Dorothy Hale. A woman who rubbed elbows with the New York elite during the Gilded Age of the ‘20s, a time of “laughter and scandal, champagne and cigarettes.” Who possessed legendary beauty and grace. Who found her truest love and greatest loss with the brilliant artist Gardner Hale. Who rose quickly as a celebrated Broadway dancer and an actress, yet fell even more abruptly to her death.
In the biographical novel, Lady Be Good: The Life and Times of Dorothy Hale, multi-award-winning author Pamela Hamilton provides readers with a gorgeously written story that offers a fascinating insight into the life of a glamorous actress and New York socialite whose premature death carries a note of speculative mystery to this day.
BKM: I wasn’t familiar with Dorothy Hale before reading Lady Be Good, and now I cannot stop thinking about her! She exemplified ambition, grace, and elegance, and harbored an innate love of being alive. There is a scene in your book in which her friend Maggie says of Ms. Hale, “That’s Dorothy, the girl who dances with life.” I thought this defined her so beautifully. What drew you to Dorothy Hale and prompted you to write about her?
PH: It’s wonderful to hear that you connected with Dorothy! One writer from the 1930s called her “indomitable.” It’s hard to believe she became known as a hapless, tragic woman, isn’t it?
I came across her story when I moved into the New York City high-rise where she once lived—and died. Before long, I had this inexplicable feeling that something had happened there. As a producer for NBC News and an innately curious person, the natural course of action was to research the building’s history. It led me to an article about Dorothy—a beautiful 1930s actress and socialite who fell to her death wearing a black Madame X gown.
The brief account of Dorothy’s life intrigued me. She was at the center of the arts, politics, and Hollywood, surrounded by the iconic figures who helped shape American culture. The more I read, the more I realized the details about her death didn’t add up. I had a visceral reaction to the clichéd, dismissive reporting that portrayed her as a hapless, brokenhearted glamour girl who took her own life at 33. I wanted to find out what happened to her.
I was surprised at what my research uncovered. Her life was exhilarating, filled with glamour, romance, and adventure. One writer from the 1930s called her “indominable”— she had true joie de vivre—a stark contrast to the tragic figure you read about in the press. Dorothy and her friend Clare Boothe Luce were smart, independent women navigating careers, marriage, friendship, and the Gilded World. They were remarkably resilient. The process of examining their life experiences and seeing the world through their lens was an incredible journey, and I wanted to share it. I hoped their struggles, triumphs, and transformations would resonate with readers while dispelling the ‘tragic glamour girl’ myth that has defined Dorothy for so long.
BKM: Hale’s first professional acting job was in the 1924 Broadway musical, Lady Be Good, which is also the title of your book. What about this particular role that led you to choose it as the title?
PH: Dorothy came from a privileged background, but at age 16 she ran away from home to dance on Broadway. Her parents hired a detective to track her down. Nevertheless, she persisted. Years later, Fred and Adele Astaire invited her to join the chorus of Lady, Be Good and her dreams came true—it must have been a glorious time. Lady, Be Good marked a turning point in her life, in many ways. An accident changed the trajectory of her life and forced her to a crossroads. That’s when we first see her extraordinary ability to overcome hardship and reinvent herself.
The title also alludes to cultural attitudes toward women. Behave, be good—be a good wife, homemaker, mother—stay in your place. As lovely and womanly as they were, Dorothy and Clare wanted more. They forged their own identities and achieved success in a male-dominated world; they defined the modern woman of the 1920s. I hope they inspire readers to transcend social boundaries and claim their place in the world.
BKM: The book opens and closes with her death, in which Dorothy falls from the window of her sixteenth-floor New York apartment. The police declared it to be suicide, though questions still linger as to whether it may have been a politically motived act of violence. What do you think happened?
PH: Police detectives said she “fell or jumped.” Her death made front-page news: “Beauteous Actress Dorothy Hale, Reportedly Engaged to Harry Hopkins, Plunges to Death.” A bit scandalous for Hopkins, President Roosevelt’s closest advisor, especially with his nomination for Secretary of Commerce to be announced the following month.
What began as an unsolved mystery took a sharp turn when a well-known tabloid reporter sensationalized her story, strayed from the truth, and declared it a suicide. That tied things up in a neat little bow.
I’ve considered all the possibilities—was it a politically motivated crime? A stalker? Or did she take her own life? Would a setback push her into a depression so severe she couldn’t escape it? I examined how she navigated her most difficult moments—adversity reveals true character. I searched for patterns. I read the police reports. I studied the letters she wrote in her final hours. I wanted to lay out the facts for readers so they could draw their own conclusions.
BKM: In the Epilogue, set years later in 1995, the narrator Ms. Harrison views Dorothy’s apartment that is listed for sale, a place that had but one other owner since Dorothy’s death. She is awestruck by what she finds behind the bookcase (as was I!): diaries, a gentleman’s journal, and notes. Is this an actual event?
PH: The narrative is based on actual events; so many details are true. I found some of Dorothy’s letters and her final notes. A stunning 1930s wedding dress turned up in an old steamer trunk in the attic. And by sheer chance, I’ve been inside her apartment.
I had become friends with a wonderful group of women in the building, and we began hosting salons. The first was a dinner party in a beautiful apartment on the 16th floor. Only once I arrived did I realize it had once been Dorothy’s. An extraordinary moment.
We were having cocktails in the living room, enjoying the sunset over Central Park, when a loud bang cut through the conversation. A framed picture had fallen from the windowsill—a wide ledge where nothing should have tipped over on its own. The room fell silent. Everyone glanced at one another. They knew about Dorothy. Just a funny coincidence, I’m sure. But I never checked the bookcase for a hidden space.
There have been other, more tangible coincidences. While researching, I tracked down a first edition of her husband’s book—the one Dorothy completed and published after his death—and inside the back dust jacket was a letter he had written shortly before he died. What are the chances?
BKM: That is extraordinary! Tell me about the process of writing biographical fiction, which is not quite biography, not quite fiction, but a combination of the two. Is there any advice you would like to share with others writing in this genre?
PH: I encourage authors to portray the subject as accurately as possible, with fairness and sensitivity. The deeper your understanding of the person, the stronger the narrative. After Lady Be Good went to print, I found an interview with Dorothy and worried she would be different from my portrayal. But the writer used many of the same descriptors—adventurous, witty, elegant, indomitable. I almost couldn’t believe it.
Readers expect a vivid sense of the real person and their world. Research is essential, but storytelling brings them to life. Every detail may seem important, but ask yourself, does it move the story forward? Letting go often gets easier in revision.
My research was extensive. I took copious notes, built a timeline, then shaped it into an outline and first draft. That foundation provides direction, but the writing process takes unexpected turns—let the characters take on a life of their own.
When researching your subject, you’ll uncover the people and events that shaped their life. Explore the era’s social, cultural, and political landscape—context shapes character. Watch films, listen to music, study art and fashion from the period. Take advantage of invaluable resources—the New York Public Library, Library of Congress, historical societies, books, magazines, and newspapers. Let it all wash over you. Fully immersing yourself in their world makes the creative process more intuitive.
BKM: That is excellent advice. Speaking of immersing oneself, I read your book last year, then recently listened to the audiobook read by Saskia Maarleveld, a talented narrator who has read for other popular authors, including Kate Quinn (The Rose Code, The Briar Club). I found her voice a great fit for your book, and once again it was difficult to stop listening. How did you go about choosing her? For other authors reading this, what is important to consider when selecting a narrator?
PH: I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the audiobook! The narrator’s voice was incredibly important to me—it’s an extension of the character and shapes how readers experience the story. Think of Christine Baranski in The Gilded Age, capturing old-world aristocratic elegance in her voice, or Mira Sorvino in Mighty Aphrodite, whose high-pitched, unrefined accent perfectly suited her role. For Dorothy Hale—a woman known for her intelligence and sophistication—I had always imagined a low-pitched voice and elegant diction, with the same grace and poise that defined her presence. When I finally saw her in the 1934 film, The Rise of Catherine the Great, I was thrilled that she sounded just as I had imagined.
It took time to find a narrator who checked those boxes, and could deliver satire, suspense, distinct character voices, and French and Italian accent with ease. After listening to countless audiobooks and samples, I came across Carey Mulligan’s narrations and realized I should look for a British narrator who could do an American accent. That somehow led me to Saskia Maarleveld, who was raised in France. My audiobook producer at Blackstone Publishing knew of her and agreed it was worth waiting for her schedule to open up.
The best narrators embody the character, just as actors do. They should be able to deliver a wide emotional range without sounding performative. Pay attention to tone, pacing, and technical skill. A talented voice actor can elevate the book beyond the page.
Audiobook publishers provide audition samples. For self-published authors, I recommend listening to narrators experienced in your specific genre. Learn about their recording setup to be sure it will meet professional standards. Regardless of how you publish, engage with the narrator to clarify pronunciations and address any questions.
BKM: What is your future in the literary world?
PH: I’m working on a sequel to Lady Be Good, and there are other works of biographical fiction that I hope to get to later. I’m drawn to writing about complex women who whose stories have been forgotten or misrepresented—women who remind us of the infinite possibilities in life.
Visit Pamela’s website at www.pamelahamilton.com.
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