Gertrude C. Saunders

Gertrude Saunders was born on August 25, 1903 in North Carolina. She was an actress, known for Big Timers (1945), Sepia Cinderella (1947) and The Toy Wife (1938). She died in April 1991 in Beverly, Massachusetts. imdb

From Ipernity

Saunders is infamously known for her affair with 'Empress of the Blues,' Bessie Smith's husband, Jack Gee. Gertrude Saunders was the antithesis of Bessie Smith, their personalities and looks contrasted sharply: Gertrude’s complexion was light, her hair long and her disposition gentle. She was also slim and quite a bit younger than Bessie. The artistic gap that separated the two was equally wide: Gertrude Saunders relied more on her looks than on her voice.

“She was the opposite of Bessie,” said Ruby (Bessie's niece), making no secret of her disdain. “She had light skin and long curly 'good' hair and a gorgeous figure, and she knew it. In fact, she thought her **** didn’t stink."

Bessie and Gertrude had two run-ins, the second left Gertrude beaten and bloody on a sidewalk and Bessie charged with assault. Afterwards, Gertrude vowed never to have anything to with Jack again. Although she denied it, word was that she did not keep her vow.

[Bio: Bessie, by Chris Albertson]

• from HBO Bessie movie vs the real Bessie Smith Bessie's marriage to Jack ended after she learned that he had used her money to fund a show for his mistress, Gertrude Saunders (pictured below) -'Bessie' by Chris Albertson
• publicity photo 1922, Frank Driggs Collection, Gertrude Saunders