She was a silent screen star legend in every sense of the word, and at one time was one of the most famous women in America. She married six times and had an affair with Joe Kennedy. She had at least two abortions. During WWII she started a company that specialized in patents and inventions that also helped rescue Jewish scientists from Europe. She had one of the most celebrated comebacks in Hollywood history when she filmed Sunset Boulevard, and even though it did not reignite her film career, she created one of the most famous movie characters of all time and uttered several lines of dialogue that remain pop culture mainstays. Unfortunately she was also a Republican and a bit of a religious nut.
I believe she was a vegan too, although that word wasn't much in use during her time. She avoided sugar and meat/dairy and ate "whole natural food." She lived a long healthy life.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | December 17, 2018 6:25 AM |
Her autobiography is amazing
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | December 17, 2018 6:36 AM |
I believe she became vegan as a response to a cancer diagnosis - and may I say she looked pretty fabulous for a 50 year old in Sunset Blvd - those close ups under the magnifier - nary a wrinkle....
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | December 17, 2018 7:17 AM |
For a long time I thought she just played herself in Sunset Boulevard but then I watched some interviews with her on YT and realized she was the exact opposite of Norma Desmond in real life - very soft-spoken and seemingly intelligent. That makes me appreciate that performance even more.
This interview she did together with Janis Joplin was a classic - it was surreal to see two people from such different eras sharing the stage. And it's funny to think that Swanson outlived Joplin for almost 15 years.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | December 17, 2018 4:18 PM |
[quote] Unfortunately she was also a Republican
And yet she had a years-long affairs with Joseph Kennedy, JFK's dad
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | December 17, 2018 5:13 PM |
quote]And yet she had a years-long affairs with Joseph Kennedy, JFK's dad
She basically fucked him to get his financial advice for her career, and he ended up making her worse off financially than before she met him.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | December 19, 2018 5:32 AM |
Any involvement with Joe Kennedy is not a character reference.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | December 19, 2018 5:51 AM |
Sunset Boulevard is a masterpiece and Swanson is perfect Norma.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | December 19, 2018 5:53 AM |
Her involvement with the Airport franchise makes up for her involvement with the Kennedy franchise.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | December 19, 2018 5:55 AM |
Joe Kennedy is burning in hell. And probably loving it, which is the worse part.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | December 19, 2018 6:00 AM |
She was only 50 in Sunset ! I would have thought at least 60.
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | December 19, 2018 6:03 AM |
She's absolutely fascinating. If you watched the Sabrina show on Netflix, it featured a smoking contraption (the one aunt wore it on her finger) also seen in Sunset Boulevard. Gloria Swanson invented and patented it, along with several other inventions.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | December 19, 2018 6:04 AM |
Let us not forget her winter-years appearance in "Killer Bees," which rivals "Baby Jane" for shocking horror-hag maquillage (hers had live bees!).
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | December 19, 2018 6:07 AM |
[quote] Her involvement with the Airport franchise
Gloria's nemesis Nancy Olsen was on the same flight. I never understood why the director didn't do even one scene with them fighting.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | December 19, 2018 6:13 AM |
Was didn't Linda Blair get a funky purple blanket to drape herself in? Camel seems awfully drab in that context, even for a dying teenager.
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | December 19, 2018 6:20 AM |
A decent Swanson biopic would be nice. Probably should focus on her in her later years emphasizing any noteworthy recollections Gloria was known to expound on but also most definitely expounding all the other stuff from individuals in her innermost circle.
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | December 19, 2018 6:25 AM |