Career
She died from burns she suffered after inadvertently dropping a lit cigarette into the pocket of her flammable sleepwear. Peter subsequently left her for the fashion model Bettina Graziani. After Graziani left him for Prince Aly Khan, Peter ended his relationship with Viertel and later became involved with Deborah Kerr.
Reputedly dependent on alcohol and sleeping medication, Viertel woke one night in her Los Angeles home and while in the bathroom lit a cigarette that she then dropped inadvertently into the pocket of her dressing gown, causing her immolation.
She died from the burns she suffered a month later.