THE 'CHAUFFEUR' of a Fylde woman who claims to be late screen siren Jeanne Crain has helped to unravel more of the reclusive charity worker's intriguing past.
As reported in The Citizen (January 15), Help the Aged volunteer, Marjorie Laws, 68, not only claims to be the daughter of legendary musician, Eddie Calvert, but also the Oscar winning actress, Jeanne Crain.
Our source -- who wishes to remain anonymous -- told how he has been friends with Marjorie (pictured) and her 89-year-old husband, William Laws, for six years.
He volunteered as a Friend of Blackpool's Grand Theatre with both Marjorie and William, who now live in a static caravan in Marton, and witnessed the pair as they fell in love.
And claims he became suspicious after being asked to drive the 'star' to a local amateur dramatics society premiere of the Jeanne Crain classic 'State Fair'.
He said: "Marjorie was very believable at first but after a while her stories seemed to trip her up.
"Everybody knows that Jeanne Crain was signed to 20th Century Fox but a couple of times Marjorie tripped herself up by saying she was with MGM.
"Jeanne Crain would never have made that mistake.
"I began to ask more and more questions because I suspected she was not what she claimed to be but her memory began to get very 'selective' regarding her past.
"None-the-less we were still friends and when she asked me to be her driver for the premiere of 'State Fair' at the Lowther Pavilion in 2001 I agreed.
"It was a long night, especially as Marjorie kept me an hour longer than originally agreed by signing dozens of autographs.
"But I don't mind doing a friend a good turn now and then and I thought that was the end of it.
"Then I read a news article talking about how Jeanne Crain had turned up in a white chauffeur-driven limo.
"I drive a black 1987 Vauxhall Carlton so you can imagine how shocked I was!"
Questions began to circulate about the identity of Marjorie Calvert after an obituary for Jeanne Crain was published in the Santa Barbara News Press reporting that the 78-year-old actress had died of a heart attack at her Californian home on December, 14.
But -- speaking exclusively to The Citizen last week -- Ms Calvert's son, Peter Hamel, a Pleasure Beach ride attendant, said there was "absolutely no mystery" surrounding his mother's identity and that she was very much alive and considering legal action over the death reports.
Our source claims otherwise.
He said: "Of course there are questions surrounding the true identity of Marjorie.
"Among other things she claims to be the daughter of Eddie Calvert but the dates just don't add up.
"After the limo incident I spent a lot of time checking Marjorie out.
"I once asked her to show me some of her memorabilia from the good old days including her Oscar.
"She came up with the excuse that the reason she has no 'souvenirs' of her days as a world famous actress is due to having to leave the USA quickly after being hounded for tax from the IRS.
"Peter himself once hinted to me that he was the lovechild of Anthony Quinn. It's all just too much to take!"
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