The site is a work in progress, so come on in, poke around, linger a bit and come back again for new pictures, magazine articles and interviews with theda bara as well as lots of other silent film wonders. Inspired by kiplings poem, the vampire, a fool there was catapulted theda bara into superstardom. Theda bara became an overnight superstar with her film debut in the scandalous 1915 hit a fool there was, and for the rest of that decade stayed at the top of. Women appeared in vampire gowns, pendant earrings, and even young girls were attempting to change from frank, openeyed ingenues to the almond. A fool there was is an american silent drama film produced by william fox, directed by frank powell, and starring theda bara. Most were produced by william fox, beginning with a fool there was 1915 and ending with the lure of ambition 1919. Theda bara made more than 40 films between 1914 and 1926, but complete prints of only six still exist. Film tersebut lama dianggap kontroversial karena menampilkan kartu intertitel berttulis kiss me, my fool. A fool there was is a 1915 silent film directed by frank powell, starring theda bara and edward jose. Unfortunately for him, he runs across the vampire, played by bara, who has exhausted her last victim and is looking for fresh meat. Released in 1915, the film was long considered controversial for such risque intertitle cards as kiss me, my fool. Women appeared in vampire gowns, pendant earrings, and even young girls were attempting to change from frank, openeyed ingenues to the almondeyed, carminelipped woman of subtlety and mystery. Her films set the vogue for sophisticated sexual themes in motion pictures and made her an international symbol of daring new freedom. Datasets available include lcsh, bibframe, lc name authorities, lc classification, marc codes, premis vocabularies, iso language codes, and more.
He doesnt mention until nearly the end of the book that most of baras films are missing. Theda bara the vampire, edward jose john schuyler, mabel frenyear. Fox studio chief william fox made hollywood history when he turned theodosia goodman, a nice jewish tailors daughter from cincinnati, ohio into the exotic theda bara. The film that popularized the word vamp to describe a sexy femme fatale seductress. Bara and her husband welcomed the child who seems to have had a perfectly fine family of her own as well into their home. A fool there was 1915 adalah sebuah film drama bisu amerika yang diproduksi oleh william fox, dan dibintangi oleh theda bara. Theda, honey, we need to talk about your taste in men. A fool there was is a silent drama starring theda bara, edward jose, mabel frenyear, and may allison.
Theda bara, american silentfilm star who was the first screen vamp who lured men to destruction. Theda bara was born in cincinnati, ohio, as theodosia goodman, on july 29, 1885. Published on mar 2, 20 based on rudyard kiplings poem the vampire. The turning point for bara, james card, film historian, believed was her portrayal of a vampire seductress in a fool there was in 1915. Despite her fame and notoriety as the movies first sex symbol, no biography of the original vamp has ever been written, even though bara threatened to pen. Her phenomenal career was not during the 1920s and, in fact, her career was long over by 1919, even though she tried a couple. Read excerpts from the first release, the directors cut by christopher digrazzia and be entertained by the authors ongoing blog musings. One of the very few bara films that exist today, a fool there was catapulted the actress to stardom in 1915. Publicity still for the film a fool there was, with theda bara and edward jose, 1915.
Of course theda bara appeared in more than 40 movies, however most of them are not available and considered lost or forever destroyed. This is definitely thedas movie from start to finish she. Certainly the eyes are a drawing point, even in pictures of her where shes in. The linked data service provides access to commonly found standards and vocabularies promulgated by the library of congress. I remember the first time i stumbled across a photo from cleopatra i think it was in encyclopedia britannica the intense, heavily madeup eyes, the snake brathis was not the wholesome, cute, boring little thing that we were expected to like and try to emulate, no gidget or that girl.
Sadly, little of theda baras work survives, so our knowledge of her impact on moviegoers during cinemas infancy has little current evidence. Released in 1915, the film was long considered controversial for. Bara made more than 40 films between 1914 and 1926, but complete prints of only six still exist. The phenomenal success of a fool there was gave william fox the money to found fox film corporation, while the ensuing films ensured the studios success. Cincinnatis first hollywood star has attracted a whole. A fool there was is one of the few theda bara films still in existence, and while its not considered to have been her best it is the film that made her an overnight sensation in 1915. A fool there was became a box office hit of january 1915. Film tersebut adalah salah satu dari sedikit film yang menampilkan theda bara yang masih ada sampai sekarang. The creepy story of theda bara, hollywoods first vampire actress who received 1,000 marriage proposals and even had fans kids named after her. Her rise to fame was fairly quick, and she soon obtained the nickname the vamp, based upon her role as a home wrecker in the 1915 film, a fool there was, inspired by rudyard kiplings the vampire. The stain 1914, a fool there was 1915, east lynne 1916, the unchastened woman 1925, and two short comedies for hal roach. A fool there was 1915 theda bara as the vampire edward. She not only seduced the hero but the entire audience.
This book allows the reader to have a deeper and more personal understanding of the actress whose screen work had once been a sensation. Theda bara poster for east lynne 1916 theda bara in east lynne 1916 theda bara in the unchastened woman 1925. He evolved for her the name theda bara under which she was to attain world fame, theda being an obviouse contraction of theodosia, while bara was derived from a relatives name of barringer. Bara plays a vamp who uses her charms to seduce and corrupt a moral wall street lawyer, john schuyler edward jose. Fellow silent film legend mary pickford wrote, after theda bara appeared in a fool there was, a vampire wave surged over the country. I became a fan of theda bara s image without seeing any of her work. Theda bara first starring role was in a fool there was, and was initially thought a vehicle for edward jose but the screen was over powered by the sheer sex appeal of the female vampire. The author only viewed baras first starring film a fool there was 1914.
About the book as movie patrons sat in darkened theaters in january 1914, they were mesmerized by an alluring temptress with long sable hair and kohlrimmed eyes. Besides the complete feature films a fool there was, east lynne, and the unchastened woman and the complete short madame mystery the only other film of theda bara thought to exist was a very short clip from cleopatra. This was a star making vehicle for theda bara, and though her style seems as remote as the ice age, one can clearly see the strength of her persona. With heavily kohllined eyes and a coy smirk, theda bara was one of hollywoods early silent film stars who first came to prominence playing the vampire in the 1915 film a fool there was bara was so convincing in her role as a vampire on and off screen that in 1918 she was subpoenaed by a california court to give expert testimony on the psychology of female vampires in a. Theda bara became an overnight superstar with her film debut in the scandalous 1915 hit, a fool there was, and for the rest of that decade stayed at the top of the heap, along with mary pickford and charlie chaplin.
Between the sheets blog kiss me my fool the theda bara. This book has many great publicity photos, but few stills from her films. Theda bara as the vampire in a fool there was 1915 youtube. Theda bara is truly the glue that holds this thing together. The lougheed house screens her first world warera film a fool there was. The creepy story of theda bara, hollywoods first vampire. Of all the big stars of the early feature film era, her motion pictures have the most abysmal survival rate. And the 1915 film version of a fool there was established the.
It popularised the word vamp short for vampire, which describes a femme fatale who causes the moral degradation of those she seduces, first fascinating and then exhausting her victims. After 1920, bara starred in only two more films, in 1925 and 1926. There are neither subtitles nor closedcaptions on this release. May allison, theda bara, victor benoit, clifford bruce, mabel frenyear, minna gale, creighton hale, runa hodges, edward. In some small way, i hope this little connection adds to the laurels already heaped upon the head of this remarkable actress, and that she would have approved of the gothic. A fool there was 1915 film theda bara 1915 silent a distinguished new york diplomat abandons family, friends and honour in his pursuit of a vampirish seductress. She was the daughter of a local tailor and his wife. Even before the release of a fool there was, fox had his crackerjack publicists concoct an alluring past for their newest discovery. Theda bara was a silent film star, known as the vamp. A fool there was is an american silent film drama produced by william fox, and starring theda bara. A fool there was is one of the few extant films featuring theda bara.
Famous silent film actress, theda bara, was one of hollywoods first sex symbols. A fool there was made theda bara a household name and introduced the term vamp to the american vernacular. Jose is john schuyler, a wealthy businessman who has an ideal family with his loving wife and supercute little daughter. She books passage on the same ship, arranges a meet cute, seduces schuyler. A fool there was was the starmaking role for theda bara, who would soon. Theda bara became an overnight superstar with her film debut in the scandalous 1915 hit a fool there was, and for the rest of that decade stayed at the top of the heap, along with mary pickford and charlie chaplin.
This is a memoir by the woman who, as a little girl, became almost a part of baras family. Bara made more than forty films between 1914 and 1926, but complete prints of only six still exist. The cover of goldens vamp book features a barefoot bara wrapped in black fabric and holding her long hair upward in an erotic v shape. And the proofs of my book arrived this week, and theyre amazing. America was captivated by the vamp, a beautiful seductress who would use sex to ruin powerful men. The book spends little time in describing baras films. But a fool there was was the only movie of hers that i could find. Frank powell directs theda bara in the 1915 silent film a fool there was, which comes to dvd with a standard fullframe transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1. A fool there was film 1915 wikipedia bahasa indonesia. Today, the only surviving bara film is a fool there was, her first success.
Havent we all been intrigued by theda bara since we were kids. After theda barra appeared in a fool there was, a vampire wave surged over the country. There book an army of freelance news photographers was fielded and newspaper and magazine publishers seeking to break away from traditional line drawings and wood cut illustrations clamored for underwood and underwood prolific output. This includes data values and the controlled vocabularies that house them. Widely regarded as the screens first true sex symbol a leading actress whose charm was built not upon quaint innocence but carnal desire theda bara revolutionized the adolescent art of cinematic sensuality.
A fool there was is probably the equivalent of your average sharon stone epic. A fool there was is very much a product of its time and baras character was exotic because she treated men the way movie cads had been treating women. Unfortunately, theda bara and her most famous film, a fool there was, have. It should also be noted, if its not clear already, a fool there was, the first film theda bara made as the vamp premiered in 1915. Then again, i knew that most of her work was destroyed in a fire. As a teenager theda was interested in the theatrical arts and once she finished high school, she dyed her blond hair black and went in pursuit of her dream. Its fun to watch the movie now to determine what all the fuss was about. Few of theda baras films remain after many were lost in a fire. None of her seduction techniques are particularly sexy but the very idea.
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