The First Vamp (in Hollywood, not Transylvania)

Theda Bara dripping with pearlsTheda Bara (1885–1955), an American silent film actress who never made a talkie, was one of cinema’s earliest sex symbols. Her exotic origin as the Egyptian-born daughter of a French actress and an Italian sculptor was entirely fabricated, an aura of mystery and an exotic background being at the time a popular method of promotion.

Her proclivity for wearing very revealing costumes in her films (jewelled pasties were a favourite accessory), eventually – and unsurprisingly – lead her to becoming typecast as the femme fatale. Early on, she had earned herself the nickname of ‘The Vamp’: short for vampire, and slang for a sexually predatory woman. She was even celebrated in songs of the era. Despite the fact that she took her craft seriously, Bara had played too many exotic roles as the vamp that no amount of wholesome heroines and tragic Juliets could eradicate. 

Bara as Cleopatra – only costume stills of this film survive todayAt the height of her fame, Bara was earning $4000 per week – a huge amount of money for the time (and still not bad for now!), and made more than 40 films between 1914 and 1926. Owing to a fire in 1937 at Fox Studios, when most of the studio’s nitrate films of the silent era were destroyed, only six complete prints survive today.

You have to admit though, that those early days of Hollywood in the 20s did produce some pretty fabulous costumes. One can’t blame her for being tempted – or tempting.

Note: thanks to Hannah K at Stuff Nobody Cares About for bringing The Vamp to my attention.

Bara as CleopatraBara as CleopatraBara as Salomé

Theda Bara dressed, as herself, 1916. Image from icollector.com.