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Clara Bow: Runnin' Wild
by
David Stenn
Silent screen sensation Clara Bow (1905-1965), the greatest box-office draw of her day, was the embodiment of the Roaring Twenties, Hollywood's first sex symbol, and a natural talent with an independent spirit. Raised in the slums of Brooklyn by a family plagued with alcoholism and insanity, Clara catapulted to fame after winning Motion Picture magazine's 1921 "Fame and Fo...more
Hardcover, 338 pages
Published
August 1st 1988
by Doubleday
(first published 1988)
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I've long been fascinated by Clara Bow and have been looking for a biography of her for a while. This one doesn't disappoint. David Stenn interviewed the people who were close to her and paints a well-rounded portrait of a deeply tragic and insecure woman, despite her fame and talent. Bow had one of the most horrific childhoods I've ever read about and went on to one of the most groundbreaking careers in Hollywood. It's a shame she's largely forgotten now. Whenever I've mentioned I'm reading a b...more
A serviceable bio of the 20s OTHER leading ingenue, the one who wasn't Lulu. This is a good antidote to a lot of the hooha put out there by folks like Kenneth Anger---including the whoppa that Clara once serviced an entire football that included one Marion Morrison, better known as John Wayne. If this bio doesn't quite capture the exuberance that was Clara's supposed personality, blame it on the type of biography written here. It would've been more interesting to go deeper into Hollywood dynamic...more
Jan 02, 2008
Heather
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone, neo-flappers
This is an honest, heart-breaking portrayal of 1920s film star Clara Bow (and yes, that is her real name). Not only does the author do a fabulous job of writing about her filmography, other Hollywood types, and general motion picture history, but he also clears up many a rumor that have been floating around about Clara's life for the past 80 years. The author's style is easy to grasp, not because it is written in a dumbed down way, but because it makes you feel as if you are talking to an old fr...more
I discovered Clara Bow through this biography. Before reading this biography, I hadn’t ever heard of her and I hadn’t seen a single one of her silent films. Why would I want to read about Clara? I wanted to read a story. A real story. I picked up Ava Gardner by Lee Server and that book had let me down. Ava Gardner doesn’t have a real story. Marilyn Monroe has a real story. Clara came before Marilyn and she was very famous in her time. I watched a lot of documentaries about old Hollywood and Dav...more
This is the only really researched biography ever written of Clara Bow, a poignant and evocative look at an unforgettable woman who conquered a magical period in our history and blasted apart the Victorian prudishness of western society which was one of the catalysts for birthing modern culture.
The Brooklyn Bonfire, The "It" Girl, the Royal Canadian Mounted Policewoman of sex (she always got her man!), the twenties version of Marilyn and Madonna, Clara was the very first modern, studio-packaged...more
The Brooklyn Bonfire, The "It" Girl, the Royal Canadian Mounted Policewoman of sex (she always got her man!), the twenties version of Marilyn and Madonna, Clara was the very first modern, studio-packaged...more
This book was a suggestion from a list of "Best Biographies" guest-written for "The Womens Room," a blog about all kinds of things written by two women in London. They're funny and literate, and I thought a show biz bio might be just the thing for the weekend of our family reunion. AND our library happened to have this one on the shelf.
Well. First off, Clara Bow had a devastatingly sad life. Poverty, abuse, scorn, loss, death, bad luck. . . first her mom and then she had it all. There's some li...more
Well. First off, Clara Bow had a devastatingly sad life. Poverty, abuse, scorn, loss, death, bad luck. . . first her mom and then she had it all. There's some li...more
Feb 08, 2011
Alex Severin
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anybody interested in Hollywood biographies / Silent Era Hollywood / Golden Age Hollywood
Shelves:
hollywood-film
This is one of my very favorite books. I'm a big Clara Bow fan and I've always loved her movies. But reading this book took her from being just a celluloid image to being a real person to me. A real person who was maligned and persecuted by the very people she made the most money for.
I defy anybody to read this book without their eyes filling up at least once for this beautiful, talented, wonderful actress. It's also a harrowing story of a life filled with abuse, fear of mental illness, and tra...more
I defy anybody to read this book without their eyes filling up at least once for this beautiful, talented, wonderful actress. It's also a harrowing story of a life filled with abuse, fear of mental illness, and tra...more
Ok, so I have always been intrigued by the lives of old movie stars. I've read about several, including Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard, Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Bing Crosby, Hedy Lamarr, and Esther Williams, just to name a few. However, I haven't spent enough time exploring the shining stars of the (sadly) forgotten Silent Era. I've seen a good amount of silent movies though, and my interest has grew as well since I've read Joshua Zeitz's excellent book: "Flapper". Then one night I was off of w...more
Jun 18, 2007
Avalon
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
all Clara Bow fans / silent film buffs
Quite simply, the best biography I've ever read, film-based or otherwise. Stenn has a knack for making his subject's personal histories come alive; many times I felt as if I were sitting next to Clara herself, hearing her pour out her story. And what a story it it! Fantastic.
I should start by saying that it's a crime that there aren't more books about Clara Bow. That being said, Stenn has done a good job especially in the end where she was pretty much a recluse and not much to go on. In fact, 90% of this book happens from her birth to 25. I do wish there was more to tell, but what Stenn has made also makes for a great portrait. Clara Bow was pretty amazing and you can still see it in her films. Unfortunately, she was also a product of the star system that we still s...more
it was well written. it's really annoying that all of our sex symbols turn out to be abused in some way, i guess strong women aren't that sexy--i'll try to keep that in mind while raising my kids. not nearly as tragic as it could have been and glossed over a lot of the borderline interesting things, i guess because she wasn't really that interesting beyond being "generous" (turns out she was really nice (see: stupid)).
i have definitely read more interesting biographies, but whatever, just like t...more
i have definitely read more interesting biographies, but whatever, just like t...more
I have recently fell in love with silent movies. There is something about conveying meaning and emotions using just your body that fascinates me. And according to many Clara Bow was one of the greatest.
Reading the book gave me a 3D image of this woman. It made me want to meet her, feel the energy she is famous for. Stenn doesn't only concentrate on relating what happened to or what Clara did. He also brings to life the world around her and its effect on Clara.
And what a life! She went from one o...more
Reading the book gave me a 3D image of this woman. It made me want to meet her, feel the energy she is famous for. Stenn doesn't only concentrate on relating what happened to or what Clara did. He also brings to life the world around her and its effect on Clara.
And what a life! She went from one o...more
This book was fantastic..full of facts, sadness, laughs.. it is a great account of an actress who became the IT girl long before marlyn munroe new how to say the words....sadly clara bow faded to a point now that most people have probably not even heard of her, and a great deal of her silent movies have gone which is very sad, stored away by Paramount and forgotten about and left to turn to dust... considering the amount of money she made for them, they should be ashamed at letting a good part o...more
Beautiful biography on the "It Girl." Stenn doesn't elevate the good of her life while downplaying the bad. There's really no way to avoid the fact that Bow's life was an utter mess. Starting with an insane and verbally abusive mother and a sexually abusive father, it's sad to realize that she felt Hollywood gave her the love she'd never had. Audiences adored her, but the industry she made money hand over fist for betrayed her in the end when her own weaknesses made her a liability in their eyes...more
Nov 17, 2012
Alexis Marnel
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction-hollywood
I can't believe I read this book over 10 years ago..I can refer to it as if i just finished reading it. Dispells the long standing myths of Clara Bow's promiscuity. Delves into the horrible childhood that shaped her insecurities, fears and talent. She is not a hollywood myth, but a talented human being who was made an example of by men running the game in La-La land. She eventually learned how to live in peace and it was interesting to go on the journey with the author has he chronicled this sad...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Jan 08, 2013
Samantha Glasser
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
movies,
non-fiction
David Stenn has done a wonderful job of researching and compiling information about Clara Bow's life. He details her parent's lives, her childhood, her break into films, her struggle to stay in them despite love affairs and financial woes, and her life after films.
This detailed account is easy to read. Unlike many books which touch on complicated subjects such as schizophrenia, Stenn's helps to understand the illness and explains how it related to Clara's behavior. The book also is peppered with...more
This detailed account is easy to read. Unlike many books which touch on complicated subjects such as schizophrenia, Stenn's helps to understand the illness and explains how it related to Clara's behavior. The book also is peppered with...more
This isn't exactly an uplifting read, but it is very well done. David Stenn is a good author and his portrayal of Clara Bow's life is at once objective and sympathetic. I've also read his Jean Harlow biography and he gave her the same treatment. Both Jean and Clara are controversial figures with some outrageous legends attached to their names. Stenn succeeds in either debunking the myths altogether, or digging into their backgrounds to reveal the origins of how the stories were started.
In Clara'...more
In Clara'...more
1 like · like · see review
view all 3 comments
Wow.
What a life Clara Bow had. I admit, when I first saw her in 1927's "Wings" and became obsessed with her, I had no idea what her past was, but when I got David Stenn's biography of her, I was knocked out flat.
Where do I begin? From her horrific childhood (her mentally-ill mother tried to kill her and her father raped her) to her getting snubbed by Paramount (she was the most popular star in Hollywood and also one of the lowest payed), heartache and scandal seemed to have followed Clara every...more
What a life Clara Bow had. I admit, when I first saw her in 1927's "Wings" and became obsessed with her, I had no idea what her past was, but when I got David Stenn's biography of her, I was knocked out flat.
Where do I begin? From her horrific childhood (her mentally-ill mother tried to kill her and her father raped her) to her getting snubbed by Paramount (she was the most popular star in Hollywood and also one of the lowest payed), heartache and scandal seemed to have followed Clara every...more
This was a fascinating story of a remarkable life. Stenn's biography of Clara Bow reminded me of Ann Frank's remarkable optimism and faith in the good of humanity despite overwhelming evidence in her own life of depravity, neglect, and abuse. Whether at the height of her stardom or the depths of schizophrenic despair, Clara Bow was remembered by all who knew her as a generous, kind spirit who helped newcomers even at her own expense and who never let stardom go to her head. This book also explor...more
David Stenn's biography of Clara Bow is gossipy, but that's probably unavoidable because Clara Bow led a gossipy life. The gossip factor doesn't make it any less a serious book; it's well researched and well-sourced. We learn about Clara's awful childhood (and her awful parents), her rise to fame, and the difficulties she had handling that fame. Stenn also does a good job of describing why she was as famous and popular as she was; how she sparkled on the screen and how people, both in show busin...more
This biography could have easily gone down the tubes into tabloid trash. Instead, it's a fascinating and engrossing story of a damaged little girl who grew up to become Paramount's biggest female box office draw of the 1920's, but continued to fight her demons all her life. Well-researched, sympathetic, respectful. It's not sanitized, but it's not sleazed up to the nth degree either. Great read.
rocking my wooooorld making me feel so mentally accompanied. eerie emotional synchronicities. cities of them, she said. i shouldn't write good reads reviews when i'm not done with the book and in the middle of poem-writing, but oh well. this is so good it's reminding me why memoir is a genre i want to read/interact with on every level more...
OMG I love this book! Well researched, well written, and very sad. He hates Hollywood Babylon as much as I do bless his soul! And poor Clara…this is the type of prose the Florence Lawrence bio lacked. Even if you don’t like Clara as an actress this book should indeed touch you.
There is nothing more interesting than real life drama. Clara Bow's life ~ all the struggles, heartache and 'success' make for powerful reading. This book reveals a peek behind the scenes of early 1900's slum life in New York to 1920's Hollywood and beyond. Fascinating.
remarkable story of a gifted silent film star whos survival of a sad childhood brought honesty and strength to women in the 1920s. sadly not always viewed as such. author portrayed her story with understanding and balance of a beautiful girl in the dawn of the movie industry.
Fabulous book. Incredibly well researched, it includes every detail a person might want to know about its iconic subject...and then even more! Yes, the writing can get a bit soap opera-esque at times, but Bow's life was dramatic enough that it's excusable.
How many times did life shit on this woman's face? The beginning of this book had me in tears, and Bow's family struggles were so horrid that I hoped it was all fictitious.
A superbly told, extensively researched, unbiased account of the life of a long-neglected film actress. Stenn's writing is clear, moving, and compelling.
Don't get me wrong, I loved reading about Clara Bow, but this book reads like a soap opera. With a life as tragic as hers, it does make for good reading.
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| Clara Bow's Movies-- Your Favorite? | 2 | 9 | Aug 22, 2012 09:35am |
