Ep. 15: Acapulco: Friends and Lovers
Influenced by Gaugin’s decision to leave Paris and live in Tahiti, Annette chose Acapulco for her new life.
Annette bought a property high on a hillside with a view of the harbor, fixed up the old existing structure and below it built a thatched-roof cottage she called “Jacalito”—a casita under a palm-frond “palapa” roof and a back porch with a little bar and hammocks where she could paint and relax.
She began traveling back and forth between Acapulco and rented flats in New York. At times, when she was away, she would rent out her Acapulco home to others. One notorious instance occurred when Norman Mailer was her tenant and telephoned to ask her permission to “bring in a donkey for a sex act” for a party he was throwing. Annette’s maid left in screaming protest the night of the event.
Annette’s social life thrived in Acapulco, at that time a refuge for the rich and Hollywood famous. The now historic, five-star Hotel Mirador had just opened and it was fabulous—everyone wanted to stay there, and everyone famous who came to the city did. Annette opened a shop in the lobby where she sold her jewelry and paintings, and she worked for the Associated Press, phoning in on-the-spot stories such as Liz Taylor and Mike Todd’s meeting and wedding, the Teddy Stauffer and Hedy LaMar romance and wedding, the Tyrone Power and Linda Christian honeymoon, and visits of Errol Flynn and President Miguel Alemán in his government yacht.
Teddy Stauffer’s “La Perla” nightclub became internationally famous and a multitude of stars and starlets could be seen there. Annette herself played an extra in Lana Turner’s Love Has Many Faces. As always, Annette joined wholeheartedly into the party life of the beach community and was invited and welcomed everywhere.
Still a beautiful and compelling, interesting woman, Annette continued to attract men and be attracted by them. The potential for romance was always in the air in those gilded days of fifties’ Acapulco, and Annette had her full share of celebrity admirers, among them Albert Finney. A young, good looking golfer, an architect, also caught her eye. He came to see her house and made suggestions for renovations. He had planned a three-week stay, but soon stretched it to three months. Although Annette and Conlon were still married and friendly, they were now leading completely separate lives.
A mural by Diego Rivera in Acapulco.