Gloria Swanson, the Original

Celebrating the Roaring Twenties in a Special Series

Gloria Swanson, ph Edward Steichen, 1924I bet Charlie Chaplin was kicking himself when he turned unknown movie extra Gloria Swanson down for a starring role in his film His New Job. He didn’t see her as leading lady material and gave her a small role as a stenographer.

Gloria went on to sign with Paramount Pictures and worked with Cecil B DeMille. In two years she rose to stardom and became one of the most sought-after stars of Hollywood. She played many romantic leads in costume dramas, and such was her success that Paramount, fearful of losing her, indulged her every wish and whim.

Swanson, in Male and Female, 1919Her most famous role however is not from the silent era, but Norma Desmond in Billy Wilder’s 1950 film Sunset Boulevard. Norma is a faded silent screen star who falls in love with an unsuccessful screenwriter, played by William Holden. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and won three. (It’s also the only film of hers that I have seen.)

In her heydey, audiences went to see her films not only for her performances but also to gasp over her wardrobe. Whether haute couture or extravagant period pieces, they were frequently ornamented with beads, jewels, peacock and ostrich feathers. She was barely five feet tall (1.52m) – perhaps that explains her predilection for very tall hats!

One of the most famous and photographed women in the world, her fashion, hairstyles, and jewels were copied everywhere. A precursor to today’s craze for every detail of an actress’s wardrobe, Swanson was the silver screen's first clotheshorse – the Original.  

Swanson in Don’t Change Your Husband, 1919