Mercedes de Acosta

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Mercedes de Acosta (March 1, 1893 - May 9, 1968) was a Spanish-American poet, playwright, costume designer, and socialite best known for her lesbian affairs with Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Alla Nazimova, Eva Le Gallienne ([[1]]), Isadora Duncan, Katharine Cornell, Maude Adams, Ona Munson ("Belle Watling" in the movie Gone With the Wind), Adele Astaire, and others.

It was a reputation not appreciated by everyone. As Alice B. Toklas (also a noted lesbian) wrote to a disapproving friend, Anita Loos, "You can't dispose of Mercedes lightly. She had the two most important women in America" (Greta Garbo and possibly Marlene Dietrich), although some took the "second woman" to refer to Eleanor Roosevelt.

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Background

She was born to a Cuban father, Ricardo de Acosta, and a Spanish mother, Micaela Hernandez y de Alba, who herself was a descendant of the Spanish Dukes of Alba, in New York City in 1893.

Mercedes de Acosta married Abram Poole (1882 - 1961) in 1920, a noted painter and socialite. They divorced in 1935. Both he and she were homosexuals.

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Personal Life

Although talented in her professional field, it is no doubt her personal life that has made her famous in Hollywood circles. She became involved in numerous lesbian relationships with Hollywood's elite.

In 1916 she began an affair with actress Alla Nazimova, and shortly thereafter started an affair with actress Tallulah Bankhead, and later dancer Isadora Duncan.

Shortly after marrying Abram Poole in 1920, she became involved in a turbulent 5 year relationship with actress Eva Le Gallienne.

Over the next decade she amassed an ensemble of female partners, all of whom were either rising stars, or aging stars. These included Rudolph Valentino's alleged fiancée, Pola Negri, writer Edith Wharton, writer and stage actress Katharine Cornell, socialite Dorothy ("Dickie") Fellowes-Gordon, and with Amy Lowell, as well.

De Acosta was involved with Russian ballerina Tamara Platonovna Karsavina (see [[2]]) throughout her life, after their first meeting in 1920.

The two were as much friends as they were lovers, and Karsavina was one of the few who continued to be friendly toward de Acosta following the controversial autobiography released by the latter, exposing many of her relationships to the public.

In 1931, she met and quickly became involved with Greta Garbo. The two were introduced to one another by de Acosta's lover at the time, author Salka Viertel. The relationship with Garbo has often been described as the love of her lifetime.

It is doubtful from all information from the time that Garbo shared those feelings. Garbo was in control of the affair, and the two would be together for lengthy periods, then apart for long spells, all at the will of Garbo.

In 1944, Garbo ended the on-again off-again relationship. At that time, she insisted de Acosta stop sending her poems and letters professing her love. The last known poem written by de Acosta for Garbo was written that same year.

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Later life

Her memoir, Here Lies the Heart, was published in 1960 because Mercedes was ill with a brain tumour and in need of money.

Its revelations, though highly sanitized and supported as fact, resulted in the severing of numerous friendships of famous women who preferred their sexuality remain private, including that of the mercurial Garbo.

Eva Le Gallienne in particular was furious, and completely did away with anything reminding her of de Acosta (see[[3]]).

Cut off from many of her friends and increasingly in financial straits, Acosta died at age 75 in relative poverty (although her sister, Rita, had married well) and obscurity.

She is buried with her mother and sister, Rita de Alba de Acosta (a fabled beauty best known as Mrs. Rita Lydig) at Trinity Cemetery in Washington Heights, New York City.

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External links

it:Mercedes de Acosta

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