Lansing Vanwoert Brown Jr.

American, 1900-1962

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In September, 1934 the celebrity portraitist Lansing Brown was showing an antique pistol to a client, the singer Russ Columbo, when the weapon discharged, killing the man who was described as a rival to Bing Crosby. "He's taking the whole thing harder than any of us," Columbo's business manager was quoted as saying. Brown was not charged. Columbo's mother, who was ill with a heart condition at the time, was not informed of the death, and the singer's friends, including the actress Carole Lombard, perpetuated a story that he was simply busy filming a movie. When she died in 1944, she was still unaware that her son had been killed.In June, 1935 Brown was critically injured when hit by a car. It was noted at the time that he was destitute. He continued as a photographer into the 1950s, but his name was forever linked to the killing of the young star.