Artie Shaw's ex-wife gets half of his estate

[Lois Gilbert]

Jury awards ex-wife of late jazz clarinetist Artie Shaw half of his estate
VENTURA, Calif. (AP) — A jury has awarded the ex-wife of the late jazz clarinetist and band leader Artie Shaw $1.42 million, which accounts for about half of his estate.

Evelyn Keyes, the last of Shaw's eight wives, was best known for playing Scarlett O'Hara's sister in the 1939 film "Gone With the Wind."

Shaw died in 2004 at age 94. He and Keyes were married from 1957 to 1985 but separated in 1970.

Long after they separated but while they were still married, Shaw wrote a two-page contract in which they promised each other half of their estates, said Henry Gradstein, lawyer for Keyes, 89.

"She went to his executor to collect her half, and he refused," Gradstein said. "She had no choice but to sue."

The jury made its decision Friday.

Shaw's hit recordings of "Begin the Beguine" and "Star Dust," among others, made him a major star in the Big Band era. Besides Keyes, Shaw also was married to Lana Turner and Ava Gardner.

An attorney for executor A. Edward Ezor did not immediately return a phone call late Monday.

[Valerie]

this sounds like a good thing especially since i heard that she had loaned him money which was never repaid. and everything i've heard sounds like she's a very nice woman.

of course, i think he was with another woman for many years before his passing. wonder if she got anything!!

[Gentle Giant]

Well, she only got half, so unless Artie took the rest with him, looks like someone made out.

[clinthopson]

Maybe Evelyn was the only surviving ex of Artie.

Yeah, wonder who got the other half; the lawyers?

[John P. Cooper]

Read her autobiography - her chapters about her life and years with Shaw and Shaw himself are very revealing. He seems to have been an impossible man to live with.

[Felix]

Originally Posted by Lois Gilbert

the last of Shaw's eight wives

Artie "Bluebeard" Shaw?