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Gloria Swanson: The Ultimate Star

by Stephen Michael Shearer
Thomas Dunne: St. Martin's. 2013. 528p. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781250001559. $29.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250013668. FILM
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In this excellently detailed account of actress Gloria Swanson's life, we see a young starlet grow into the unforgettable "Norma Desmond" from Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard. Trained as a silent film star, Swanson (1899–1983) had more acting tools at her disposal than most, and she used every single one as she transitioned from silent movies to talkies, took on television, and experimented with Broadway, radio, and business. Shearer (Beautiful: The Life of Hedy Lamarr) provides details from telegrams, quotes, articles, and personal accounts to show readers, more than anything, a human being. We learn that Swanson had to become savvy about business to make money, mend rifts with her children, and keep her past husbands from taking what she had left.
VERDICT With a glimpse into the lives of the full range of film stars, an examination of the tribulations in Hollywood through World War II, and a complete look at Swanson's robust life, this well-written title is sure to please any reader with a passion for classic Hollywood movies.
Reviewed by Rochelle LeMaster, Medina Cty. Dist. Lib., OH , Nov 15, 2013
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