Marriage To Tommy Wallace

Carole Landis Tommy Wallace

"No woman ever loved a man more than I loved Tommy Wallace. And Tommy loved me, too. All my life, above all the rest, I want to remember that." ~ Carole

On January 5, 1943 Carole married Captain Thomas Cherry Wallace in London, England. He was a twenty-five year old pilot in the Royal Air Force's American "Eagle Squadron". She met him on November 13, 1942 when she was entertaining soldiers in England. Carole said "Something hit me right in the heart. I only looked at him for a minute, but I saw his wonderful dimples, his tremendously expressive eyes, his curly hair."  Tommy was born in Oakdale, Pennsylvania on October 15, 1917. After his father died in 1933 he and his mother moved to Pasadena. He attended the University of Southern California and worked as a bank clerk. In 1941 he joined the Royal Air Force. He proposed to Carole on their first date and gave her his signet ring. The wedding was almost cancelled when she suffered an appendicitis a week before the ceremony.

Carole Landis Tommy WallaceCarole Landis Tommy Wallace
Carole and Tommy Wallace

Carole Landis Tommy Wallace Wedding

She recovered and asked the doctor who removed her appendix to give her away. The Catholic ceremony took place at the Church of Our Lady Of Assumption on Warrick Street. Carole wore a cream colored satin dress designed by Norman Hartnell, a strand of pearls, and orange blossoms in her hair. Her bouquet was made of white carnations and orchids. Mitzi Mayfair and Kay Francis were among the guests. Hundreds of fans waited outside the church to see the bride and groom. Tommy told reporters "I am probably the luckiest man in the world". She said "I want to have a wonderful marriage and children whom I may love and make a fuss over long after the movies are gone." Carole wrote about their romance in her book Four Jills In A Jeep and the wedding was recreated in the 1944 film.

Carole Landis Tommy Wallace 1943Carole Landis Tommy Wallace 1943

Carole Landis Tommy Wallace

The newlyweds could not have a honeymoon because she traveled to North Africa three days after the wedding to perform for the troops. He was stationed overseas during most of their marriage so they spent very little time together. She wrote to him every day they were apart and kept six photos of him in her bedroom. Unfortunately Tommy hated her Hollywood lifestyle and wanted her to give up her career to become a housewife. When their marriage started to fall apart she attempted suicide. The couple separated in October 1944 and were divorced the following year. Carole always considered him the great love of her life. Tommy married his second wife, Joanne Doherty, in 1946. The couple had two sons together. He served in the Air Force during the Korean war and later worked for Goodyear. Tragically on November 16, 1968 Tommy committed suicide in Venezuela at the age of fifty-one.

 

Carole Landis Tommy WallaceCarole Landis Tommy Wallace WeddingCarole Landis Tommy Wallace Wedding

Carole Landis Tommy WallaceCarole Landis Tommy WallaceCarole Landis Tommy Wallace

Carole Landis Tommy WallaceCarole Landis Tommy WallaceCarole Landis Tommy Wallace

Carole Landis Tommy WallaceThomas C. Wallace Suicide