Vegas, 1938; later he told her the ceremony was illegal. June King sued for damages and reached a settlement with Gardella.
Marriage to Lynne Roberts
Gardella married Lynne Roberts, December 16, 1944, in Salome, Arizona, two days after she divorced her first husband, William Engelbert, Jr. One day, Gardella brought Roberts' 4-year-old son, Billy, to the Republic lot to watch Lynne in one of her biggest scenes in a new Gene Autry picture, Sioux City Sue. Billy surveyed the scene in silence for a few moments, then asked: "Where's Gene Autry?" On being informed that the Singing Cowboy was not working in this particular scene, Lynne's son turned to Gardella in disgust and said. "Let's go home, Daddy."
Divorce from Lynne Roberts
Roberts and Gardella separated in 1949 but were reconciled. In 1951, the marriage ended in divorce. In court, Gardella's attorney argued that the couple's Arizona wedding was invalid because Roberts was not legally divorced from William Engelbert, Jr., although Roberts claimed she had a Mexican divorce decree.
Later life
After leaving Republic Pictures, Gardella worked for Hughes Aircraft. He died in Los Angeles and is buried in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, San Mateo, California.