Jean (Harvey) Vanderbilt (b.1937)

Mrs Jean (Harvey) Vanderbilt

She was born in Chicago, a great-granddaughter of Fred Harvey, Founder of the Harvey Restaurant chain; and, of Edward Cudahy, Founder of the Cudahy Meat-Packing Company. She was educated at Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut; and, Wellesley College in Massachusetts. She came to New York to study drama and her name became "romantically linked" with a number of men including Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Pete Rozelle before she became the regular escort of the debonair racehorse-owner, Arthur Gwynne Vanderbilt, Jr. She became his third wife in 1957, when she was just twenty years old and he was 45. They tied the knot in Mexico City but no member of either of their families attended. They had three children together and aside from their homes on Long Island and Florida, travelled extensively around the world. They eventually divorced in 1975 amid rumors that Vanderbilt had become involved with the 29-year old jockey Robyn Smith, afterwards the wife of his friend, Fred Astaire. Jean frequently appeared in the society "best dressed" lists and with Minnie Cushing Coleman was the first American to penetrate the inner circle at uber-fashionable Mustique.
Contributed by Mark Meredith on 09/11/2022 and last updated on 24/02/2023.