sedona legend helen frye

Tyrone Power and Helen Frye

From Rumor to Facts-

Sedona Legend Celebrity Series

Helen Frye (former wife of TWA powerhouse Jack Frye and intimate of Howard Hughes) is spotted with Tyrone Power, enjoying dinner at Wickenburg Arizona, in the fall of 1954. (Helen Frye is on the left, Ty is center.) The lady on the right is unidentified. Helen and Ty had driven over from Sedona where he was a guest at the Frye Ranch for the weekend. Photo courtesy Arizona Highways Magazine.

Tyrone samples succulent barbecue from Chef Comer on his evening out with Helen Vanderbilt Frye. Location was the famous Hollywood celebrity hang-out- Wickenburg's "Frontier Inn." Photo courtesy of Arizona Highways.

Helen Vanderbilt Frye..... This website focuses on her life and romance with Jack Frye the famous pioneer aviator and corporate genius. However, this particular page focuses on the period after Jack and Helen were divorced in 1950 and before they decided to re-marry by 1958. During this period they were both unsuccessful in their involvements with other partners. Jack in 1950, almost immediately went on to marry Emily Nevada Smith, the glamorous New York actress-showgirl. Meanwhile, Helen Frye was left alone and isolated on the Sedona ranch. Or was she? It appears Helen did occasionally find some romance and companionship of her own!

Three men would come into her life from 1952 to 1960, but the depth of these relationships is unknown. It appears that a couple of these men were more akin to close companions. One however was much more than that, this being the relationship between Helen Frye and movie star, Tyrone "Ty" Power. Some say they met when he was filming "Pony Soldier" at Sedona in 1952. However, I feel they likely had known each other from before as Tyrone was connected unofficially with TWA throughout the years. He was close friends with Howard Hughes, TWA Captain Bob Buck, and possibly Jack and Helen Frye too. During the filming of "Pony Soldier" at Sedona Tyrone and Helen definitely spent time together, according to local witnesses, but in what capacity? Helen had just weathered the devastating loss of her husband Jack (2 years prior) who divorced her to marry the much younger Nevada Smith. Adding to that heartbreak, Helen was not able to have children, however, Nevada was able to eventually provide Jack with the child he so desperately desired.

Tyrone Power at a charity dinner in Clarkdale Arizona in about 1952. Behind him in the white outfit is Rosie Armijo's sister, Henrietta Targhetta. To the right is Ty's "Pony Soldier" co-star, Penny Edwards.

Tyrone Power Is Dinner Guest
April 8, 1952

George Babbitt was host at a small dinner party Saturday evening for Tyrone Power, Mrs. Helen Frye of Oak Creek; and Lynne Gray of Phoenix and New York. Before dinner at the Spanish Inn, guests enjoyed a party at the Babbitt home.

Notice in the article how Helen and Ty are notated together punctually as a "couple." Sedona was often referred to as "Oak Creek." George and Madeline Babbitt were good friends of Helen Frye and had a home in Oak Creek Canyon between Flagstaff and Sedona. Lynne Gray was a Frye friend.

Poster for the Movie, "Pony Soldier," filmed on location in Sedona, Arizona, Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox.

When Tyrone and Helen actually became romantic is unknown. Tyrone was already married to the actress Linda Christian, but it appears not happily so. At different periods from about 1952-1957 Ty would fly out to the Sedona Smoke Trail Ranch and stay with Helen Frye. Many of the visits were very discreet, but occasionally the two were spotted in and around Sedona. It was not unusual to see Helen with a celebrity, she was a marvelous hostess and many celebrity friends would visit her at the ranch. But Ty it appears was different, more than a friend he eventually asked Helen to marry him. Soon after this proposal he returned to Hollywood, on TWA it is assumed, and promptly asked Linda for a divorce. After this revelation was reported, no one seems to know for sure what happened next, except that Helen and Ty obviously did not get married.

It was reported in Hollywood at the time that on two separate occasions when Ty asked his wife Linda for a divorce, all of the sudden she announced she was pregnant! This appears to be the reason that he stayed with her at least for a time, as he wanted a son. One local Sedona resident remembers the affair less than favorably, in light of the fact that Tyrone was "married" and Helen was a Sedona divorcee'. In my opinion aside from the fact that the affair provided much fodder for local gossip, it does take "two to tangle." Sedona, as in many small towns, has been known to be a bit gossipy. Eventually in 1958, Tyrone married another woman, Debbie Ann Minardos, but tragically he died later that year of a heart attack. All was not lost though- Jack and Helen Frye eventually found themselves together again and rekindling their romance, a wedding was considered. However, Helen insisted that Jack complete his divorce from Nevada Smith before they proceeded. The cruel hand of fate intervened however when Jack was tragically killed by a drunk driver in Tucson, Arizona, on February 3, 1959. Sadly a remarriage was not to be and Jack and Helen would not be allowed to go "back." Helen would never again remarry, this last heartache it appears simply broke her heart for forever.

I have resisted relating this incident in Helen's life for several years due to various reasons. Namely this romance "appeared" to be more rumor than fact. It happened so long ago and proved difficult to nail down. However recently, in regard to other unrelated research on Helen's life I again was confronted with the tale, but with a few more details. I finally decided I had enough information to go forward with a story and based the foundation on the verification from 4 sources. These "sources" isolated from each other have retained their knowledge of the story since the time it occurred. This coupled with photos convinced me the romance did indeed transpire. However, likely it won't be verified any further. Why you might ask? Simply because Sedona in the 1950's was a very small town, reporters rarely found their way up here and the community didn't even have a local newspaper at the time. Smoke Trail Ranch was very private and isolated, rarely were locals privy as to "Who" was staying there, or for "What" reasons even in the TWA years. Ty came out to Sedona it is assumed for some of those very circumstances, and it is assured that Helen and he had all the privacy they desired. This obviously is the sole reason this affair, unlike the other public ones Ty had, is still private after 50 years!

So how did Tyrone Power and Helen Frye spend their time at the Smoke Trail Ranch at Sedona. This much is most assured- they talked about mutual friends, walked and held hands. They rode horses, swam in Oak Creek, laid out in the radiant Arizona sun, and Helen cooked for him. Sometimes, not often, they ventured out and mixed with other intimate friends. The perfect escape from a very public Hollywood life for Tyrone Power, it likely was a special time in his life. But what does it say about Helen Frye? Simply that she was absolutely amazing and there was much more to her than people ever dreamed! A beautiful woman inside and out, a marriage to a Vanderbilt, and a marriage to one of the most powerful men in the country, Jack Frye. Interest from billionaire Howard Hughes, and lastly, a marriage proposal from one of Hollywood's most attractive movie stars, Tyrone Power; a picture idol, a god-like man, adored by women and men world-wide! Helen Vanderbilt Frye was truly- "all that" and much much- more!

Tyrone Power was considered a valued friend to many who knew him. He married his first wife Annabella on April 23, 1939, divorced- January 26, 1948. He married Linda Christian on January 27, 1949, divorced- August 7, 1956. Tyrone and Helen did not marry but instead remained close friends to the end of Ty's life. He did remarry one last time to Deborah Ann Minardos, May 7, 1958. (It was rumored locally that he died at the time he and Helen Frye were engaged but this was not true.) In fact, Ty Power died while making the film, "Solomon and Sheba" in Italy, November 15, 1958, at the young age of 44. He was a heavy smoker as was Helen Frye. Ty was laid to rest at Hollywood Memorial Cemetery. He left behind two children by Linda, and one, by Debbie, a son born January 19, 1959 two months after Tyrone died. At his funeral, Ty's long-term friend, Cesar Romero spoke, ".....he was beautiful man, he was beautiful outside and he was beautiful inside." A fitting tribute for a man considered one of the most attractive men to ever grace the Silver Screen, one fervently chased by the some of the most beautiful women in the world!

Linda Christian seen at a premier in 1959.

Thanks to Rosie Armijo and Bob Bradshaw specifically, and other Frye intimates for some of the background information for this article.

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