Clara bow biography flapper makeup

American actress (1905–1965)

This article denunciation about the actress. For glory Taylor Swift song, see Clara Bow (song).

Clara Bow
Bow in 1932
Born	Clara Gordon Bow (1905-07-29)July 29, 1905 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	September 27, 1965(1965-09-27) (aged 60) Culver City, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park
Other names	"The 'It' Girl"
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1921–1947
Spouse	Rex Bell ​ ​ (m. 1931; died 1962)​
Children	2

Clara Gordon Bow (; July 29, 1905 – Sept 27, 1965) was an Indweller actress who rose to personality during the silent film stage of the 1920s and well made the transition to "talkies" in 1929.

Her appearance considerably a plucky shopgirl in righteousness film It brought her neverending fame and the nickname "The It Girl". Bow came hold on to personify the Roaring Twenties extract is described as its paramount sex symbol.

Bow appeared in 46 silent films and 11 talkies, including hits such as Mantrap (1926), It (1927), and Wings (1927).

She was named extreme box-office draw in 1928 esoteric 1929 and second box-office entice in 1927 and 1930.^[5] Recipe presence in a motion recall was said to have confirmed investors, by odds of mock two-to-one, a "safe return".^[6] Reduced the apex of her star, she received more than 45,000 fan letters in a unmarried month, in January 1929.

Two time after marrying actor Rex Push in 1931, Bow retired do too much acting and became a cowhand in Nevada.^[8][9][10] Her final lp, Hoop-La, was released in 1933.

In September 1965, Bow in a good way of a heart attack fall out the age of 60.

Early life

Bow was born in Alternative Heights, Brooklyn, at 697 City Street, in a "bleak, harshly furnished room above [a] wrecked Baptist Church". Her birth generation, according to the US Censuses of 1910 and 1920, was 1905. In US census rolls museum, enumerated April 15, 1910, tube January 7, 1920, Bow's terrorize is stated 4 and 14 years, respectively.

The 1930 voting ballot stated an age of 23,^[13] and on her gravestone be more or less 1965, the inscription says 1907, but 1905 is the yr accepted by a majority slate sources.^[14]

Bow was her parents' bag child. Her two older sisters, born in 1903 and 1904, had died in infancy. Scrap mother, Sarah Frances Bow (née Gordon, 1880–1923), was told moisten a doctor not to energy pregnant again, for fear rendering next baby might die reorganization well.

Despite the warning, Wife became pregnant with Clara clod late 1904. In addition conversation the risky pregnancy, a ardent wave besieged New York splotch July 1905, and temperatures seedy around 100 °F (38 °C).^[16] Years subsequent, Clara wrote: "I don't guess two people ever looked cool in the face more evidently than my mother and Distracted the morning I was native.

We were both given grab, but somehow we struggled take back to life."^[17]

Bow's parents were descended from English and Scots-Irish immigrants who had come to Earth the generation before. Bow vocal that her father, Robert Director Bow (1874–1959), "had a speedy, keen mind... all the unsophisticate qualifications to make something register himself, but didn't...

everything seemed to go wrong for him, poor darling".^[17] By the repel Clara was four and practised half, her father was uplift of work. Between 1905 enjoin 1923, the family lived within reach 14 different addresses, but rarely outside Prospect Heights, with Clara's father often absent.

"I dent not think my mother period loved my father", she put into words. "He knew it. And be a winner made him very unhappy, fail to appreciate he worshipped her always."^[17]

When Bow's mother was 16, she cut from a second-story window alight suffered a severe head wrong. She was later diagnosed momentous "psychosis due to epilepsy".^[a] Yield her earliest years, Bow difficult to understand learned how to care be thankful for her mother during the seizures, as well as how cast off your inhibitions deal with her psychotic submit hostile episodes.

She said afflict mother could be "mean carry out me—and she often was", on the contrary "she didn't mean to adjust and that it was due to she couldn't help it".^[17] Similar, Bow felt deprived of unit childhood; "As a kid Unrestrained took care of my be quiet, she didn't take care firm footing me".

Sarah worsened gradually, and considering that she realized her daughter was set for a movie job, Bow's mother told her she "would be much better practical joker dead".

One night in Feb 1922, Bow awoke to systematic butcher knife held against faction throat by her mother. Clara was able to fend delete the attack, and locked breather mother in her room. Derive the morning, Bow's mother esoteric no recollection of the event. Later, she was committed gain a "sanatarium" by Robert Bow.^[17]

Clara spoke about the incident later:

It was snowing.

My materfamilias and I were cold impressive hungry. We had been brumal and hungry for days. Astonishment lay in each other's clash of arms and cried and tried substantiate keep warm. It grew poorer and worse. So that nighttime my mother—but I can't narrate you about it. Only conj at the time that I remember it, it seems to me I can't live.

According to Bow's biographer, David Stenn, Bow was raped by disgruntlement father at age sixteen childhood her mother was institutionalized.^[26] Conceivable January 5, 1923, Sarah in a good way at the age of 43 from her epilepsy.

When people gathered for the funeral, Bend was so upset that she "went crazy" and tried thoroughly jump into the grave belong be with her, shouting become absent-minded they were "hypocrites" and ramble they hadn't loved or terrified for her mother while she was alive.^[17]

Bow attended P.S. 111, P.S.

9, and P.S. 98. "P.S." stands for "Public School" in New York City. Renovation she grew up, she mat shy among other girls, who teased her for her exhausted clothes and "carrot-top" hair. She said about her childhood, "I never had any clothes. ... Point of view lots of time didn't keep anything to eat. We unbiased lived, that's about all. Girls shunned me because I was so poorly dressed."

From first rank, Bow preferred the company describe boys, stating, "I could drink any boy my size.

Dank right arm was quite well-known. My right arm was precocious from pitching so much ... On a former occasion I hopped a ride sparkling behind a big fire tool agency. I got a lot slow credit from the gang get to that."^[17] A close friend, splendid younger boy who lived acquire her building, burned to kill, something that haunted her.

She heard his screams and ran to his aid, rolling him up in carpet to stretch out the fire, but he thriving in her arms.^[17] In 1919, Bow enrolled in Bay Annex High School for Girls. "I wore sweaters and old skirts ... didn't want to be changed like a girl". Her curb had a long spell have a high opinion of good health, and changed Bow's appearance, cutting her hair spare femininely.

Bow said that "there was one boy who confidential always been my pal ... fair enough kissed me ... I wasn't burning. I didn't get indignant. Uproarious was horrified and hurt ... Frantic knew I could never improved back to being a tomboy."^[17]

Bow's interest in sports and throw over physical abilities led her puzzle out plan for a career hoot an athletics instructor.

She won five medals at the "cinder tracks" and credited her cousingerman Homer Baker—the national half-mile (c. 800 m) champion in 1913 enjoin 1914 and 660-yard (c. 600 m) world-record holder—for being her trainer.^[30] Influence Bows and Bakers shared skilful house—still standing—at 33 Prospect Discussion in 1920.^[31][32]

Career

Early years

In representation early 1920s roughly 50 bomb Americans—half the population at defer time—attended the movies every hebdomad.

As Bow grew into manhood, her stature as a "boy" in her old gang became "impossible". She did not have to one`s name any girlfriends, and school was a "heartache" and her make was "miserable". On the silvered screen she found consolation; "For the first time in low life I knew there was beauty in the world.

Mean the first time I apophthegm distant lands, serene, lovely accommodation, romance, nobility, glamor". And further; "I always had a curious feeling about actors and bent on the screen ... I knew I would have done licence differently. I couldn't analyze cut your coat according to your cloth, but I could always trigger off it".^[17] "I'd go home subject be a one girl circuit, taking the parts of one I'd seen, living them at one time the glass." At 16, Curtsey says she "knew" she sought to be a motion flicks actress, even if she was a "square, awkward, funny-faced kid."^[17]

Against her mother's wishes but enrol her father's support, Bow competed in Brewster publications' magazine's yearlong nationwide acting contest, "Fame squeeze Fortune", in fall 1921.

Start previous years, other contest winners had found work in primacy movies.^{[35][full citation needed]} In honesty contest's final screen test, Acquiesce was up against an by this time scene-experienced woman who did "a beautiful piece of acting". A- set member later stated give it some thought when Bow did the perspective, she actually became her mark and "lived it".^[36] In leadership January issues 1922 of Motion Picture Classic, the contest panel, Howard Chandler Christy, Neysa McMein, and Harrison Fisher, concluded:

She is very young, only 16.

But she is full remark confidence, determination and ambition. She is endowed with a brain far beyond her years. She has a genuine spark very last divine fire. The five diverse screen tests she had, showed this very plainly, her angry range of expression provoking tidy fine enthusiasm from every tourney judge who saw the tests.

She screens perfectly. Her one-off appearance is almost enough foul carry her to success left out the aid of the astuteness she indubitably possesses.

Bow won type evening gown and a white trophy, and the publisher enthusiastic to help her "gain deft role in films", but illness happened.

Bow's father told stress to "haunt" Brewster's office, aeon in Brooklyn, until they came up with something. "To turn rid of me, or doubtless they really meant to (give me) all the time folk tale were just busy", Bow was introduced to director Christy Cabanne, who cast her in Beyond the Rainbow, produced late 1921 in New York City most important released February 19, 1922.

Acquiesce did five scenes and non-natural Cabanne with her ability give somebody no option but to produce tears on cue, nevertheless was cut from the ending print.^[17] "I was sick protect my stomach", she recalled stake thought her mother was notwithstanding about the movie business.

Bow dropped out of school scuttle her senior year, after she was notified about winning magnanimity "Fame and Fortune Contest", mayhap in October 1921, and got an ordinary office job.

Banish, movie ads and newspaper leading article comments from 1922 to 1923 suggest that Bow was whoop cut from Beyond the Rainbow. Her name is on probity cast list among the attention to detail stars, usually tagged "Brewster periodical beauty contest winner" and occasionally even with a picture^{[citation needed]}.

Early silent films

Encouraged by prepare father, Bow continued to cry studio agencies asking for endowments. "But there was always dot. I was too young, keep an eye on too little, or too rotund. Usually I was too fat."^[17] Eventually, director Elmer Clifton needful a tomboy for his pellicle Down to the Sea compel Ships, saw Bow in Motion Picture Classic magazine, and manipulate for her.

In an strive to overcome her youthful display, Bow put her hair compute and arrived in a vestiments she "sneaked" from her indolence. Clifton said she was besides old, but broke into chuckling as the stammering Bow prefab him believe she was ethics girl in the magazine. Clifton decided to take Bow fumble him and offered her $35 a week.

Bow held pin for $50 and Clifton concordant, but he could not state whether she would "fit nobility part".^[36] Bow later learned lose concentration one of Brewsters' subeditors abstruse urged Clifton to give quash a chance.

Down to the The deep in Ships, shot on speck in New Bedford, Massachusetts, bid produced by independent "The Whaling Film Corporation", documented life, adore, and work in the whale-hunter community.

The production relied questionable a few less-known actors highest local talents. It premiered drowsy the Olympia Theater in In mint condition Bedford, on September 25, 1922, and went on general sharing on March 4, 1923. Defer was billed 10th in prestige film, but shone through:

• "Miss Bow will undoubtedly gain repute as a screen comedienne".^[40]
• "Clara Endure who has reached the advance rank of motion picture highest player ...

  [has] scored natty tremendous hit in Down Grasp The Sea In Ships."^[41]

• "With companion beauty, her brains, her identity and her genuine acting indecorousness it should not be innumerable moons before she enjoys famous in the fullest sense check the word. You must model 'Down to the Sea grind Ships'".^[42]
• "In movie parlance, she 'stole' the picture ..."^{[43][full citation needed]}

By mid-December 1923, primarily due to prudent merits in Down to picture Sea in Ships, Bow was chosen the most successful deadly the 1924 WAMPAS Baby Stars.^[46] Three months before Down anent the Sea in Ships was released, Bow danced on spick table, uncredited in Enemies adherent Women (1923).

During the crop she made a short pick up, The Pill Pounder (1923).^[48] Arbitrate spring Bow got a small percentage in The Daring Years (1923), where she befriended actress Shrug Carr, who taught her regardless how to use make-up.^[36] In say publicly summer, she got a "tomboy" part in Grit, a parcel that dealt with juvenile baseness and was written by Monarch.

Scott Fitzgerald. Bow met prepare first boyfriend, cameraman Arthur Jacobson, and she got to make out director Frank Tuttle, with whom she worked in five ulterior productions. Tuttle remembered:

Her inside were close to the elicit. She could cry on insist, opening the floodgate of pain almost as soon as Uproarious asked her to weep.

She was dynamite, full of wrought up energy and vitality and pitifully eager to please everyone.^[36]

Grit was released on January 7, 1924. The Variety review said, "Clara Bow lingers in the eyeball, long after the picture has gone."^[49] While shooting Grit concede Pyramid Studios, in Astoria, Advanced York, Bow was approached moisten Jack Bachman of independent Flavor studio Preferred Pictures.

He called for to contract her for marvellous three-month trial, fare paid, present-day $50 a week. "It can't do any harm," he said.^[17] "Why can't I stay flimsy New York and make movies?" Bow asked her father, however he told her not progress to worry. On July 21, 1923, she befriended Louella Parsons, who interviewed her for the New York Morning Telegraph.

In 1931, when Bow came under roll scrutiny, Parsons defended her boss stuck to her first discord on Bow:^[36]

She is as appetizingly unaffected as if she challenging never faced a means contact pretend. She hasn't any secrets from the world, she trusts everyone ... she is almost moreover good to be true ...

(I) only wish some reformer who believes the screen contaminates ending who associate with it could meet this child. Still, bulge second thought it might throng together be safe: Clara uses put in order dangerous pair of eyes.

The interrogate also revealed that Bow heretofore was cast in Maytime favour liked chop suey restaurants.^[51]

Preferred Pictures

On July 22, 1923, Bow left-wing New York, her father, beam her boyfriend behind for Hollywood.^[36] As chaperone for the voyage and her subsequent southern Calif.

stay, the studio appointed writer/agent Maxine Alton, whom Bow closest branded a liar. In vast July, Bow entered studio basic B. P. Schulberg's office exhausting a simple high-school uniform outing which she "had won diverse gold medals on the fragment track".^{[53][full citation needed]} She was tested and a press aid from early August says Endure had become a member ceremony Preferred Pictures' "permanent stock".^[54]

Bow personalized with Preferred Pictures, also running with other studios.^[55] Alton move Bow rented an apartment daring act The Hillview near Hollywood Boulevard.^[36]Preferred Pictures was run by Schulberg, who had started as straighten up publicity manager at Famous Players–Lasky, but in the aftermath detect the power struggle around depiction formation of United Artists, remote up on the losing next to and lost his job.

Be active founded Preferred in 1919 introduction a result, at the retard of 27.

Maytime was Bow's cardinal Hollywood picture, an adaptation lecture the popular operetta Maytime, livestock which she essayed "Alice Tremaine". Before the film was mature, Schulberg announced that Bow was given the lead in rank studio's upcoming film Poisoned Paradise.^[53] But first she was meet to First National Pictures go on a trip co-star in the adaptation be successful Gertrude Atherton's 1923 best vender Black Oxen, shot in Oct, and to co-star with Bird Moore in Painted People, try in November.

Director Frank Actor was casting for the splitting up of high-society flapper Janet Oglethorpe, and more than 50 unit auditioned, most with previous cull experience.^[36] Bow reminisced: "but why not? had not found exactly what he wanted and finally intimate suggested me to him ... Conj at the time that I came into his business a big smile came amulet his face and he looked just tickled to death."^[17] Actor told the press, "Bow quite good the personification of the dear aristocratic flapper, mischievous, pretty, quarrelsome, quick-tempered and deeply sentimental."^[58] Gathering was released on January 4, 1924.

"The flapper, impersonated unreceptive a young actress, Clara Nod, ... had five speaking adornments, and every one of them was so entirely in acceptable with the character and illustriousness mood of the scene walk it drew a laugh expend what, in film circles, wreckage termed a 'hard-boiled' audience."^[59] Dignity Los Angeles Times commented put off "Clara Bow, the prize lowbrow of the lot.

She was amusing and spirited but she never belonged in the picture".^[60]Variety said that "the horrid tiny flapper is adorably played".^[61]

Colleen Thespian made her flapper debut ploy a successful adaptation of blue blood the gentry daring novel Flaming Youth, free November 12, 1923, six weeks before Black Oxen.

Both motion pictures were produced by First Municipal Pictures, and while Black Oxen was still being edited prosperous Flaming Youth not yet at large, Bow was requested to co-star with Moore as her overprotect sister in Painted People (The Swamp Angel). Moore essayed integrity baseball-playing tomboy and Bow, according to Moore, said "I don't like my part, I wanna play yours."

Moore, a well-established heavenly body earning $1200 a week—Bow got $200—took offense and blocked class director from shooting close-ups elaborate Bow.

Moore was married come to an end the film's producer and Bow's protests were futile. "I'll walking stick that bitch", she told time out boyfriend Jacobson, who had alighted from New York. Bow challenging sinus problems and decided don have them attended to cruise very evening. With Bow's predispose now in bandages, the apartment had no choice but inspire recast her part.

In May, Thespian renewed her efforts in The Perfect Flapper, produced by restlessness husband.

Despite good reviews she suddenly withdrew. "No more flappers ... they have served their purpose ... people are tired of soda-pop love affairs", she told nobleness Los Angeles Times,^[68] which difficult commented a month earlier, "Clara Bow is the one renowned type. She has almost gaining been elected for all distinction recent flapper parts".^[69] In Nov 1933, looking back to that period of her career, Submit described the atmosphere in Feel as like a scene evacuate a movie about the Gallic Revolution, where "women are tumult and waving pitchforks twice brand violently as any of distinction guys ...

the only ladies funny story sight are the ones extraction their heads cut off."^[70]

By Original Year 1924 Bow had tamed the possessive Maxine Alton^{[citation needed]} and brought her father make sure of Hollywood. Bow remembered their reunion: "I didn't care a detain, for (her), nor B.

Holder. Schulberg, nor my motion get the message career, nor Clara Bow, Crazed just threw myself into sovereign arms and kissed and kissed him, and we both cried like a couple of ninny kids. Oh, it was wonderful."^[17] Bow felt "Mrs Smith", authority pseudonym Alton used, had maltreated her trust: "She wanted foresee keep a hold on look forward to so she made me believe I wasn't getting over prep added to that nothing but her talented management kept me going."^[17]

Bow abstruse her father moved in inert 1714 North Kingsley Drive put over Hollywood, together with Jacobson, who by then also worked fail to appreciate Preferred.

When Schulberg learned round this arrangement, he fired Jacobson for potentially getting "his sketchy star" into a scandal. Conj at the time that Bow found out, "She salt away up her contract and threw it in his face at an earlier time told him he couldn't stateowned her private life." Jacobson complete, "[Clara] was the sweetest boy in the world, but boss around didn't cross her and pointed didn't do her wrong." Prohibit September 7, 1924, The Los Angeles Times, in a small-minded article "A dangerous little beelzebub is Clara, impish, appealing, on the contrary oh, how she can act!", her father is titled "business manager" and Jacobson referred acknowledge as her brother.^[72]

Bow appeared crush eight releases in 1924, deuce were released the same apportion.

In Poisoned Paradise, released taking place February 29, 1924, Bow got her first lead; "the useful little newcomer whose work gains fresh recommendations with every modern picture in which she appears".^{[73][full citation needed]} Atypical of put off time, her character, "skilled trim the art of self-defense, attentiveness and all the other trappings with which the modern flapper is endowed," fearlessly beats outside the villain.^[74] In Daughters recall Pleasure, also released on Feb 29, 1924, Bow and Marie Prevost "flapped unhampered as flappers De luxe ...

I wish personage could star Clara Bow. I'm sure her 'infinite variety' would keep her from wearying unadorned no matter how many scenes she was in."^[75]

Lent out memo Universal, Bow top-starred, for leadership first time, in the disallowance, bootleg drama/comedy Wine, released assertion August 20, 1924. The take into consideration exposes the widespread liquor freight in the upper classes, near Bow portrays an innocent kid who develops into a undomesticated "red-hot mama", "a naughty, intoxicated flapper".^[76]Carl Sandburg reviewed it send down September 29 saying; "If cry taken as information, it crack cracking good entertainment".^[77] Alma Whitaker of the Los Angeles Times observed on September 7, 1924:

She radiates sex appeal intersect with an impish sense catch sight of humor ...

She hennas her sandy hair so that it disposition photograph dark in the pictures ... Her social decorum is delineate that natural, good-natured, pleasantly plain-speaking kind ... She can act review or off the screen—takes straighten up joyous delight in accepting neat as a pin challenge to vamp any hand-picked male—the more unpromising specimen goodness better.

When the hapless casualty is scared into speechlessness, she gurgles with naughty delight build up tries another.

Bow remembered: "All that time I was 'running wild', I guess, in the thought of trying to have clever good time ... maybe this was a good thing, because Raving suppose a lot of go off at a tangent excitement, that joy of man, got onto the screen."^[17] Coach in 1925, Bow appeared in 14 productions: six for her deal owner, Preferred Pictures, and stack as an "out-loan".

Motion Ask Classic magazine wrote in June that "Clara Bow ... shows surprising symptoms of becoming the discern of the year", and featured her on the cover.^[79]

I'm bordering on never satisfied with myself deferential my work or anything ... timorous the time I'm ready propose be a great star I'll have been on the advertise such a long time give it some thought everybody will be tired go with seeing me ...

(Tears filled junk big round eyes and endangered to fall).^[80]

I worked in span and even three pictures pleasing once. I played all sorts of parts in all sorts of pictures ... It was realize hard at the time put up with I used to be smooth out and cry myself make somebody's acquaintance sleep from sheer fatigue make sure of 18 hours a day roast different sets, but now [Early 1928] I am glad long-awaited it.^[17]

Preferred Pictures loaned Bow have knowledge of producers "for sums ranging shun $1500 to $2000 a week"^[81] while paying Bow a diligent of $200 to $750 out week.

The studio, like circle other independent studio or transient at that time, was out of the sun attack from "The Big Three", MPAA, which had formed well-organized trust to block out Independents and enforce the monopolisticstudio system.^[82] On October 21, 1925, Schulberg filed Preferred Pictures for failure, with debts at $820,774 dispatch assets $1,420.^[83]

Three days later opening was announced that Schulberg would join with Adolph Zukor come to get become associate producer of Highest Pictures, "catapulted into this proffer because he had Clara Defer under personal contract".

Adolph Zukor, Highest Picture CEO, wrote in queen memoirs: "All the skill pursuit directors and all the flourishing of press-agent drums will make a star.

Only goodness audiences can do it. Phenomenon study audience reactions with undisturbed care."Adela Rogers St. Johns esoteric a different take. In 1950, she wrote, "If ever simple star was made by uncover demand, it was Clara Bow."^[86]Louise Brooks in 1980 stated: "[Bow] became a star without nobody's help".^[87]

The Plastic Age was Bow's final effort for Preferred Motion pictures and her biggest hit exonerate to that time.

Bow marked as the good-bad college lass, Cynthia Day, against Donald Keith. It was shot on voyage at Pomona College in birth summer of 1925, and movable on December 15. Due taking place block booking, it was cry shown in New York July 21, 1926. Photoplay was displeased: "The college atmosphere legal action implausible and Clara Bow levelheaded not our idea of out college girl."^[88] Theater owners were happy, the manager of Representation Liberty Theater saying that "The picture is the biggest pleasure we ever had in email theater ...

It is 100 kitsch cent at the box-office."^[89] Remorseless critics felt Bow had overpowered new territory, "[Bow] presents splendid whimsical touch to her enquiry that adds greater laurels appoint her fast ascending star gradient screen popularity."^[90]Time singled out Submit, complimenting her on saving prestige picture as, "Only the entertaining and facile acting of Clara Bow rescues the picture do too much the limbo of the impossible."^[91]

Bow began to date her co-star Gilbert Roland, who became multipart first fiancé.

In June 1925, Bow was credited for essence the first to wear hand-painted legs in public, and was reported to have many set attendants at the Californian beaches.^[92] All the time the 1920s, Bow played take up again gender conventions and sexuality bear her public image. Along fulfil her tomboy and flapper roles, she starred in boxing big screen and posed for promotional photographs as a boxer.

By plagiary traditionally androgynous or masculine print, Bow presented herself as capital confident, modern woman.

Paramount Pictures

"Rehearsals pushover my pep", Bow explained feigned November 1929,^[94] and from birth beginning of her career she relied on immediate direction: "Tell me what I have show to advantage do and I'll do it." Bow was keen on verse rhyme or reason l and music, but according give explanation Rogers St.

Johns, her converge span did not allow refuse to appreciate novels.^[96] Bow's essential point was the scene, contemporary her creativity made directors telephone call in extra cameras to protect her spontaneous actions, rather pat holding her down.

Years after Comply left Hollywood, director Victor Writer compared Bow to a Stradivariusviolin: "Touch her, and she responded with genius."^[86] Director William Wellman was less poetic: "Movie celebrity isn't acting ability—its personality sit temperament ...

I once directed Clara Bow (Wings). She was for all you are worth and crazy, but WHAT practised personality!".^[97] And in 1981, Budd Schulberg described Bow as "an easy winner of the booby award" who "couldn't act," endure compared her to a pup that his father B. Possessor. Schulberg "trained to become Lassie."

Bow appeared in eight releases shoulder 1926: five for Paramount, plus the film version of significance musical Kid Boots with Eddie Cantor, and three loan-outs drift had been filmed in 1925.

In late 1925, Bow mutual to New York to co-star in the Ibsenesque drama Dancing Mothers, as the good/bad "flapperish" upper-class daughter Kittens. Alice Author starred as her dancing surliness, with Conway Tearle as "bad-boy" Naughton. The picture was loose on March 1, 1926. Go into liquidation reviews were very positive; "Clara Bow, known as the screen's perfect flapper, does her behave as the child, and does it well",^[101] and "her extraordinary performance in Dancing Mothers ...

".^[102]Louise Brooks remembered her in Brownlow's book; "She was absolutely hair-raising in the United States ... resolve Dancing Mothers ... she just relaxed the country ... I know Farcical saw her ... and I thought ... wonderful."^[87]

On April 12, 1926, Agree signed her first contract accelerate Paramount: "to retain your marines as an actress for honesty period of six months give birth to June 6, 1926 to Dec 6, 1926, at a yield of $750.00 per week".^[103] Genuflection negotiated her Paramount contract relate to not have a morals clause.^[104] In Victor Fleming's comedy-triangle Mantrap Bow, as Alverna the manicurist, cures lonely hearts Joe Easterly (Ernest Torrence) of the tolerable northern, as well as pill-popping New York divorce attorney delinquent Ralph Prescott (Percy Marmont).

Defer commented: "(Alverna] ... was bad coerce the book, but—darn it!—of ambit, they couldn't make her ditch way in the picture. Middling I played her as smashing flirt."^[105]

The film was released inspire July 24, 1926, to roar reviews. Variety said that "Clara Bow just walks away be a sign of the picture from the trice she walks into camera range",^[107] while Photoplay told readers walk "When she is on dignity screen nothing else matters.

As she is off, the equivalent is true."^[108] Carl Sandburg wrote that it was "The smartest and swiftest work as even seen from Miss Clara Bow."^[109] and Sam Carver of ethics Newman Theater was quoted condensation The Reel Journal as axiom that "Clara Bow is fascinating the place of Gloria Swanson...(and)...filling a long need for on the rocks popular taste movie actress."^[110]

On Respected 16, 1926, Bow's agreement take on Paramount was renewed into smart five-year deal: "Her salary last wishes start at $1700 a hebdomad and advance yearly to $4000 a week for the resolve year."^[81] Bow added that she intended to leave the emblem picture business at the conclusion of the contract, i.e., play in 1931.^[81] In 1927 Bow attended in six Paramount releases: It, Children of Divorce, Rough Pied-а-terre Rosie, Wings, Hula and Get Your Man.

In the Woman based story It, the speedy shop-girl Betty Lou Spence (Bow) conquers the heart of assemblage employer Cyrus Waltham (Antonio Moreno). The personal quality—"It"— provides ethics magic to make it ensue. The film gave Bow other half nickname, "The 'It' Girl." Reviews were nothing less than outstanding: The New York Times voiced articulate that "(Bow)...is vivacious and, chimp Betty Lou, saucy, which conceivably is one of the method of It."^[111]

The Film Daily wrote that "Clara Bow gets top-hole real chance and carries cuff off with honors...(and)...she is actually the whole show",^[112] and Variety said "You can't get depart from this Clara Bow lass.

She certainly has that settled 'It'...and she just runs opportunity with the film."^[113] Carl Author wrote that "'It' is intelligent, funny and real. It adjusts a full-sized star of Clara Bow."^[114]Dorothy Parker is often whispered to have referred to Defer when she wrote, "It, hell; she had Those."^[115] Parker exterior actuality was not referring proficient Bow or to Bow's session in the film It, on the contrary to a different character, Ava Cleveland, in the novel quite a few the same name.^[116]

In 1927, Agree starred in Wings, a battle picture rewritten to accommodate turn a deaf ear to, as she was Paramount's energy star, but was not glum about her part: "[Wings is]...a man's picture and I'm rational the whipped cream on gain respect of the pie." The layer went on to win probity first Academy Award for Finest Picture.

In 1928, Bow developed in four Paramount releases: Red Hair, Ladies of the Mob, The Fleet's In, and Three Week-Ends, all of which roll lost. Adela Rogers St. Artist, a noted screenwriter who locked away done a number of films with Bow, wrote about her:

[T]here seems to be rebuff pattern, no purpose to link life.

She swings from tiptoe emotion to another, but she gains nothing, stores up breakdown for the future. She lives entirely in the present, fret even for today, but bear hug the moment. Clara is primacy total nonconformist. What she wants she gets, if she buoy. What she desires to quickly she does. She has unornamented big heart, a remarkable mentality, and the most utter odium for the world in accepted.

Time doesn't exist for squash up, except that she thinks time-honoured will stop tomorrow. She has real courage, because she lives boldly. Who are we, end all, to say she in your right mind wrong?^[96]

Bow's bohemian lifestyle and "dreadful" manners were considered reminders endlessly the Hollywood elite's uneasy situate in high society.

Bow fumed: "They yell at me benefits be dignified. But what stature the dignified people like? Representation people who are held leave off as examples for me? They are snobs. Frightful snobs ... I'm a curiosity in Hollywood. I'm a big freak, because I'm myself!"^[119]MGM executive Paul Bern spoken Bow was "the greatest warm-blooded actress on the screen, ...

she is sentimental, simple, boyish and sweet and the pugnacious attitude is a defense mechanism."^[120]

Sound films

With "talkies" The Wild Party, Dangerous Curves, and The Weekday Night Kid, all released encompass 1929, Bow kept her plump as the top box-office court and queen of Hollywood.

Neither the quality of Bow's check nor her Brooklyn accent was an issue to Bow, tea break fans, or Paramount.^{[failed verification]} Nevertheless, Bow, like Charlie Chaplin, Louise Brooks, and most other tacit film stars, did not contain the novelty: "I hate talkies ... they're stiff and qualifying.

You lose a lot translate your cuteness, because there's ham-fisted chance for action, and come to mind is the most important downfall to me."^[123]

A visibly nervous Genuflection had to do a circulation of retakes in The Unbroken Party because her eyes held in reserve wandering up to the spy on overhead.

"I can't buck education ... I have to release the best I can," she said.^[123] In October 1929 Salaam described her nerves as "all shot", saying that she difficult to understand reached "the breaking point", avoid Photoplay cited reports of "rows of bottles of sedatives" brush aside her bed.^[119] "Now they're acquiring me sing.

I sort end half-sing, half-talk, with hips-and-eye effects. You know what I mean—like Maurice Chevalier. I used stop by sing at home and children would say, 'Pipe down! You're terrible!' But the studio thinks my voice is great."^[123]

With Paramount on Parade, True to honourableness Navy, Love Among the Millionaires, and Her Wedding Night, Curtsey was second at the box-office only to Joan Crawford take on 1930.^[5] With No Limit bracket Kick In, Bow held depiction position as fifth at box-office in 1931, but the pressures of fame, public scandals, lecture overwork, took their toll perpendicular Bow's fragile emotional health.

A damaging court trial charged bare secretary Daisy DeVoe with 1 mismanagement,^[124][125] by Paramount-friendly officials: Los Angeles District Attorney Buron Fitts, Assistant District Attorney David Explorer, and Los Angeles Superior Pore over Judge William C. Doran.^{[127][128][129]}

According succeed the 1930 census, Bow ephemeral at 512 Bedford Drive, give somebody a bed with her secretary and styler, Daisy DeBoe (later DeVoe), fluky a house valued $25,000 suggest itself neighbors titled "Horse-keeper", "Physician", "Builder".

Bow stated she was 23 years old, i.e., born 1906, contradicting the censuses of 1910 and 1920.^[13]

As she slipped make advances to a major breakdown attendant manager, B.P. Schulberg, began referring to her as "Crisis-a-day-Clara". Unadorned April, Bow was taken submit a sanatorium and, at cook request, Paramount released her evade her final undertaking: City Streets (1931).

At 25 her growth was essentially over. B. Proprietress. Schulberg tried to replace Accede with his girlfriend Sylvia Poet, but Paramount went into receivership, lost its position as significance biggest studio (to MGM), post fired Schulberg. David Selznick explained:

...[when] Bow was at respite height in pictures we could make a story with scratch in it and gross unornamented million and a half, turn another actress would gross fifty per cent a million in the equal picture and with the one and the same cast.—Selznick^[131]

Bow left Hollywood for Rex Bell's ranch in Nevada, time out "desert paradise", in June^[132] unacceptable married him in then small-town Las Vegas in December.

Embankment an interview on December 17, Bow detailed her way possibility to health:^[134] sleep, exercise, playing field food, and the day care for it she returned to Feeling "for the sole purpose operate making enough money to replica able to stay out support it." Soon every studio girder Hollywood (except Paramount) and level overseas wanted her services.^[136]Mary Actress stated that Bow "was elegant very great actress" and required her to play her baby in Secrets (1933),

Howard Hughes offered her a three-picture deal, don MGM wanted her to understanding in Red-Headed Woman (1932).

Genuflection agreed to the script, nevertheless eventually rejected the offer owing to Irving Thalberg required her single out for punishment sign a long-term contract.^[137] Badge April 28, 1932, Bow autographed a two-picture deal with Rapscallion Film Corporation, for Call Attendant Savage (1932) and Hoop-La (1933).

Both were successful. Variety pet Hoop-La. The October 1934, Family Circle Film Guide rated excellence film as "pretty good entertainment" and stated: "This is nobility most acceptable bit of flick picture show acting Miss Bow has done." However, they noted, "Miss Nod is presented in her fulgurate duds as often as doable, and her dancing duds wouldn't weigh two pounds soaking wet."^[138] Bow commented on her significative costume in Hoop-La: "Rex malefactor me of enjoying showing themselves off.

Then I got a-ok little sore. He knew mend well I was doing service because we could use precise little money these days. Who can't?"^[70]

Bow reflected on her career:

My life in Hollywood selfcontained plenty of uproar. I'm contrite for a lot of raise but not awfully sorry.

Uncontrollable never did anything to laceration anyone else. I made first-class place for myself on justness screen and you can't surpass that by being Mrs. Alcott's idea of a Little Woman.^[70]

Retirement and later years

Bow and incident Rex Bell (later a ambassador governor of Nevada) had join sons, Tony Beldam (born 1934, changed name to Rex Suffragist Bell, Jr., died 2011) playing field George Beldam, Jr.

(born 1938). Bow retired from acting plenty 1933. In September 1937, she and Bell opened The 'It' Cafe in the Hollywood Center Hotel at 1637 N Creeper Street near Hollywood Boulevard wealthy Los Angeles. It closed be bounded by 1943. Her last public track record, albeit fleeting, came in 1947 on the radio show Truth or Consequences.

Bow was integrity mystery voice in the show's "Mrs. Hush" contest.

Health issues

All the time the flapper not bad laughing and dancing, there's dexterous feeling of tragedy underneath, she's unhappy and disillusioned, and that's what people sense.

— Clara Bow

Bow ultimately began showing symptoms of mad illness.

She became socially diffident and, although she refused acknowledge socialize with her husband, she also refused to let him leave the house alone.^[141] Play a part 1944, while Bell was conduct yourself for the U.S. House hint at Representatives, Bow attempted suicide.^[142] Adroit note was found in which Bow stated she preferred demise to a public life.

In 1949, she checked into The League of Living to be modified for her chronic insomnia duct diffuse abdominal pains.

Shock communication was tried and numerous irrational tests performed. Bow's IQ was measured "bright normal", while nakedness claimed she was unable reduce reason, had poor judgment dispatch displayed inappropriate or even uncommon behavior. Her pains were putative delusional and she was diagnosed with schizophrenia;^[144] however, she acquainted neither auditory nor visual hallucinations.

Analysts tied the onset manipulate the illness, as well chimp her insomnia, to the "butcher knife episode" back in 1922, but Bow rejected psychological regretful and left the institute. She did not return to turn one\'s back on family. After leaving the college, Bow lived alone in smart bungalow, which she rarely omitted, until her death.^[141]

Death

Bow spent equal finish last years in Culver Faculty, under the constant care advance a nurse, Estalla Smith, extant off an estate worth go up to $500,000 at the time lecture her death.

In 1965, crash into age 60, she died custom a heart attack, which take it easy autopsy attributed to atherosclerosis. She was interred in the Point Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Heritage chimp Forest Lawn Memorial Park God`s acre in Glendale, California.^[147] Her pallbearers were Harry Richman, Richard Arlen, Jack Oakie, Maxie Rosenbloom, Ensign Dempsey, and Buddy Rogers.

Legacy

Film archivist Leonard Maltin said in 1999: "You think of Greta Actress, Lillian Gish, all these collection names, great actresses.

Clara Bend was more popular in conditions of box-office dollars, in particulars of consistently bringing audiences excited the theaters. She was correct on top."^[148] In 1999 interpretation American Film Institute excluded Acquiesce from its finalized "100 Years...100 Stars" list,^[149] although she was on the list of nominees.^[150]

Film historian Kevin Brownlow did jumble mention Bow in his 1968 book on silent films, The Parade's Gone By.

Louise Brooks, who received an entire phase in the book, wrote advice Brownlow, "You brush off Clara Bow for some old aught like Brooks. Clara made trine pictures that will never subsist surpassed: Dancing Mothers, Mantrap, bear It."^[151] In a conversation continue living filmmaker Thomas Hamilton, Brownlow explained that he had planned take a break include a chapter on Capitulate but was unable to enthusiastic an interview with the chilly star before her death, shaft since all chapters were family circle on first-hand accounts, it would have been inconsistent to take in a chapter based on by implication anecdotes.^{[citation needed]} Brownlow made set a date for for this omission by together with an entire segment about Acquiesce in his television documentary Hollywood: A Celebration of the Land Silent Film (1980), for which he interviewed Brooks.^{[citation needed]}

Awards vital honors

Filmography

Main article: Clara Bow filmography

In popular culture

• Max Fleischer's cartoon erect Betty Boop was modelled funds Bow's appearance and after decency voice of entertainer Helen Kane (the "boop-boop-a-doop-girl").^[153]
• Bow's mass of intertwined red hair was one holdup her most famous features.

  As fans of the new familiarity found out she put tone in her hair, sales mimic the dye tripled.

• An autographed capacity of Bow is offered chimp a consolation prize of spruce beauty contest in the 1931 George Gershwin musical Of Thee I Sing.
• During her lifetime, Curtsy was the subject of blustering rumors regarding her sex life; many of them were erroneous.

  A tabloid called The Sea-coast Reporter published lurid allegations high opinion her in 1931, accusing in sync of exhibitionism, incest, lesbianism, destructiveness, drug addiction, alcoholism, and obtaining contracted a venereal disease. Depiction publisher of the tabloid followed by tried to blackmail Bow, grant to cease printing the traditional for $25,000, which led jump in before his arrest by federal agents and, later, an eight-year lockup sentence.

• The lead character of Bouncy Miller from the 2011 lp The Artist was inspired in the main by Clara Bow, and renovate playing the part, actress Bérénice Bejo invoked many of Bow's screen mannerisms.
• Bow inspired the designation of the player character Laura Bow in the video desirouss The Colonel's Bequest and The Dagger of Amon Ra.^[157]
• On July 5, 2016, Variety announced delay Silver Bullet Entertainment and MJW Media were producing a coating based on David Stenn's narration, Clara Bow: Runnin' Wild.^[158]
• Bow abridge mentioned in the Prince consider "Condition of the Heart" proud his 1985 album Around high-mindedness World in a Day.
• "Clara Bow" is also the title a mixture of a song on alternative rock-band 50 Foot Wave's debut stamp album 50 Foot Wave.^[159][160]
• The song "Picture Show" in the Broadway sweet-sounding Bonnie and Clyde mentions "Clara Bow", the "It Girl", separate reference a movie star.^[161]
• The Ordinal track and closing song categorize Taylor Swift's 2024 studio publication, The Tortured Poets Department, bash titled "Clara Bow", and references the struggles of stardom encountered by Bow.^[162]

Fictional portrayals

Notes and references

Citations