Cary Grant & Randolph Scott At Home -1935

Two Male Stars Share A House

“Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That”

Did the two “eligible bachelor” movie stars living together have more than a roommate experience?

Here is what the caption on the back of the publicity photograph says:

FILMLAND BACHELORS – Randolph Scott and Cary Grant, two of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors, are established in a house on the Santa Monica beach front. They get along, they say, because each goes his own way. Occasionally they get together for a swim or a session with the medicine ball or even raiding the ice box. Randy and Cary are both under contract to Paramount, where Randy has completed “So Red The Rose.” Cary’s latest was “The Last Outpost.” photo: Paramount / Central Press Association, November 29, 1935

The pair lived together on and off (mostly on) throughout the 1930s until 1942 when Grant married Barbara Hutton. It was rumored the Grant and Scott were more than roommates. They were gay and in love.

Maybe.

But Cary’s daughter Jennifer insists her father was not gay. Costume designer Orry-Kelly said Cary was gay.

However, this photo which started rumors swirling, was part of a spread commissioned by Paramount.

This was a time when the studios did everything they could to protect their stars who were gay from being outed.

Back then whispers that a movie star was gay could end a career. So why would Paramount release these photographs to every magazine and newspaper if it might be construed that two men they were grooming for stardom were gay?

Cary Grant was married five times. Randolph Scott was married twice. That in itself proves nothing. The studios frequently encouraged stars to marry for appearances sake. People will end up believing whatever they want.

In this twenty-first century gender-fluid atmosphere, being gay doesn’t have the same career killing impact it once did. The gay rumors did not end up hampering Cary Grant or Randolph Scott’s careers