Title supplied by cataloger.; Photograph was edited for publication purposes, is slightly warped and has a crease on the left side. Gloria Swanson was born Gloria May Josephine Svensson in Chicago, Illinois on March 27th, 1897, into a military family that moved frequently. She was educated in Chicago, Puerto Rico and Florida. At age 15 she began acting, taking bit parts in films. Early on, she played mostly comedic roles and slapstick. Director Cecil B. DeMille noticed Gloria and took her under his wing as a dramatic actress. She starred in several successful films for DeMille and became one of the most popular actresses of the silent film era. Swanson also became known for her fashion style, on screen and off, becoming one of the most famous and photographed women in the world. Swanson also produced several films. After the silent film era, Swanson's popularity began to decline. She was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress in 1929 and 1930, but acted sporadically during the 1930s and 40s. Her career was revived when she was nominated again for the Academy Award for Best Actress for the role of Norma Desmond in the 1950 film "Sunset Boulevard." After that she appeared mostly in television and theater. Swanson was married six times and had two daughters and one adopted son. She was active socially until her death on April 4, 1983.; Henry de La Falaise, born in France on February 11, 1898, was a French nobleman, translator, film director, producer, actor and war hero who was best known for his high-profile marriages to two leading Hollywood actresses, Gloria Swanson and Constance Bennett. He died on April 10, 1972. Photograph caption dated July 18, 1931 reads "This photo shows the debonair and handsome Marquis Henri de la Falaise, who is better known in the film colony as 'Hank,' while Miss Bennett is known as 'Connie.'" De la Falaise is pictured at a dining table.
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;26 x 21 cm. Photographic prints
La Falaise, Henry de Motion picture producers and directors--United States Men--California--Los Angeles Eating & drinking--California--Los Angeles Herald-Examiner Collection photographs Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express photographs
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
