Gloria Swanson

**Gloria Swanson** (**Gloria Josephine Mae**, March 27, 1899 – April 4, 1983) was an American movie, television, stage, voice, radio, silent movie actress, singer and movie producer. She played Norma Desmond in _Sunset Boulevard_. She won a Golden Globe Award in 1951 and a Saturn Award in 1975. She was known for having an affair with Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.. Swanson was born in Chicago, Illinois. She studied at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy. She was married six times, having a relationship with Wallace Beery (1916-1919), Herbert K. Somborn (1919-1922), Henri de la Falaise (1925-1930), Michael Farmer (1931-1934), William Davey (1945-1946) and William Dufty (1976-1983). Swanson had three children. She died of heart failure. She was buried at the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City.

## Early life

Swanson was born in a small house in Chicago in 1899. She was raised in the Lutheran faith. Her father was Joseph Theodore Swanson (né Svensson). He was a Swedish American soldier. Her mother was Adelaide (née Klanowski). She had German, French, and Polish ancestry. Her family moved often because her father was in the US Army. For some of her childhood, she lived in Key West, Florida. There, she went to a Catholic convent school. She also lived in Puerto Rico. Here, she saw her first movies.

## Career

Her family moved to Chicago again when Swanson became adolescent. Gloria was soon hired by Essanay Studios as an extra.

Movies were still new. Extras were usually very important. Her first role was a walk-on with Gerda Holmes. For this, she was paid $3.25. The studio soon gave her a job for $13.25 () per week. Swanson left school to work at the studio. In 1915, she co-starred in _Sweedie Goes to College_. Her future first husband, Wallace Beery also acted in this movie.

In 1916, Swanson and her mother wet to California for her parts in Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios comedy shorts. At the studio, Swanson became popular with audiences. She was in many movies with Bobby Vernon. They were both in _The Danger Girl_ (1916), _The Sultan's Wife_ (1917), and _Teddy at the Throttle_ (1917). The director, Clarence G. Badger was by Swanson. He recommended her to the director Jack Conway. With Conway, Swanson played in _Her Decision_ and _You Can't Believe Everything_ in 1918. Her pay was soon increased to $15 a week.

### Shorts

|scope="col"|Title|scope="col"|Year|scope="col"|Role|class="unsortable"|Notes Studio/Distributor|scope="col" class="unsortable"||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|style="background:#ffc;"|_The Song of the Soul_|1914||Unconfirmed|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_The Misjudged Mr. Hartley_|1915|Maid||align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_At the End of a Perfect Day_|1915|Hands Bouquet to Holmes|Uncredited, actual release date of January 26, 2015|align="center"|||||
|1915|Bit part|Essanay Film starring Francis X. Bushman|align="center"|||||||
|1915|Stenographer|Essanay Film<br/ >Written and directed by Charlie Chaplin|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_The Fable of Elvira and Farina and the Meal Ticket_|1915|Farina, Elvira's Daughter|Credited as Gloria Mae<br/ >Essanay Film|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Sweedie Goes to College_|1915|College Girl|Wallace Beery played Sweedie in a series of shorts Essanay Film|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_The Romance of an American Duchess_|1915|Minor Role|Uncredited Essanay Film|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_The Broken Pledge_|1915|Gloria|Essanay Film|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_A Dash of Courage_|1916||Keystone/Triangle with Bobby Vernon directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Hearts and Sparks_|1916||Keystone/Triangle with Bobby Vernon directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_A Social Cub_|1916||Keystone/Triangle with Bobby Vernon directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||
|1916|Reggie's madcap sister|Keystone/Triangle with Bobby Vernon directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Haystacks and Steeples_|1916||Keystone/Triangle with Bobby Vernon directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||
|1916||Keystone/Triangle with Bobby Vernon directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||||
|1917|Gloria Dawn, His Sweetheart|Uncredited with Bobby Vernon Keystone/Triangle directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Baseball Madness_|1917||Victor Film/Universal|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Dangers of a Bride_|1917||Keystone/Triangle directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||
|1917||Keystone/Triangle with Bobby Vernon directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||||
|1917|Gloria|Keystone/Triangle with Bobby Vernon directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||||
|1917|The Girl|Paramount-Mack Sennett directed by Clarence G. Badger|align="center"|||||||
|1922|Herself|Paramount|align="center"|||||||

### Features

|scope="col"|Title|scope="col"|Year|scope="col"|Role|scope="col"|Notes Studio/Distributor|scope="col" class="unsortable"||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Society for Sale_|1918|Phylis Clyne|Triangle Film Corporation|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Her Decision_|1918|Phyllis Dunbar|Triangle Film Corporation directed by Jack Conway|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_You Can't Believe Everything_|1918|Patricia Reynolds|Triangle Film Corporation directed by Jack Conway|align="center"|||||
|1918|Kitty Manning|Triangle Film Corporation directed by Arthur Hoyt One reel survives|align="center"|||||||
|1918|Edith Emerson|Triangle Film Corporation directed by Gilbert P. Hamilton|align="center"|||||||
|1918|Marcia Grey|Triangle Film Corporation directed by Albert Parker|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_The Secret Code_|1918|Sally Carter Rand|Triangle Film Corporation directed by Albert Parker|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Wife or Country_|1918|Sylvia Hamilton|Triangle Film Corporation directed by E. Mason Hopper|align="center"|||||
|1919|Leila Porter|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Cecil B. DeMille|align="center"|||||||
|1919|Sylvia Norcross|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Cecil B. DeMille|align="center"|||||||
|1919|Lady Mary Lasenby|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Cecil B. DeMille|align="center"|||||||
|1920|Beth Gordon|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Cecil B. DeMille|align="center"|||||||
|1920|Ruth Anderson|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Cecil B. DeMille|align="center"|||||||
|1921|Vivian Spencer – Anatol's Wife|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Cecil B. DeMille|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_The Great Moment_|1921|Nada Pelham/Nadine Pelham|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sam Wood|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Under the Lash_|1921|Deborah Krillet|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sam Wood|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Don't Tell Everything_|1921|Marian Westover|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sam Wood|align="center"|||||
|1922|Lois Miller|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sam Wood|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Her Gilded Cage_|1922|Suzanne Ornoff|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sam Wood|align="center"|||||
|1922|Theodora Fitzgerald|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sam Wood|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_The Impossible Mrs. Bellew_|1922|Betty Bellew|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sam Wood|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_My American Wife_|1922|Natalie Chester|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sam Wood|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Prodigal Daughters_|1923|Swifty Forbes|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sam Wood|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Bluebeard's 8th Wife_|1923|Mona deBriac|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sam Wood|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Hollywood_|1923|Cameo role|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount|align="center"|||||
|1923|Zaza|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Allan Dwan|align="center"|||||||
|1924|Toinette|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Sidney Olcott|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_A Society Scandal_|1924|Marjorie Colbert|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Allan Dwan|align="center"|||||
|1924|Tessie McGuire|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Allan Dwan|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Her Love Story_|1924|Princess Marie|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Allan Dwan|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Wages of Virtue_|1924|Carmelita|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Allan Dwan|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_Madame Sans-Gêne_|1925|Madame Sans-Gêne|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Léonce Perret|align="center"|||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_The Coast of Folly_|1925|Joyce Gathway/Nadine Gathway|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Allan Dwan|align="center"|||||
|1925|Jennie Hagen|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Allan Dwan|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_The Untamed Lady_|1926|St. Clair Van Tassel|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Frank Tuttle|align="center"|||||
|1926|Orchid Murphy|Famous Players–Lasky/Paramount directed by Richard Rosson|align="center"|||||||
|1927|Sunya Ashling|Swanson Producing Corporation/United Artists directed by Albert Parker|align="center"|||||||
|1928|Sadie Thompson|Gloria Swanson Productions/United Artists directed by Raoul Walsh|align="center"|||||||
|1928|Kitty Kelly/Queen Kelly|Joseph P. Kennedy/United Artists directed by Erich von Stroheim|align="center"|||||||
|1929|Marion Donnell|Gloria Productions/United Artists directed by Edmund Goulding Released in two versions, one silent, and the other with sound|align="center"|||||||
|style="background:#ffc;"|_What a Widow!_|1930|Tamarind Brook|Gloria Productions/United Artists directed by Allan Dwan|align="center"|||||
|1931|Geraldine "Gerry" Trent|Feature Productions, Inc. A DeSylva, Brown & Henderson Production directed by Leo McCarey|align="center"|||||||
|1931|Nella Vago|Feature Productions, Inc./United Artists directed by Mervyn LeRoy|align="center"|||||||
|1933|Judy Rogers|Gloria Swanson British Productions, Ltd./United Artists directed by Cyril Gardner|align="center"|||||||
|1934|Frieda Hotzfelt|Erich Pommer Productions/Fox Film directed by Joe May|align="center"|||||||
|1941|Leslie Collier Osborne|Marcus Lee/RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. directed by William Dorfman|align="center"|||||||
|1950|Norma Desmond|Charles Brackett/Paramount directed by Billy Wilder|align="center"|||||||
|1952|Ann Haven/costume designer|Brenco Pictures Corporation/Warner Bros. directed by Milton H. Bren|align="center"|||||||
|1956|Agrippina|Les Films Marceau and Titanus/Manhattan Films International directed by Steno|align="center"|||||||
|1974|Herself|Universal Pictures directed by Jack Smight|align="center"|||||||

### Television

|scope="col"|Title|scope="col"|Year|scope="col"|Role|class="unsortable"|Notes|scope="col" class="unsortable"||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1948|Hostess|Variety show|align="center"|||||||
|1950|Herself|Episode #1.1 sitcom show|align="center"|||||||
|1953||Episode: "The Pattern"|align="center"|||||||
|1954–1955|Hostess|25 episodes|align="center"|||||||
|1957|Norma Desmond|Episode #3.8|align="center"|||||||
|1961|Lorraine Carrington|Episode: "A Toast to Yesterday"|align="center"|||||||
|1963|Julia Colton|Episode: "The Good Luck Charm"|align="center"|||||||
|1963–1964|Various roles|2 episodes|align="center"|||||||
|1964|Mrs. Charlotte Heaton|Segment: "Who Is Jennifer?"|align="center"|||||||
|1964|Mrs. Daniels|Episode: "Behind the Locked Door"|align="center"|||||||
|1965|Margaret McSterling|Episode: "The Fountain of Youth"|align="center"|||||||
|1965|Victoria Hoffman|Episode: "Minus That Rusty Old Hacksaw"|align="center"|||||||
|1966|Herself|Episode: "The Gloria Swanson Story"|align="center"|||||||
|1972|Narrator|aka _Chaplinesque, My Life and Hard Times_|align="center"|||||||
|1973|Herself|Episode #7.3|align="center"|||||||
|1974|Madame Maria von Bohlen|Television movie|align="center"|||||||
|1974|Herself|Canadian interview show with James Bawden|align="center"|||||||
|1980|Herself|Television documentary|align="center"|||||||

## Awards and nominations

|scope="col"|Year|scope="col"|Award|scope="col"|Result|scope="col"|Category|scope="col"|Film or series|scope="col" class="unsortable"||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|rowspan=3|Academy Award|rowspan=3|rowspan=3|Best Actress|_Sadie Thompson_|align="center"||||||
|_The Trespasser_|align="center"|||||||||||
|rowspan="2"|_Sunset Boulevard_|align="center"||||||||||
|rowspan="2"|Golden Globe Award||Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama|align="center"||||||||
||Best TV Star – Female|_Burke's Law_|align="center"|||||||||
|Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists||Best Actress – Foreign Film (Migliore Attrice Straniera)|rowspan="3"|_Sunset Boulevard_|align="center"|||||||
|Jussi Award||Best Foreign Actress|align="center"|||||||||
|rowspan=2|National Board of Review of Motion Pictures|rowspan=2|Best Actress|align="center"||||||||
|Career Achievement Award||align="center"||||||||||
|Saturn Award||Special Award||align="center"||||||||

### General

- Gloria Swanson  at the Women Film Pioneers Project
- Glorious Gloria Swanson – Tribute site
- Gloria Swanson's papers  at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin
- Gloria Swanson photographs and bibliography

### Interviews

- Gloria Swanson, video of _The Mike Wallace Interview_, April 28, 1957
- , August 3, 1970

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Gloria Swanson
- **image**: Gloria Swanson 1941.jpg
- **caption**: Swanson in 1941
- **alt**: Black and white photo of a woman
- **birth name**: Gloria May Josephine Swanson
- **birth place**: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- **death place**: New York City, U.S.
- **resting place**: Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York City
- **other names**: Gloria Mae
- **years active**: 1914–1983
- **party**: Republican Party (United States), Republican
- **children**: 3
- **signature**: Autograph Gloria Swanson.svg