All Rights Reserved. Clara's mother Sarah was not keen to marry but felt the pressure from her family. However, they noted, "Miss Bow is presented in her dancing duds as often as possible, and her dancing duds wouldn't weigh two pounds soaking wet. Bow once quipped, I could lick any boy my size. her notorious tell-all memoir in Photoplay. Clara Bow (1905-1965) F. Scott Fitzgerald said of her, "This girl was the real thing. Skip to the beginning of the carousel. Her mother, Sarah Gordon, who was mentally ill as well as an epileptic, was noted for her public and frequent affairs with local firemen. Bow was so worn down, she begged the studio to release her from her contract, and checked herself into a sanatorium. what was her significance of the . But the worst was yet to come. So that night my motherbut I can't tell you about it. [34] In the contest's final screen test, Bow was up against an already scene-experienced woman who did "a beautiful piece of acting". Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. Down to the Sea in Ships (1922) Unrated | 83 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance. When the hapless victim is scared into speechlessness, she gurgles with naughty delight and tries another. $299,100. I was too young, or too little, or too fat. In 1925, Clara started a scandalous sensation. He told her she was too old, and Bow had to spend the rest of the appointment convincing him she was a kid after all. Clifton decided to take Bow with him and offered her $35 a week. As the sassy broad wrote, You brush off Clara Bow for some old nothing like Brooks. Brooks letter actually had the intended effect. Approximately zero film offers came knocking, and Bow had to resort to going down to the Brewsters magazine office every day and begging for work. [83], Adolph Zukor, Paramount Picture CEO, wrote in his memoirs: "All the skill of directors and all the booming of press-agent drums will not make a star. As Clara once admitted, I do not think my mother ever loved my father. Even worse, He knew it. However, this was far from the worst thing Claras mother would do. After all, Bow was known for her huge eyes and her incredibly expressive face. The contest earned Bow a trophy and a small film role, but no contract. The pert, audacious Bow became an icon of the typebut one day she took it way too far. When her friend Tui Lorraine faced exile from America and desperately needed a cash injection, Clara generously offeredher own gross father, Robert. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. Off Market. In February 1922, Clara Bow awoke to a horrifying sight: Her mother holding a butchers knife to her throat. Both her mother and grandmother were mentally ill and her father was disinterested in both marriage and children (he had left Clara's mother shortly before she went into labor). She did not have any girlfriends, and school was a "heartache" and her home was "miserable". 6.1. Profession: Actress Debut: Beyond the Rainbow. "[16] Lloyd told the press, "Bow is the personification of the ideal aristocratic flapper, mischievous, pretty, aggressive, quick-tempered and deeply sentimental. Clara Bow Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Clara Gordon Bow (/bo/; July 29, 1905 - September 27, 1965) was an American actress who rose to stardom in silent film during the 1920s. Her mother Sarah was mentally ill, probably schizophrenic. Actors were able to get away with racier dress choices, but even Bow raised a few eyebrows when she appeared at a dinner party wearing nothing but a bathing suit. The class snobbery that feeds into that portrayal is unmistakable. As fellow actor Lina Basquette said: She wasnt well liked amongst other women in the film colony. Louise Brooks, who received an entire chapter in the book, wrote to Brownlow, "You brush off Clara Bow for some old nothing like Brooks. 6465 Clara Bow Ave UNIT 103, Las Vegas, NV 89122. She retired from acting in 1933, but two decades later her reputation received an extra blow with Singin in the Rain, which featured Lina Lamont, the talentless flapper with a Noo Yoik twang who cant hack it in the sound era. Im just the whipped cream on top of the pie, she said, and she would come to regret the gratuitous nudity in that role too: I dont want to be remembered as somebody who couldnt do nothin but take her clothes off.. Adela Rogers St. Johns knew a great deal of actors during her long life. Im a big freak, because Im myself!, Beyond It, her film roles tended to reflect the industrys ambivalence. ". He committed an unforgivable act. When Bow was still a little girl, unimaginable tragedy struck. Old Hollywood Stars. [23], According to Bow's biographer, David Stenn, Bow was raped by her father at age sixteen while her mother was institutionalized. Her social decorum is of that natural, good-natured, pleasantly informal kind She can act on or off the screentakes a joyous delight in accepting a challenge to vamp any selected malethe more unpromising specimen the better. With her tomboy charms and expressive face, Clara Bow took Old Hollywood by storm. Bow was an amazing looking woman - a Kewpie doll face, round, with huge, expressive eyes, a brilliant smile, and thick, luxurious hair. Born Clara Gordon BOW American actress Born on July 29, 1905 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA , United States Died on September 27, 1965 in Culver City, California, USA Born on July 29 33 Deceased on September 27 32 Family tree Report an error Bow Elijah 1792 - 1860 ? Sarah didnt listenand the conditions of Claras birth couldnt have been worse. [71] In a scene described as "original", Bow adds "devices" to "the modern flapper": she fights a villain using her fists, and significantly, does not "shrink back in fear". "No more flappers they have served their purpose people are tired of soda-pop love affairs", she told the Los Angeles Times,[66] which had commented a month earlier, "Clara Bow is the one outstanding type. As Bow said, they shunned her for her lack of fashion. Bows friends wondered what Tui was possibly getting out of the marriage. John Gilbert was the other. as the cartoon closely resembled another star of the era named Clara Bow (pictured below). Louise Brooks in Branlow, Kevin; Gill, David. Schulberg. Three children were born to his union - Diane, Tom, Randy - and they farmed, ranched, and milked cows on the family farm until moving to Rapid City, SD, in October 1960. What a fitting final curtain call for a performer who got her start in a national competition. [16], It was snowing. In addition to the risky pregnancy, a heat wave besieged New York in July 1905, and temperatures peaked around 100F (38C). [119], With "talkies" The Wild Party, Dangerous Curves, and The Saturday Night Kid, all released in 1929, Bow kept her position as the top box-office draw and queen of Hollywood. A young child taking care of a parent is never a good thing, but then the situation took a truly bitter turn. At 25 her career was essentially over. "[73] Loaned out to Universal, Bow top-starred, for the first time, in the prohibition, bootleg drama/comedy Wine, released on August 20, 1924. Bow lived her life to the limit, and became a tabloid staple during the heady years of her fame. Nearby Recently Sold Homes. Someone to stir every pulse in the nation."A film chronicling the life . [16], Bow attended P.S. The next morning, the older woman couldnt even remember the incident. Well, can you blame her for having a such a maladjusted view of affection? She has a big heart, a remarkable brain, and the most utter contempt for the world in general. Her acting artistry and high spirits made her the premier flapper and the film It (1927) made her world famous. The 1930 census indicates 1906,[13] and on her gravestone of 1965, the inscription says 1907, but 1905 is the year accepted by a majority of sources. "[112] Carl Sandburg wrote that "'It' is smart, funny and real. She is as refreshingly unaffected as if she had never faced a means to pretend. let me know below. For more on Clara Bow, I recommend the biography Runnin Wild, by David Stenn. When relatives gathered for the funeral, Bow was so upset that she "went crazy" and tried to jump into the grave to be with her, shouting that they were "hypocrites" and that they hadn't loved or cared for her mother while she was alive. This vivacious young woman exchanged the rags and deprivations of her slum childhood in Brooklyn for the glamour and riches of Hollywood, but lived to regret it. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. Yeah, sit down Rex. He founded Preferred in 1919 as a result, at the age of 27.[54]. [8][9][10] Her final film, Hoop-La, was released in 1933. Moore was married to the film's producer and Bow's protests were futile. The films she went on to make there included some silent classics: they, and she, were precociously flirtatious, youthful and saucy. [137] On April 28, 1932, Bow signed a two-picture deal with Fox Film Corporation, for Call Her Savage (1932) and Hoop-La (1933). Clara Gordon Bow (/bo/; July 29, 1905 September 27, 1965) was an American actress who rose to stardom during the silent film era of the 1920s and successfully made the transition to "talkies" in 1929. [117] Bow fumed: "They yell at me to be dignified. Bow appeared in eight releases in 1924, two were released the same day. In addition to athletics and acting, Bow was also a fan of poetry and music. N. Yana. Her personal appearance is almost enough to carry her to success without the aid of the brains she indubitably possesses. In 1931, as "Clara had become more than she was worth," (Stenn, 232) the actress and Paramount came to a mutual settlement to terminate her . She doesn't look like she belongs in the '20s, or even in black and white. . Bow came by her famous, wild red locks naturally, but she still got a little artificial help for it. Artist: Unknown. And that wasnt all. Dolores Costello. [52] Bow signed with Preferred Pictures, also working with other studios. Clara Bow was a great actress. Her imagery and electric, sexy performances spoke to the flapper persona of the times. Encouraged by her father, Bow continued to visit studio agencies asking for parts. He eventually took up a full-time position on her film sets, where he roamed around drunkenly and tried to pick up actresses by telling them he was Clara Bows father. RM EC7YYR - Clara Bow, the IT Girl, epitome of razz-ma-tazz, everybody's dreamboat from 1925 to 1930. Painting - Print On Paper. [16] "I was sick to my stomach", she recalled and thought her mother was right about the movie business. [102] Bow negotiated her Paramount contract to not have a morals clause. Half her playmates nursed crushes on the young Bow, and one of her best school friends friends even tried to kiss her. "Clara Bow testified today at hearing which freed Robert S. Savage of insanity charges in 'suicide bluff' to win her love. Frightful snobs Im a curiosity in Hollywood. In spite of this Clara was conceived in fall of 1904. "[16], When Bow's mother was 16, she fell from a second-story window and suffered a severe head injury. Also Known As: Clara Gordon Bow Died At Age: 60 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Rex Bell father: Robert Bow mother: Sarah Bow children: George Beldam Jr., Rex Bell Jr. Actresses American Women Height: 5'3" (160 cm ), 5'3" Females Died on: September 27, 1965 place of death: Culver City, California, United States City: Brooklyn, New York City Naturally, Bow wonbut then came the hard part. [79], I worked in two and even three pictures at once. When Bow found out that her sweetums got sacked, she marched right up to Schulbergs swanky office and tore up her contract right in his facethen threw it in his mug for good measure. 1930: Clara Bow (1905 - 1965), American leading lady of the 'flapper' era poses seductively in a scene from 'Her Wedding Night', directed by Frank Tuttle for Paramount. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. She was born into abject poverty. When Bell saw Hoop-La, he raised his eyebrows higher than anyone, and he and Bow got into an explosive fight about her scantily-clad acting. Clara Bow, better known by the Family name Clara Gordon Bow, was a popular Actress, Model, Producer,. Doran. Manager Clara Bow was managed by B.P. She has real courage, because she lives boldly. Clara's mother hoped that the heat would kill both her and her child and didn't bother with a birth certificate. In January of 1961, Cooper took his family out to Sun Valley for a vacationthe last one they'd ever share . Theres always a price for stardom, and its never pretty. Usually I was too fat, she remembered. That year, Bow discovered her secretary and confidant Daisy DeVoe had been mismanaging her money, and took her to court. When the magnificent Clara Bow passed in 1965 from a heart attack at the young age of 60, she was a has-been by choice. Hollywood Legends. But they also discovered Bows biggest, darkest trauma, While in the sanatorium, Bow told doctors about the darkest period of her lifeand it went back to the very beginning. The studio, like any other independent studio or theater at that time, was under attack from "The Big Three", MPAA, which had formed a trust to block out Independents and enforce the monopolistic studio system. And they say love isnt real. Down to the Sea in Ships, shot on location in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and produced by independent "The Whaling Film Corporation", documented life, love, and work in the whale-hunter community. [150], Film historian Kevin Brownlow did not mention Bow in his 1968 book on silent films, The Parade's Gone By. "Miss Bow will undoubtedly gain fame as a screen comedienne". Yet that wasnt the only tragedy. He knew darn well I was doing it because we could use a little money these days. Documents of Clara Belle Bruno (born Bow) Clara Bow in 1940 United States Federal Census Not done yet, she began reaming him out for daring to control her private life, and finished by strutting her world-class stems out the door. Clara Bow was born on July 29th, in 1905. [80] In 1927 Bow appeared in six Paramount releases: It, Children of Divorce, Rough House Rosie, Wings, Hula and Get Your Man. Lugosi must have gotten confused about this arrangement, because during this time he marriednot Clara Bow. [46] In spring she got a part in The Daring Years (1923), where she befriended actress Mary Carr, who taught her how to use make-up. I have to do the best I can," she said. She said she was horrified and hurt by the gesture. Bow was a working class girl who fought her way to the top. Who are we, after all, to say she is wrong? A set member later stated that when Bow did the scene, she actually became her character and "lived it". When Bow told her mother as a teenager that she wanted to be an actress, Sarahs response was utterly cold-blooded. Bow asked her father, but he told her not to worry. . As well see, it only got weirder from there. Clara Bow was an American film actress who shot to stardom in 1926, then burned out only a few years later. Her mother, Sarah Frances Bow (ne Gordon, 1880-1923), was told by a doctor not to become pregnant again, for fear the next baby might die as well. In September 1937, she and Bell opened The 'It' Cafe in the Hollywood Plaza Hotel at 1637 N Vine Street near Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. She found friends more readily among the studio crew than the actors and directors who should have been her peers. She signed a two-picture contract with Fox Film Corporation and admitted she had come back to Hollywood for the sole purpose of making enough money to be able to stay out of it. But the damage was already done. Though Bow lost her fair share of cat fights in Hollywood, she did have one secret weapon. She drew on her lipstick in a now-iconic heart-shaped style, and her unique look soon took the public by storm. I wasn't sore. Nearby homes similar to 6465 Clara Bow Ave #101 have recently sold between $310K to $310K at an average of $210 per square foot. Clara passed away on month day 2013, at age 74 at death place, Michigan. In previous years, other contest winners had found work in the movies. [16] Still, Bow felt deprived of her childhood; "As a kid I took care of my mother, she didn't take care of me". Her charm and energy made her the ultimate flapper but despite her success, Bow would forever be snubbed by the industrys in-crowd. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. "[116] The film went on to win the first Academy Award for Best Picture. 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