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Clara Bow

Born Clara Gordon Bow
July 29, 1905(1905-07-29)
Brooklyn, New York City, New York
Died September 27, 1965 (aged 60)
West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
Spouse(s) Rex Bell

Clara Gordon Bow (July 29, 1905 – September 27, 1965) was an American actress and sex symbol, who rose to fame in the silent film era of the 1920s. Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. The City of New York New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. West Los Angeles is a district in Los Angeles California, within a larger region also called West Los Angeles but often referred to as the " Westside Rex Bell ( October 16, 1903 - July 4, 1962) born George Francis Beldam was Lieutenant Governor of Nevada and a western Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works A sex symbol is a famous person of either gender typically an Actor, Musician, model, Teen idol, or Sports star The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada Bow was renowned for her sexual magnetism and became known around the world as the It girl, where "It" was commonly understood to mean sex appeal. An It girl or It-girl is a charming Sexy young woman who receives intense media coverage unrelated or disproportional She was regarded as a quintessential flapper. The term flapper in the 1920s referred to a "new breed" of young Women who wore short skirts bobbed their hair listened to the new Jazz music

Contents

Early life

Bow was born in a tenement in Brooklyn, New York, the only surviving child of a dysfunctional family afflicted with mental illness, poverty, and physical and emotional abuse. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. A dysfunctional family is a Family in which Conflict, misbehavior and even Abuse on the part of individual members of the family occur continually leading Mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation Pain, Injury, or other physical Suffering or Harm. Psychological abuse or emotional abuse is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another to behavior that is psychologically harmful She was the third child born to her parents; the first two children, also daughters, were short lived, one lived for 2 hours, the other lived for two days. Bow's mother, hoping that her third child would also die at birth, didn't bother with a birth certificate. A birth certificate is a Vital record that documents the birth of a child [1] Clara' s father was of Scotch-Irish descent. [1]

As a child, she was a tomboy and played games in the streets with the boys. Her clothes were ragged and dirty; other girls wouldn't play with her. Clara's friend Johnny was severely burned and died in her arms when she was eight or nine years old. Years later, she could make herself cry at will on a movie set by singing the lullaby "Rock-a-bye Baby". " Rock-a-bye Baby " may be an American nursery rhyme and lullaby whose melody may be a variant of the English satirical ballad Lilliburlero. She said it reminded her of Johnny.

Bow's mother, Sarah Gordon, was an occasional prostitute who suffered from mental illness and epilepsy. Prostitution is the act of performing Sexual activity in exchange for Money. Mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as Epilepsy is a common chronic Neurological disorder that is characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. She was noted for her frequent public affairs with local firemen. Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous Fires that threaten civilian populations and property to rescue people from car accidents collapsed Bow's father, Robert Bow, was rarely present and may have had a mental impairment. Developmental disability is a term used to describe life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical or combination of mental and physical impairments Whenever he returned home, he was verbally and physically abusive to both wife and daughter. Bow's father reportedly raped her when she was between 15 and 16 years old. Rape, also referred to as Sexual assault, is an Assault by a person involving Sexual intercourse with or Sexual penetration of another person [2]

Early career

Always an avid movie fan, Bow entered and won the Motion Picture Magazine's Fame and Fortune contest in 1921, the grand prize being a part in a film. Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar According to the articles in February, March, and April 1928 in Motion Picture Classic, in which she told her life story, she talked her father into giving her one dollar to have some pictures made that she could give to the contest's judges. Her father gave her the dollar, and she went to a Brooklyn photographer, who took two pictures of her, which she said "were terrible". Although she hated the pictures of her wearing a red tam and her only nice dress, the contest judges were impressed. After numerous screen tests, Bow was selected the winner. She won a part in Beyond the Rainbow (1922), but to her humiliation and disappointment, her scenes were cut from the final print and were not seen until the film was restored years later. Beyond the Rainbow ( 1922) is a Silent film and is the first film of actress Clara Bow. The film preservation, or film restoration, movement is an ongoing project among film historians archivists Museums and Non-profit organizations to rescue Bow preferred playing poker with her cook, maid, and chauffeur over attending her movie premieres. [3]

Bow also had to deal with her mother, Sarah Gordon, who told Bow that acting was for prostitutes. Gordon had also taken to sneaking up behind Bow and threatening to kill her because she felt her daughter would be better off dead. One night, she awoke to find her mother holding a butcher knife to her throat. Clara ran and locked herself in a closet until her grandmother came home. Bow suffered insomnia for the rest of her life.

Fame and fortune

Publicity photo for Down to the Sea in Ships (1922)
Publicity photo for Down to the Sea in Ships (1922)

Bow's screen introduction wasn't until her next film, Down to the Sea in Ships. Down to the Sea in Ships ( 1922) is an American silent movie about a devout Quaker captain of a fleet of whaling ships William W This was a silent film, as were all of Bow's early films until the advent of sound in the late 1920s. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada

She began to appear in numerous small movie roles. All the while, she suffered guilty feelings over her mother's disapproval. In 1923, Bow was on the set when she learned that her mother had died. She was devastated, feeling that her acting was somehow responsible for her mother's death.

With her earliest films being all East Coast productions, Bow got her big break when an officer of Preferred Pictures approached her on the set. He offered her free train fare to make a screen test in Hollywood, and Bow agreed to make the trip. The first time Preferred Pictures head B.P. Schulberg saw disheveled Clara Bow in her one ragged dress, he was dismayed. BP Schulberg ( January 19, 1892 - February 25, 1957) was a pioneer Film producer and Movie studio executive He was reluctant even to give her a screen test, but when he finally did, the results astounded him. Bow was already adept at pantomime, and she could cry on command.

Starting with Maytime (1923), Schulberg cast Bow in a series of small roles. She nearly always stole her scenes. However, instead of creating projects for her, he loaned her out to other studios for easy money. Nevertheless, Bow started to make a name for herself through these many small roles and was selected as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars in 1924. The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers in the United States, which honored thirteen young Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

As soon as Bow started to make money, she brought her father to live with her in Hollywood. For the next few years, she funded numerous business ventures for him, including a restaurant and a dry cleaners, all of which failed. He soon became a drunken nuisance on her sets, where he would try to pick up young girls by telling them his daughter was Clara Bow. Despite the behavior of her unwanted relative, Bow was adored during this time of her career. Crew members always seemed to fall in love with her. She was friendly, generous, and so grateful for her success that she always remained humble.

In 1925, Schulberg cast Bow in The Plastic Age. The Plastic Age ( 1924) is a Novel by Percy Marks, which tells the story of Co-eds at a fictional college called Sanford The movie was a huge hit, and Bow was suddenly the studio's most popular star. She also began to date her co-star Gilbert Roland, who would become the first of many engagements for her. Gilbert Roland ( December 11, 1905 &ndash May 15, 1994) was a Mexican -born actor in American films Bow followed her first big success with Mantrap (1926), directed by Victor Fleming. For the Arkansas lawyer and judge Victor A Fleming, see Vic Fleming. Though he was twice her age, Bow quickly fell in love with her director. She began seeing both Roland and Fleming at the same time.

The It girl

In 1927, Bow reached the heights of her popularity with the film It; the film was based on a story written by Elinor Glyn, and upon the film's release and popularity, Clara Bow became known as the "It Girl". For the 1990 mini-series based on Stephen King's novel see It (1990 film. Elinor Glyn ( October 17, 1864 - September 23, 1943) born Elinor Sutherland was a British An It girl or It-girl is a charming Sexy young woman who receives intense media coverage unrelated or disproportional In Glynn's story, It, a character explains what "It" really is: "It. . . that strange magnetism which attracts both sexes. . . entirely unself-conscious. . . full of self-confidence. . . indifferent to the effect. . . she is producing and uninfluenced by others. ") More commonly, "It" was taken to mean sex appeal. "It, hell," quipped Dorothy Parker, "She had those. Dorothy Parker (August 22 1893&ndashJune 7 1967 was an American writer and poet best known for her caustic Wit, wisecracks and sharp eye for 20th century urban foibles "[4]

This image was enhanced by various off-screen love affairs publicized by the tabloid press. A tabloid is a Newspaper industry term which refers to a smaller newspaper format per spread to a weekly or semi-weekly alternative newspaper that focuses on local-interest However, some Hollywood insiders considered her socially undesirable, especially in light of rumored sexual escapades with many famous men of the time. Bela Lugosi, Gary Cooper, Gilbert Roland, John Wayne, director Victor Fleming, and John Gilbert were reputed to have been among her many lovers. Béla Lugosi (October 20 1882 &ndash August 16 1956 was an iconic Hungarian stage and film actor best known for his portrayal of Count Dracula in the American Frank James “Gary” Cooper (May 7 &ndashMay 13) was an American film actor and iconic star Gilbert Roland ( December 11, 1905 &ndash May 15, 1994) was a Mexican -born actor in American films John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American For the Arkansas lawyer and judge Victor A Fleming, see Vic Fleming. John Gilbert ( July 10, 1899 - January 9, 1936) was an American actor and major star of the Silent film era

Bow's alleged alcoholism, drug abuse and mental illness, were also becoming problems for the studios. Alcoholism is a term with multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions Drug abuse has a wide range of definitions related to taking a Psychoactive drug or Performance enhancing drug for a non-therapeutic or non-medical effect Mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as Budd Schulberg, the producer's son, wrote in his memoir Moving Pictures, "There was one subject on which the staid old Hollywood establishment would agree: Clara Bow, no matter how great her popularity, was a low life and a disgrace to the community. Budd Schulberg (born March 27 1914, in New York City, New York) is an American Screenwriter and Novelist. A film producer is a person who creates the conditions for making movies. "

However, Bow was praised for her vitality and enthusiasm — Adolph Zukor once said that "She danced even when her feet weren't moving" — though her roles rarely allowed her to show much range. Adolf Zukor, born Adolph Cukor, ( January 7, 1873 &ndash June 10, 1976) was a film mogul and founder of Paramount In the early 1930s, Motion Picture magazine complained that the studio never gave her film plots any thought beyond "Hey, let's put Clara in a sailor suit!" At least one important film writer, Adela Rogers St. Johns, felt Bow had enormous promise that was never tapped by the studios. Adela Rogers St Johns née Adela Nora Rogers ( May 20, 1894 Los Angeles California - August 10, 1988 Arroyo

Documentation indicates that as Bow developed a reputation as "Crisis-a-Day Clara". Paramount went out of its way to humiliate the increasingly emotionally frail actress by canceling her films, docking her pay, charging her for unreturned costumes, and insisting that she pay for her publicity photographs. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. Her contract also included a morality clause offering her a bonus of $500,000 for behaving like a lady and staying out of the newspapers.

from the trailer for Wings (1927)
from the trailer for Wings (1927)

In 1927, Bow starred in Wings, a war picture largely rewritten to accommodate her, as she was Paramount's biggest star at the time. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Wings ( is a silent movie about World War I fighter pilots directed by William A The film went on to win the first Academy Award for Best Picture. The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to artists working Afterwards, Bow's career continued with limited success into the early sound film era. She worried (correctly) that her strong Brooklyn accent would destroy much of her mystique. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Bow began experiencing microphone fright on the sets of her sound films. A visibly nervous Bow had to do a number of retakes in The Wild Party, her first talkie, because her eyes kept wandering up to the microphone overhead. [3]

In 1928, Bow wrote the foreword for a novelization of her film The Fleet's In. The Fleet's In ( 1942) is a movie musical produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Victor Schertzinger, and starring Dorothy Lamour Between the years 1927 and 1930, Bow was also one Hollywood's top five box office attractions as well. [5]

Later life

The 1930 U.S. Census lists Bow's residence as 512 North Bedford Drive in Beverly Hills, California. Her home's value was listed as $25,000, higher than most others on her block at the time.

Bow and cowboy actor Rex Bell (actually George F. Rex Bell ( October 16, 1903 - July 4, 1962) born George Francis Beldam was Lieutenant Governor of Nevada and a western Beldon), later a Lieutenant Governor of Nevada, married in 1932 and had two sons, Tony Beldon (born 1934, changed name to Rex Anthony Bell, Jr. A Lieutenant Governor is a high officer of state whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ) and George Beldon, Jr. (born 1938). Bow retired from acting in 1933. Her last public exposure, albeit fleeting, was a guest appearance on the radio show Truth or Consequences in 1947; Clara provided the voice of "Mrs. Truth or Consequences was an American quiz show, originally hosted on NBC Radio by Ralph Edwards (1940-57 and later on television Hush".

In 1944 while her husband was running for the U.S. House of Representatives Bow tried to commit suicide. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. [6] After being diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1949, Bow entered a treatment regimen that included shock treatments. Schizophrenia ( from the Greek roots schizein (σχίζειν "to split" and phrēn Later, her husband sent her to one of the top mental institutions in the nation. Doctors found out that Bow had been raped by her father at a young age.

Bow spent her last years living in a modest house, living off an estate worth about $500,000 at the time of her death. [1] She died on September 27, 1965 of a heart attack and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately-owned Cemetery in Glendale, Los Angeles, in the United States. Glendale ( is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States.

Honors

For her contributions to the motion picture industry, Clara Bow was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a Sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood Los Angeles California, USA, that In 1994, she was honored with an image on a United States postage stamp designed by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) This article lists people who have been featured on United States Postage stamps Since the United States Post Office issued its first stamp in 1847 over 4000 stamps have been issued and Albert Hirschfeld ( June 21, 1903 – January 20, 2003) was a Jewish American Caricaturist best known for his simple black

Urban Myth

The book "Hollywood Babylon" spread the urban myth that Bow's friendship with members of the 1927 USC football team included group sex with the entire team. During her lifetime, Bow was the subject of wild rumours regarding her sex life, none of which are substantiated by any evidence. . [3] Oddly, one of the USC players at the time was John Wayne: however, John Wayne did not play in 1927, the year when Bow's activities supposedly took place.

Bow in popular culture

Filmography

  • Beyond the Rainbow (1922)
  • Down to the Sea in Ships (1922)
  • Enemies of Women (1923)
  • The Daring Years (1923)
  • Maytime (1923)
  • Black Oxen (1923)
  • Grit (1924)
  • Poisoned Paradise (1924)
  • Daughters of Pleasure (1924)
  • Wine (1924)
  • Empty Hearts (1924)
  • Helen's Babies (1924)
  • This Woman (1924)
  • Black Lightning (1924)
  • Capital Punishment (1925)
  • The Adventurous Sex (1925)
  • Eve's Lover (1925)
  • The Lawful Cheater (1925)
  • The Scarlet West (1925)
  • My Lady's Lips (1925)
  • Parisian Love (1925)
  • Kiss Me Again (1925)
  • The Keeper of the Bees (1925)
  • The Primrose Path (1925)
  • Free to Love (1925)
  • The Best Bad Man (1925)
  • The Plastic Age (1925)
  • The Ancient Mariner (1925)
  • My Lady of Whims (1925)
  • Dance Madness (1926)
  • Shadow of the Law (1926)
  • Two Can Play (1926)
  • Dancing Mothers (1926)
  • Fascinating Youth (1926)
  • The Runaway (1926)
  • Mantrap (1926)
  • Kid Boots (1926)
  • It (1927)
  • Children of Divorce (1927)
  • Rough House Rosie (1927)
  • Wings (1927)
  • Hula (1927)
  • A Trip Through the Paramount Studio (1927) (short subject)
  • Get Your Man (1927)
  • Red Hair (1928)
  • Ladies of the Mob (1928)
  • The Fleet's In (1928)
  • Three Weekends (1928)
  • Hollywood Snapshots #11 (1929) (short subject)
  • The Wild Party (1929)
  • Dangerous Curves (1929)
  • The Saturday Night Kid (1929)
  • Paramount on Parade (1930)
  • True to the Navy (1930)
  • Love Among the Millionaires (1930)
  • Her Wedding Night (1930)
  • No Limit (1931)
  • Kick In (1931)
  • Call Her Savage (1932)
  • Hoop-La (1933)

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c Stenn, David. Beyond the Rainbow ( 1922) is a Silent film and is the first film of actress Clara Bow. Down to the Sea in Ships ( 1922) is an American silent movie about a devout Quaker captain of a fleet of whaling ships William W Enemies of Women is a film directed by Alan Crosland, released in 1923, starring Lionel Barrymore, Alma Reubens, Gladys Hulette The Daring Years is the title of a 1923 independently released American Silent film Melodrama. The Plastic Age ( 1925) is a black-and-white Silent film starring Clara Bow and Gilbert Roland. For the 1990 mini-series based on Stephen King's novel see It (1990 film. } Children of Divorce ( 1927) is a Silent film, directed by Frank Lloyd from an adaptation of Owen Johnson 's novel written by Wings ( is a silent movie about World War I fighter pilots directed by William A No Limit is a 1931 Comedy film starring Clara Bow, Norman Foster, Stuart Erwin, Thelma Todd, Dixie Lee Hoop-La is a 1933 film which is notable as the final Film appearance of Actress Clara Bow. Running Wild, Cooper Square Press, New Ed Edition 2000. ISBN
  2. ^ Glaze, Violet (2006-01-06). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King SHH... IT'S STARTING: Ain't 'IT' a Shame. PopMatters Media, Inc. .
  3. ^ a b c d e http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/clarabow.asp
  4. ^ Everson, William K. [1978] (September 1998). William K Everson ( April 8, 1929, Yeovil, Somerset England - April 14, 1996, New York City) was an American Silent Film, 1st Da Capo Press ed. , New York: Da Capo Press, Inc. . ISBN.  
  5. ^ The Girl Who Had IT - TIME
  6. ^ Politics '99 | Human Events | Find Articles at BNET.com
  7. ^ Effy's blog - skins - E4.com

Further reading

External links

Turner Classic Movies ( TCM) is a cable television channel featuring commercial -free classic movies mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner Find A Grave is a Website allowing its users to access maintain and expand an online Database of Burial records
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