Actor
Gloria Swanson
Born 27 March 1899 · Chicago, Illinois, USA — died 4 April 1983
Gloria Swanson (1899–1983) was an American actress and one of the biggest stars of the silent era, also admired as a fashion icon. She rose to fame in Cecil B. DeMille's society comedies, then successfully made the move to sound. Her best-known role is the faded silent star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.
Key films
Male and Female (1919)
One of her celebrated collaborations with director Cecil B. DeMille, which helped make her a major star.
Sadie Thompson (1928)
A hit silent drama that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Queen Kelly (1929)
Her ambitious, troubled production directed by Erich von Stroheim; it was left unfinished in its original form.
The Trespasser (1929)
Her first sound film, proving she could succeed in talkies and earning another Oscar nomination.
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Her acclaimed comeback as Norma Desmond, which became her most famous role.
Key awards
- 1951: Golden Globe for Best Actress (Drama), Sunset Boulevard
- 1929: Academy Award nomination, Best Actress, Sadie Thompson
- 1930: Academy Award nomination, Best Actress, The Trespasser
- 1951: Academy Award nomination, Best Actress, Sunset Boulevard
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 100
- 1914The Fable of the Club Girls and the Four Times · as One of the Club Girls (uncredited)Actor
- 1915His New Job · as Stenographer (uncredited)Actor
- 1915The Misjudged Mr. Hartley · as MaidActor
- 1915The Fable of the Syndicate Lover · as Department Store Customer (uncredited)Actor
- 1915The Fable of Elvira and Farina and the Meal Ticket · as Farina, Elvira's DaughterActor
- 1915At the End of a Perfect Day · as Hands Bouquet to HolmesActor
- 1915The Ambition of the Baron · as Minor Role (uncredited)Actor
- 1915Sweedie Goes to College · as Betty - College GirlActor
- 1915The Romance of an American Duchess · as Minor Role (uncredited)Actor
- 1915The Broken Pledge · as GloriaActor
- 1916The Danger Girl · as The Danger Girl - Reggie's Madcap SisterActor
- 1916SunshineActor
- 1916A Social Cub · as GloriaActor
- 1916The Nick of Time Baby · as The Blacksmith's DaughterActor
- 1916A Dash of Courage · as The Prominent CitizenActor
- 1916Hearts and Sparks · as Gloria - Bobby's SweetheartActor
- 1916Haystacks and Steeples · as Gloria - the Society GirlActor
- 1917Teddy at the Throttle · as Gloria DawnActor
- 1917The Sultan's Wife · as GloriaActor
- 1917Whose Baby? · as The WifeActor
- 1917Baseball Madness · as The HeiressActor
- 1917Dangers of a BrideActor
- 1917The Pullman Bride · as The Pullman BrideActor
- 1918Shifting Sands · as Marcia GreyActor
- 1918Station Content · as Kitty ManningActor
- 1918Society for Sale · as Phylis ClyneActor
- 1918Every Woman's Husband · as Edith EmersonActor
- 1918Her Decision · as Phyllis DunbarActor
- 1918You Can't Believe Everything · as Patricia ReynoldsActor
- 1918The Secret Code · as Sally Carter RandActor
- 1918Wife or Country · as Sylvia HamiltonActor
- 1919Male and Female · as Lady Mary LasenbyActor
- 1919Don't Change Your Husband · as Leila PorterActor
- 1919For Better, for Worse · as Sylvia NorcrossActor
- 1920Why Change Your Wife? · as Beth GordonActor
- 1920Something to Think About · as Ruth AndersonActor
- 1921The Affairs of Anatol · as Vivian Spencer (Anatol's wife)Actor
- 1921The Great Moment · as Nada Pelham / Nadine PelhamActor
- 1921Don't Tell Everything · as Marian WestoverActor
- 1921Under the Lash · as Deborah KrilletActor
- 1921The Affairs of Anatol - Promo Reel · as As herselfActor
- 1922Beyond the Rocks · as Theodora FitzgeraldActor
- 1922A Trip to Paramountown · as SelfActor
- 1922Her Husband’s Trademark · as Lois MillerActor
- 1922The Impossible Mrs. Bellew · as Betty BellewActor
- 1922My American Wife · as Natalie ChesterActor
- 1922Her Gilded Cage · as Suzanne OrnoffActor
- 1923Zaza · as ZazaActor
- 1923Prodigal Daughters · as Swifty ForbesActor
- 1923Hollywood · as Gloria SwansonActor
- 1923Bluebeard's 8th Wife · as Mona deBriacActor
- 1924Manhandled · as Tessie McGuireActor
- 1924The Humming Bird · as ToinetteActor
- 1924A Society Scandal · as Marjorie ColbertActor
- 1924Her Love Story · as Princess MarieActor
- 1924Wages of Virtue · as CarmelitaActor
- 1925Stage Struck · as Jennie HagenActor
- 1925Madame Sans-Gêne · as Catherina HubscherActor
- 1925The Coast of Folly · as Joyce Gathway / Nadine GathwayActor
- 1926Fine Manners · as Orchid MurphyActor
- 1926The Untamed Lady · as St. Clair Van TasselActor
- 1927The Love of Sunya · as Sunya AshlingActor
- 1928Sadie Thompson · as Sadie ThompsonActor
- 1929Queen Kelly · as Kitty Kelly / Queen KellyActor
- 1929The Trespasser · as Marion DonnellActor
- 1930What a Widow! · as Tamarind BrookActor
- 1931Indiscreet · as Geraldine 'Gerry' TrentActor
- 1931Tonight or Never · as Nella VagoActor
- 1931The House That Shadows Built · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1931Round About Hollywood · as SelfActor
- 1932Broadway Gossip No.2Actor
- 1933Perfect Understanding · as Judy RogersActor
- 1933The Film Parade · as (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1933Hollywood on Parade No. B-5 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1934Music in the Air · as Frieda HotzfeltActor
- 1934The Camera Speaks · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1941Father Takes a Wife · as Leslie Collier OsborneActor
- 1943Happy Times and Jolly Moments · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1946Dear Miss Gloria · as Miss GloriaActor
- 1949Down Memory Lane · as The Reluctant BrideActor
- 1950Sunset Boulevard · as Norma DesmondActor
- 1950The Golden Twenties · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1952Three for Bedroom C · as Ann HavenActor
- 1956Nero's Mistress · as AgrippinaActor
- 1960When Comedy Was King · as (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1960Hedda Hopper's Hollywood · as SelfActor
- 1961The Legend of Rudolph Valentino · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1970Brasileiros em Hollywood · as Sef (archive footage)Actor
- 1973The Age of Ballyhoo · as NarratorActor
- 1974Airport 1975 · as Gloria SwansonActor
- 1974Killer Bees · as Madame Maria von BohlenActor
- 1980Men Who Rate a 10 · as SelfActor
- 1986Marilyn Monroe · as archive footageActor
- 1995The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1995The Casting CouchActor
- 2007Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema · as Self (voice) (archive footage)Actor
- 2009Hollywood sul TevereActor
- 2012Cinéastes de notre temps : Erich von Stroheim · as SelfActor
- 2021Boulevard! A Hollywood Story · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2021This Is Francis X. Bushman · as Self (Archive Footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.