It has often been wondered why William Powell did not marry the wonderful actress Jean Harlow after they had been unofficially engaged for three years. They had become one of Hollywood's most iconic couples, but marriage was never openly mentioned. There were probably several reasons, but the main one is told in this short post!
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, the studios had a firm hold on their actors and actresses (especially), through their contracts. They would have 'morality clauses' stating that they were not allowed to do certain things in their private life as it would impact their on-screen appearance. Jean Harlow was no exception.
In the '30s Jean signed a contract with MGM Studios in which it was stated that she was not allowed to get married. The studios probably felt that as a blonde bombshell would not have the same on-screen attraction if everyone knew that she was a married woman. Bill and Jean were waiting for Jean's contract to run out, Bill would not want to ruin Jean's career in any way and Jean herself would have been under considerable pressure from the studio, and maybe more importantly, her mother not to break it (if that was even possible).
Unfortunately Jean died before the end of the contract. She died on the 7th of June, 1937 of kidney failure, with Bill and her mother at her bedside.
I think no more proof is needed to show Bill's devotion to Jean. You can obviously see it, not only in the photos of him at her funeral which show his devastation, but in the fact that he payed for her entire funeral and her mother's burial plots.
