Gloria Swanson and Joseph P. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy’s father, had an affair in the 1920s which has been described as “absolute hell” by Swanson.

Their relationship was well-known in Hollywood and started when Swanson sought Kennedy’s financial advice in the Renaissance Room of Savoy Plaza Hotel in 1927.

The two went on to work together producing films, which marked the beginning of Swanson’s financial downfall.

In an interview with Barbara Walters in 1981, Swanson spoke about Kennedy’s obsession with her, explaining that he was drawn to her because she was different from what he had seen before.

Although she was married to her third husband, Henry de la Falaise, Swanson continued the affair with Kennedy.

The two even traveled to Europe together, with Kennedy’s wife accompanying them, but showing no signs of knowing about the relationship.

Kennedy was possessive of Swanson during the trip, causing her to feel guilty.

While Kennedy’s wife was unaware of the affair, her father, John Fitzgerald, knew and confronted Kennedy, threatening to tell Rose about it if the affair did not end.

Kennedy responded by threatening to marry Swanson if Rose were to learn about the affair.

Kennedy’s wife, Rose, had made it clear that intimacy was only for procreation, and so Kennedy had multiple mistresses throughout his life.

In her 1980 autobiography “Swanson on Swanson,” the actress revealed that her three-year relationship with Kennedy was one of her worst mistakes and that they did not truly love each other.

She also spoke about the pressure Kennedy put on her to baptize her adopted son, which led to her naming him Joseph and Patrick, after Kennedy’s middle name.

Joseph P. Kennedy, an Irish-born banker, made a name for himself on the East Coast and landed in Los Angeles during the transition from silent films to talking films.

He quickly became head of several studios, including Pathé, First National, and Film Booking Office, and was seen as the first and only outsider to defraud Hollywood.

Kennedy’s biggest film project, “Queen Kelly,” directed by Erich von Stroheim and starring Swanson, failed due to the stock market crash and the beginning of the Great Depression.

After the failure of “Queen Kelly” and Kennedy’s exit from Hollywood, Swanson was left financially ruined.

Kennedy had promised her that they would make millions together, but when the affair ended, he left her in dire financial straits.