Sunday, March 25, 2012

A little Swanson on a Sunday!


I've been re-reading Gloria Swanson's bio in preparation for an article I'll be doing on her showcasing her life, career, my Swanson autograph as well as some great photos.  I was looking around on Youtube this morning when I came across this old Dick Cavett interview that Gloria did in 1970 when she was 71.  What intrigued me the most was that she looked amazing! Her skin is flawless and she was dressed like the icon that she was while Janis Joplin sat across from her looking an absolute mess! (Yes, Joplin was talented and her life was tragic but what a contrast here).  Gloria is so soft spoken and and endearing as always here. And I don't know many older icons who could pull off a platinum blonde flapper wig and a jeweled bracelet on her upper arm.  Gloria is working it and then some!  It's pretty hilarious how she tries to engage Janis who is clearly off the bend.

If you haven't seen this interview I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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19 comments:

  1. You're absolutely right! The contract between Swanson and Joplin is as amazing as Swanson's skin! Those two couldn't be more dissimilar, could they?

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  2. Martin,
    Thanks for commenting! : )
    When you think of others stars and how they aged like Bette or Hayworth it's even more impressive that Swanson looked so young and fresh in her 70's. I know she lived a pretty healthy lifestyle, had a very strict beauty regimen.

    Wouldn't you have liked to have been a fly on the wall after Gloria walked off? Can only guess she would have said "Just WHAT was THAT I just saw?"

    I hope you're having a nice weekend out there in beautiful California.
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  3. Thank you for the post, Page. I love Swanson's old movies -- even her later ones like Sunset Boulevard - - and her skin is unbelievable. Even her voice sounds young.

    Happy Sunday!

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    1. Lori,
      Thanks for stopping by! Good to see you again. It was a great Sunday with the OKC Thunder beating the Heat then the Mad Men premier which I'm getting ready to watch.

      Gloria certainly took great care of herself. Boy was she a shorty though. No wonder she always stood on a box and had herself filmed looking taller next to her leading men. She's like Mary Pickford tiny.
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  4. Glorious Gloria! Norma Desmond is my muse - a mystic! A riddle wrapped in a delusion! Can't wait to read your next installment.

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    1. FlickChick,
      I adore Gloria too so hopefully I won't disappoint with my upcoming bio on her. A bit jealous of her skin though.
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  5. Gloria, looks amazing in her black and white outfit... What a beautiful tan she has.. I would love to know what she thought of, Janis Joplin, who looked like a bag lady.

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    1. Dawn,
      I certainly don't understand Janis's style and those gold sandals with that crazy hair had me cracking up. Not sure how Gloria kept a straight face.
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  6. Great clip! What an amazing contrast between two completely different icons from two different eras... Swanson demonstrates that she can still command an audience. Looking forward to your full-length writeup. I'm sure it will be as comprehensive and insightful as always.

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    1. Barry,
      Glad you enjoyed this too! Swanson was a class act to the end.

      Stay tuned for bios and other fun stuff. I appreciate your stopping by.
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  7. Hi, Page! I´ll certainly read your Gloria Swanson essay. In my next free time, I´m planning to watch some of her silents. You´re right: she looks great in this interview and her hairband is just wonderful.
    Hugs,
    Le

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    1. Le,
      So glad you enjoyed this interview. I think you'll enjoy Gloria's earlier films.
      You'll have to let me know which one you enjoyed the most.
      Good to see you again!
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  8. Page, thanks for sharing this awesome Dick Cavett interview with the virtually ageless Gloria Swanson and her polar opposite, the equally talented if VERY different Janis Joplin! It's almost unfair to have these ladies on the same show together; this is totally apples-and-oranges time! Interestingly, my dear late mom, ever the glamorous clotheshorse, had an ensemble which looked remarkably like the stunning Miss Swanson's outfit; it made me smile!

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    1. Dorian,
      I certainly agree about the contrast of those two talents.

      Your mother sounds like she was a real fashionista. So glad I could bring back a nice memory for you, give you a smile. : )
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  9. I missed this one, Page! Glad you shared the interview -- boy she really did look fabulous. Poor Janis -- talk about complete opposites! Fun post!

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    1. Thanks Becks! : )
      I hope my skin looks like that at 70. Shoot, even at 60. And she had the most beautiful blue grey eyes too.

      Glad you enjoyed the interview and today is Gloria's birthday too!
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  10. I have just found your terrific post about Gloria Swanson . . . I wanted to share my personal story about this amazingly talented and beautiful lady. I was lucky enough to see her in Butterflies are Free. Her entrance was exactly what it should have been - dressed in a cream-coloured pant-suit with a full-length jacket, a broad-brimmed matching hat and sunglasses half as big as her face - she had to wait a full TWO MINUTES to say her first line, the audience was cheering so much! I was even luckier than that . . . I got to meet her backstage. She was perfect. Tiny and flawless. Her skin was radiant. Now, I was 15 at the time . . . and awestruck. She took my hand and said "Promise me you will never eat white sugar again!" Of course, I promised . . . a promise I have broken many times, but not without some guilt and not without a wonderful memory of a remarkable woman. One of my most prized possessions is an autographed copy of her autobiography. They don't make 'em like that any more. I doubt they ever will.

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    1. Thanks so much for sharing this info on the flawless Gloria Swanson.
      It must have been so exciting to not only see her perform but to meet her back stage.

      She was the epitome of class and what you imagine a real star looking like, acting like. It's great that you have an autographed biography. My Swanson autograph is just on a piece of paper.

      I'll be doing a bio on her eventually, sharing my memorabilia as well as taking a look at her fabulous Hollywood estates.
      Thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll return often.
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