Colleen Moore (*1899-1988)

The American born pixie vowed early on that she would one day become a movie star. As a child she had a love for two things, movies and dolls. She collected film stars autographs and left a blank page in her scrap book right along side Mary Pickford's for her own one day.

As a young girl she created a stock company with her brother performing on stage in plays and for her neighborhood via the top of piano crates.  Her love of movies and drive wouldn't stop at local childhood performances.  Luckily for Colleen her uncle, an editor for the Chicago Examiner was owed a favor by the great director D.W. Griffith and Colleen was hired by his studio in 1917.  (Colleens uncle Walter Howey helped get D.W. Griffiths first two films "Birth Of A Nation" and "Intolerance" past the sensors).

Colleen's first credited film was "The Bad Boy" 1917 then she appeared in Westerns opposite the great cowboy actor Tom Mix.  In the 1920's she cut her hair into her now famous bob which launched her very successful career playing flappers and in comedies. Colleens first starring role was playing Annie in "Little Orphan Annie" 1918.  During the 1920's Colleen was loaned out by her studio several times where she appeared in the King Vidor film "The Sky Pilot" 1921 and with John Barrymore in "The Lotus Eaters". It was Colleens role in "Flaming Youth" 1923 that got her noticed and labeled as one of the earliest flappers. It was also during the production of this film that Colleen married her first husband John McCormick a publicity man who's eyes she caught after seeing her photographs.. By 1927 Colleen was at the top of the American box office making $12,500 a week, much of which she invested but more on that later. You can view Colleen's mansion where she resided at the height of her fame HERE.

Colleen with Gary Cooper "Lilac Time"  1928

With the advent of talkies in 1929 Colleen took a break from acting. It was during this time that she married husband Albert Scott who was a very successful New York based stock broker. Colleen spent her hiatus hosting lavish parties at her Bel Air home, on occasion for the US Olympic Yachting Team. (The 1932 summer Olympics we're hosted in Los Angeles)  You can view Colleen's Bel Air mansion HERE.

click on autograph from my collection and photo's for a closer view

Divorced again by 1933 Colleen returned to acting appearing in a couple of not so successful films prompting her retirement from acting. She appeared in over 30 films between 1917 and 1934. Colleen maintained friendships with director King Vidor and actress Mary Pickford throughout their lives (a post on Mary to follow).  Ms Moore later married widower Homer Hargrave and helped in raising his children. Colleen never had children of her own.

click images to enlarge

In the 1960's Colleen formed a television and film production company with King Vidor called Vid-More Productions. Until their business venture they had not seen one other in 40 years. Colleen had vowed to never see him again after a brief affair in the 1920's. Due to investing her earnings in the stock market Colleen was one of the few actresses who instead of spending frivolously amassed a small fortune and remained wealthy the rest of her life due to her great business sense. (Marrying not one but two stock brokers early on was a wise choice no doubt)  Colleen published two books in the 1960's one her autobiography titled Silent Star and a book titled How Women Can Make Money in the Stock Market. 

Colleen passed away from cancer at the age of 88. The spirited brunette was cremated and her ashes were scattered.

 *Colleens actual birth date has been disputed and her birth date is listed from 1899 to 1902.  It's not uncommon for actresses to have added a few years or shaved off a couple from their age to appease the studios and depending on their first movie roles.  Interestingly at any of the above birth dates Colleen would have played Little Orphan Annie at the age of 16 to actually being 19 at the time. 

in "Lilac Time" 1928

Interesting Colleen Moore Facts:

Colleen was one of the WAMPAS baby stars of 1922. 

Colleen donated her own copy of "Flaming Youth" to a museum but unfortunately the museum never got around to restoring the film and it deteriorated.

F.Scott Fitzgerald once wrote of her "I was the spark that lit up "Flaming Youth", Colleen Moore was the torch. What little things we are to have caused all that trouble"

She had a love of Doll Houses and they became a passionate hobby of hers. She set about building the grandest one to ever be built which she named The Enchanted Castle. Once crafted and complete with miniatures at a height of 8 feet it cost over $500,000. It has every detail including its own library with  miniature versions of great works that includes a miniature copy of  "Tarzan of the Apes" which is hand signed by Tarzan's creator Edgar Rice Burroughs. The Doll House is now on display at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. This is one of eight doll houses Colleen owned during her lifetime.

She had one green eye and one blue eye.

Below are photos of Colleen's Doll House that's now on display as noted above

The gated entrance to Colleen's Doll House now on display at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry

The Fantasy Garden of the doll house

The Grand Hall of the doll house

A beautifully done bedroom in Colleen's Doll House

Colleen showing some of her doll house miniatures.

Thank you for stopping by and please come back and visit.

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