She was the original vamp, and some sources say she was the first actress to actually be called a sex symbol in the press.
The word “sex” was still considered vulgar and somewhat shocking… but she was billed as sultry and even dangerous, wearing kohl around her eyes and very revealing costumes, even by today’s standards.
Most of Cleopatra is lost, but short bits that have been found show… let’s say a lot more of her than one would expect at that time.
The style was soon copied, but at the time, her films were often picketed… and the bad publicity sold more tickets.
Other actresses were dressing in girlish ruffles and long curls. Mary Pickford, as a grown woman, even played a sweet little girl in some of her most popular films.
That’s largely believed to be a rumor cooked up by the studios when she was a rising star, playing Cleopatra.
…because her real birth name was….
Theodosia Burr Goodman.
Her relatives said she was called Theda as a child, and it’s easy enough to see Burr turned into Bara by a publicity department that wants to make her seem exotic.
She also supposedly had some relatives with a name closer to Bara, but I can’t remember it.
The studio put out that her mother was French, and her father an Arab sheik, and that she was born in the desert, and raised in Egypt…. so most sources say they made up that anagram for publicity, after the fact.
She wasn’t supposed to discuss her origins, but to remain mysterious, which suited her. And she never made a picture with sound, so no one could hear that she sounded like what she was … a Jewish girl from Cincinnati.
I have a special interest in Theda Bara, so I’ve read about her.
I guess “her name was created” wasn’t as clear as I thought it was. I knew what her real name was, and was referring to what I assumed the studio people had concocted. But from what you wrote above, it seems that she herself may have created the pseudonym. Interesting!
In case you come back, or anyone is still reading this…
It’s actually unclear, mostly because she was told not to discuss her name or background with the press or the public, and she didn’t.
I’ve read that the studio did “suggest” that she change her name, and in those days actors were pretty much chattel.
You want a career; you want publicity… you do what you’re told, or some other girl gets to be you.
I don’t think she was still using her childhood nickname, but it’s hard to find out… I read that her mother either told the studio or called her that.
Another source says she chose to use it as an actress.
Supposedly the studio invented her last name… but who knows. Not only was she secretive, but it was about 110 or so years ago… no one is alive who would remember, and no one at the time thought anyone would ever be interested.
Of course, some of these are quite disputed, and some depend on definitions.
I didn’t know why they couldn’t find older examples to use for illustrations… some of it is almost comical… like the picture of the census clipboard… or like using a 1980s personal computer when the first computers were maybe 8 feet tall and had no screens.
This is the second one of these that mentions early Chinese paper money, and shows a picture of modern bills, with an American one on top. Uh huh.
On a very similar list of firsts, I suggested the Magna Carta… then I googled it, and supposedly, the (rather ridiculous) reason (the rrr?) it “wasn’t” a constitution was that it wasn’t a single document.
But one could still argue over what constitutes a TV broadcast, an airline, an industry, and several others.
A teeny tiny (fake) piece of the icy Atlantic Ocean, I’m guessing.
Safer that way, but it still doesn’t look like fun.
Then again, for the millions of dollars he was paid, and the far more millions he’s made from his cut of the profits, and from other deals connected with it….
Something to do with the seasonal pull of gravity, multiplied by a special factor having to do with gradually decreasing hours of darkness, plus hormonal changes in pet ferrets…
A lot of other factors, too, which I can’t completely remember… it’s a complicated formula, involving irrational complex numbers and unknowns like z¹⁵/q³², where q=|π-x³|.
I’d be lying if I said I knew how to solve it… I leave that to the medical and mathematical professionals.
All I know is that it causes a small number of people, mostly men, but a few women too, to start to drive specially modified cars in exceedingly fast counterclockwise ovals.
It also causes a larger number to seek fairly high elevations on which to sit, and also to consume a larger than usual quantity of both alcohol and malt…
If they have enough money, they can find both of these things conveniently provided by tall bleachers surrounding the ovals, where the alcohol and malt can be purchased mixed together in large cups, and they can watch the special cars whiz past.
The cars are indeed moving very fast… Here are two consecutive seconds on one popular track. You can see the differences that have occurred.
In fact, I’m sure there are nine differences… they’re not hard to spot. Afterward, you can compare with what I see…
.
She was the original vamp, and some sources say she was the first actress to actually be called a sex symbol in the press.
The word “sex” was still considered vulgar and somewhat shocking… but she was billed as sultry and even dangerous, wearing kohl around her eyes and very revealing costumes, even by today’s standards.
Most of Cleopatra is lost, but short bits that have been found show… let’s say a lot more of her than one would expect at that time.
The style was soon copied, but at the time, her films were often picketed… and the bad publicity sold more tickets.
Other actresses were dressing in girlish ruffles and long curls. Mary Pickford, as a grown woman, even played a sweet little girl in some of her most popular films.
That’s largely believed to be a rumor cooked up by the studios when she was a rising star, playing Cleopatra.
Her relatives said she was called Theda as a child, and it’s easy enough to see Burr turned into Bara by a publicity department that wants to make her seem exotic.
She also supposedly had some relatives with a name closer to Bara, but I can’t remember it.
The studio put out that her mother was French, and her father an Arab sheik, and that she was born in the desert, and raised in Egypt…. so most sources say they made up that anagram for publicity, after the fact.
She wasn’t supposed to discuss her origins, but to remain mysterious, which suited her. And she never made a picture with sound, so no one could hear that she sounded like what she was … a Jewish girl from Cincinnati.
I have a special interest in Theda Bara, so I’ve read about her.
I guess “her name was created” wasn’t as clear as I thought it was. I knew what her real name was, and was referring to what I assumed the studio people had concocted. But from what you wrote above, it seems that she herself may have created the pseudonym. Interesting!
In case you come back, or anyone is still reading this…
It’s actually unclear, mostly because she was told not to discuss her name or background with the press or the public, and she didn’t.
I’ve read that the studio did “suggest” that she change her name, and in those days actors were pretty much chattel.
You want a career; you want publicity… you do what you’re told, or some other girl gets to be you.
I don’t think she was still using her childhood nickname, but it’s hard to find out… I read that her mother either told the studio or called her that.
Another source says she chose to use it as an actress.
Supposedly the studio invented her last name… but who knows. Not only was she secretive, but it was about 110 or so years ago… no one is alive who would remember, and no one at the time thought anyone would ever be interested.
,,
Horsie!
I see it!
…I see a girl.
,,,
reminds me of my doggie
He’s outstanding in his field!
If he were all basset, you wouldn’t be able to see him.
“Now where did that wabbit go?”
,,
Years would have been nice to know.
Of course, some of these are quite disputed, and some depend on definitions.
I didn’t know why they couldn’t find older examples to use for illustrations… some of it is almost comical… like the picture of the census clipboard… or like using a 1980s personal computer when the first computers were maybe 8 feet tall and had no screens.
This is the second one of these that mentions early Chinese paper money, and shows a picture of modern bills, with an American one on top. Uh huh.
Charles Babbage’s computer? The Magna Carta?
Yes, and more.
On a very similar list of firsts, I suggested the Magna Carta… then I googled it, and supposedly, the (rather ridiculous) reason (the rrr?) it “wasn’t” a constitution was that it wasn’t a single document.
But one could still argue over what constitutes a TV broadcast, an airline, an industry, and several others.
,
“Who’s gonna stop me??”
Spring.
,
She’s impressed that he dressed up for their date.
,,
,.
,,
See what playing music does to you? It makes you get old!
,,.
A teeny tiny (fake) piece of the icy Atlantic Ocean, I’m guessing.
Safer that way, but it still doesn’t look like fun.
Then again, for the millions of dollars he was paid, and the far more millions he’s made from his cut of the profits, and from other deals connected with it….
Okay, I’d do it.
Did you hear me, Hollywood? I’m re..a…d…y……
Yoo hoo…
,.
So many birds, so little time!
I have a fridge magnet with a picture of a cat with that slogan.
,,..
“”
Exactly.
She’s like, “Meh.”
..,,
,,
,
Take the path! Find out where it goes!
Well, it’s that time of year again.
Something to do with the seasonal pull of gravity, multiplied by a special factor having to do with gradually decreasing hours of darkness, plus hormonal changes in pet ferrets…
A lot of other factors, too, which I can’t completely remember… it’s a complicated formula, involving irrational complex numbers and unknowns like z¹⁵/q³², where q=|π-x³|.
I’d be lying if I said I knew how to solve it… I leave that to the medical and mathematical professionals.
All I know is that it causes a small number of people, mostly men, but a few women too, to start to drive specially modified cars in exceedingly fast counterclockwise ovals.
It also causes a larger number to seek fairly high elevations on which to sit, and also to consume a larger than usual quantity of both alcohol and malt…
If they have enough money, they can find both of these things conveniently provided by tall bleachers surrounding the ovals, where the alcohol and malt can be purchased mixed together in large cups, and they can watch the special cars whiz past.
The cars are indeed moving very fast… Here are two consecutive seconds on one popular track. You can see the differences that have occurred.
In fact, I’m sure there are nine differences… they’re not hard to spot. Afterward, you can compare with what I see…
I can see the one I missed now, which is especially annoying as I looked for such a difference 🙁
Paris, France, 1901.
Pallas’s Cat for Caturday.
Snail Kite – Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Well, does it fly that slowly, or does it leave a trail of slime? It had to earn that name for a good reason, right?
If it’s like the one in Florida, it eats them.
If it leaves a slime contrail, I’d be concerned.