A major Hollywood star of the silent era, she later achieved widespread critical acclaim and recognition for her role as Norma Desmond , a reclusive silent film star, in the critically acclaimed film Sunset Boulevard. Swanson was also a star in the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. Throughout the s, Swanson was one of Hollywood 's top box office draws. Swanson starred in dozens of silent films, and was nominated for the first Academy Award for Best Actress. She also produced her own films during this period, including The Love of Sunya and Sadie Thompson
Gloria Swanson, queen of the silent screen, dies – archive, 1983
Gloria Swanson - Biography - IMDb
E ach night during the filming of Sunset Boulevard, Gloria Swanson would return to the rented house on Mulholland Drive she shared with her mother, Addie and the youngest of her three children, Michelle, then As the year-old actress swept into the grounds, Addie would turn to her granddaughter and say, 'Oh, here comes Norma', a reference to Swanson's role as the half-insane former silent star in Billy Wilder's film. It wasn't until principal photography had been completed on Sunset Boulevard - which tells the story of the tragic affair between a struggling Hollywood screenwriter, Joe Gillis played by William Holden and an ageing, forgotten star Norma Desmond Swanson - that Swanson stopped bringing her alter ego home for dinner. On the last day of filming, she drove back to her house and announced to her family that 'there were only three of us in it now, meaning that Norma Desmond had taken her leave'. Not quite. Although Gloria Swanson appeared in nearly 70 films before Sunset Boulevard - which is being re-released in a stunning new print by the British Film Institute - she would always be remembered for her role as the faded legend.
Back in , Gloria Swanson achieved the comeback of all comebacks when the former silent film queen gave a career defining performance in the classic Sunset Boulevard. Most people today associate her with that film and her role as the reclusive and delusional former star, Norma Desmond. Swanson was a healthy-eating, yoga-practicing feminist way ahead of her time. The petite star she was just under five feet tall blazed out trails for women that we still follow today.
Lady had a gold-plated bathtub. She married a Marquis. She looked most beautiful when frowning.