Dickson Hughes and Richard Stapley, two young composers and romantic partners, are caught in the web of silent film star Gloria Swanson when she hires them to write a musical version of Sunset Boulevard, her 1950 film directed by Billy Wilder.
Self
Self (voice) (archive footage)
Before the G, PG and R ratings system there was the Production Code, and before that there was, well, nothing. This eye-opening documentary examines the rampant sexuality of early Hollywood through movie clips and reminiscences by stars of the era. Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Marlene Dietrich and others relate tales of the artistic freedom that led to the draconian Production Code, which governed content from 1934 to 1968. Diane Lane narrates.
(archive footage)
An unprecedented anthology of never-before-told true stories by and about some of Hollywood's most interesting stars, legends, and wannabes, and takes readers inside Hollywood's inner sanctum to show how casting decisions are made, who makes them, and who has the final word.
Self
When an in-flight collision incapacitates the pilots of an airplane bound for Los Angeles, stewardess Nancy Pryor is forced to take over the controls. From the ground, her boyfriend Alan Murdock, a retired test pilot, tries to talk her through piloting and landing the 747 aircraft. Worse yet, the anxious passengers — among which are a noisy nun and a cranky man — are aggravating the already tense atmosphere.
Madame Maria von Bohlen
A strong-willed woman not only dominates her family of California winegrowers, but also has a strange hold on a colony of bees in her vineyard.
Narrator
A television documentary about the Twenties told through the use of Hollywood movies, audio recordings and newsreels of the period. Narrated by Gloria Swanson.
Ken Murray narrates his 16mm home movies shot over 35 years in Hollywood.
(archive footage)
This insightful documentary features some of the major and most beautiful actresses to grace the silver screen. It shows how the movie industry changed its depiction of sex and actresses' portrayal of sex from the silent movie era to the present. Classic scenes are shown from the silent movie 'True Heart Susie,' starring Lillian Gish, to 'Love Me Tonight' (1932), blending sex and sophistication, starring Jeanette MacDonald (pre-Nelson Eddy), and to Elizabeth Taylor in 'A Place in the Sun' (1951), plus much , much more.
Self (archive footage)
A documentary of Hollywood's first great Latin Lover, the contradictions in his personal life, and his premature death.
edited from 'Teddy at the Throttle' (archive footage)
A compilation featuring comedic stars of the silent era including Fatty Arbuckle, Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Charley Chase, and Laurel and Hardy.
Self
A look at the past, present and future of Hollywood as seen through the eyes of the movie columnist.
Agrippina
Nero is on holiday at the seaside. Poppea, Seneca and many other guests are with him. Nero is preparing a great show where he will be the star. When Agrippina, his mother, arrives with her German praetorians and decides Nero has to conquer Britain, she is asking for trouble. Many attempts of murder and poisoning will happen on the eve of his great show.
Ann Haven
After beginning their train trip to California, a famous film actress and her daughter discover their compartment has also been assigned to a handsome biology professor. Comedy.
Norma Desmond
A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity.
Herself (archive footage)
Feature-length compilation of 1920s newsreel footage, with commentary about news, sports, lifestyles, and historical figures.
archive footage
This film is a compilation, with narration by Steve Allen, of comedies from the old Mack Sennett silent studio. Sennett, himself, appears in a cameo at the end of the film.
Miss Gloria
A short subject, intended as the first of a series, where Gloria Swanson plays "Miss Gloria," advice columnist to the lovelorn.
(archive footage)
This short film takes a nostalgic look at the Mack Sennett comedies of the silent cinema era.
Leslie Collier Osborne
A famous actress has to win over her ready-made family when she weds a shipping magnate.
Frieda Hotzfelt
A songwriter's young daughter (June Lang) begins to dream of stardom when she's offered the lead role in a new operetta.
Herself (archive footage)
In this short film, an elderly cameraman and his camera reminisce about their days shooting silent films and news stories.
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Comedian Lloyd Hamilton escorts a group of beauty contest winners to various Hollywood night spots.
Producer
A young couple decide to marry under the condition that they agree never to disagree. That agreement is soon put to the test when the husband finds himself attracted to a beautiful young woman.
Judy Rogers
A young couple decide to marry under the condition that they agree never to disagree. That agreement is soon put to the test when the husband finds himself attracted to a beautiful young woman.
(archive footage) (uncredited)
Pioneer filmmaker J. Stuart Blackton was intrigued by the idea of a film about the history of the movies as early as 1915. He finally released a 52-minute feature called The Film Parade that was shown in New York and favorably reviewed by "Variety" in 1933. He continued tinkering with the film for the rest of the decade, and later filmmakers and distributors used Blackton's footage for stock or to produce their own variously titled and truncated versions. -UCLA Film & Television Archive
Kitty Kelly / Queen Kelly
A prince betrothed to a mad queen falls in love with an orphan girl from a convent.
(archive footage)
The House That Shadows Built (1931) is a short feature, roughly 48 minutes long, from Paramount Pictures made to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the studio's founding in 1912. It was a promotional film for exhibitors and never had a regular theatrical release and includes a brief history of Paramount, interviews with various actors, and clips from upcoming projects (some of which never came to fruition). The title comes from a biography of Paramount founder Adolph Zukor, The House That Shadows Built (1928), by William Henry Irwin.
Herself
This short travelogue depicts snippets of locations in Hollywood, California, most of them as seen from the streets. Considerable time is taken showing the kinds of architecture of private homes. There are images of various important buildings, and a depiction of the Hollywood Bowl. Finally, there is a sequence revolving around the premiere of the film “Dirigible” (1931) at the famed Chinese Theatre.
Geraldine 'Gerry' Trent
A young woman jeopardizes the relationship with the man she loves when a no-account from her past shows up.
Nella Vago
A young opera singer finds her career stalled because of her cold and passionless performances, until she finds romance with a handsome admirer.
Producer
A young woman's elderly husband dies and leaves her $5 million. She travels to Paris and becomes part of the "Continental" set and is pursued by a rich playboy and a lawyer who works for her.
Tamarind Brook
A young woman's elderly husband dies and leaves her $5 million. She travels to Paris and becomes part of the "Continental" set and is pursued by a rich playboy and a lawyer who works for her.
Marion Donnell
A stenographer who works for a lawyer falls in love with and marries a wealthy young man. His family has the marraige annulled, after which she gives birth to a child. Her former boss helps her out to ensure the child's welfare, which starts gossip that she is a "kept woman."
Sadie Thompson
A young, beautiful prostitute named Sadie Thompson arrives on the South Pacific island of Pago Pago looking for honest work and falls for Timothy O'Hara, an American sailor who is unfazed by her unsavory past. However, Mr. Davidson, a missionary who arrived on the island at the same time, aims to "save" Sadie from her sinful life and petitions to have her separated from her beau and deported back to San Francisco.
Sunya Ashling
A young woman at life's crossroads is granted mystic visions of how her decisions will affect her future life.
Orchid Murphy
The film depicts what happens when a rich boy accidentally meets a crude girl on New Year's Eve.
St. Clair Van Tassel
A spoiled rich girl is brought down to earth by the man who loves her.
Jennie Hagen
Daydreaming waitress Jennie Hagen fantasizes about becoming a famous actress, while in reality she and her cook boyfriend, Orme Wilson, hope to one day own their own diner. Although Orme loves Jennie, he also has a weakness for stage stars -- so when a riverboat theatrical crew comes to their town, he is smitten by lead actress Lillian Lyons. Desperate to keep Orme, Jennie insists on going onstage to best Lillian, but is soon out of her depth.
Joyce Gathway / Nadine Gathway
Silent film drama...
Catherina Hubscher
A French washerwoman becomes a duchess and a friend of Napoleon.
Carmelita
A carnival strongman and his girlfriend flee to Algiers to escape a murder charge but there they are caught again in a web of jealousy, deceit and murder.
Princess Marie
When Princess Marie of the Balkan kingdom of Viatavia falls in love with Captain Rudi of the King's Guards, her father quickly arranges her marriage with the king of a neighboring country. Although Marie and Rudi are secretly wed by a Gypsy, the duke ignores the marriage and exiles Rudi. When a child is born to Marie, she declares to the king that it is Rudi's and is thereafter banished to a convent; however, Rudi returns and helps Marie retrieve her child from the palace, and they find happiness in another land.
Tessie McGuire
Comedy which concerns the struggles of an ambitious department store sales clerk who is caught up in New York high society.
Marjorie Colbert
Hector Colbert sues his wife Marjorie for a divorce after Peters, an admirer of Marjorie, deliberately compromises her. Colbert's lawyer, Daniel Farr, believing that Marjorie's behavior was wrong, gets the divorce, but he ruins the reputation of a fun-loving woman who was simply bored with her husband. Later, she and Farr meet; she plots a revenge against the lawyer but confesses her fabrication when she realizes that she loves him.
Toinette
A pickpocket falls in love with a newspaperman. When he is sent off to war and she disguises herself as a boy, joins a gang and sets out to save him.
Zaza
Zaza is an actress and the favorite at an open-air theater in a small French town. When diplomat Bernard Dufresne comes to the village, he stays away for fear he will fall for her. But during one performance, while Zaza is singing on a swing, her rival cuts the rope and she falls. Zaza is badly injured and she makes Dufresne's acquaintance. A romance quickly springs up and he installs her in a villa. Their happiness is marred, however, when his wife appears.
Mona deBriac
John Brandon, an American millionaire, has been married seven times but never found love. Then, when he is in Paris, Mona de Briac comes into his life. Mona comes from an noble family who is facing ruin.
Swifty Forbes
Elinor "Swifty" Forbes and her younger sister Marjory are the carefree daughters of wealthy J. D. Forbes. Their mother shows no restraint over her daughters, so they live among the flapper set. Lester Hodges, a songwriter, is enamored of Marjory, while Garside, who runs a card room, is interested in Swifty. While gambling at Garside's place, Swifty meets Roger Corbin, who works as an engineer at her father's business. Corbin falls in love with Swifty. When Mr. Forbes protests against both his daughters' behavior, they move out. Marjory marries Hodges, but eventually leaves him and returns to her parents. Swifty, who has gambled herself into debt, agrees to marry Garside. But when the couple are together in a café, prohibition agents raid the place.
Natalie Chester
A 1922 film.
Betty Bellew
Lance Bellew ignores his wife, Betty, for his mistress, Naomi Templeton, but becomes so enraged when he finds Betty in the company of Jerry Woodruff that he shoots this family friend.
Herself
Documentary short film depicting the filmmaking activity at the Paramount Studios in Hollywood, featuring dozens of stars captured candidly and at work.
Theodora Fitzgerald
A young woman dutifully marries an older millionaire and then falls in love with a handsome nobleman-- who'd previously saved her life-- on her unhappy honeymoon.
Suzanne Ornoff
A romance about a dancer seeking love and fame from Paris cabarets to New York society.
Lois Miller
James Berkeley (who wants to get rich) and Allan Franklin (determined to be a great engineer) are rivals for the hand of Lois Miller. Berkeley marries her, and 15 years later, though he has not realized his ambition, he keeps his wife luxuriously attired as a "trademark" of his prosperity. Allan, who has obtained a large tract of oil land from the Mexican Government, visits the Berkeleys; and James, hoping to profit from his wealth, goes to Mexico with him, accompanied by Lois, who unwillingly agrees to help her husband. When Allan and Lois realize their love for each other, James, refusing to become angry, is denounced by his wife. A band of Mexican bandits attempt to capture Lois, and in the attack James is slain. Allan rescues Lois, and they escape across the border.
Marian Westover
Two men in love with the same woman are further complicated by the arrival of a second woman.
Deborah Krillet
The wife of a tyrannical Boer husband discovers what life could be like when a handsome Englishmen visits their home.
Vivian Spencer (Anatol's wife)
Socialite Anatol Spencer, finding his relationship with his wife lackluster, goes in search of excitement. After bumping into old flame Emilie, he lets an apartment for her only to find that she cheats on him. He is subsequently robbed, conned, and booted from pillar to post. He decides to return to his wife and discovers her carousing with his best friend Max.
Nada Pelham / Nadine Pelham
Sir Edward Pelham, married to a Russian Gypsy, fears that his daughter will follow in her mother's footsteps and arranges a marriage with her cousin, whom she does not love. During a trip to Nevada with her father, she meets engineer Bayard Delavel, who saves her life when she is bitten by a snake; when her father finds her with Bayard in his cabin, he forces them to marry. Believing that Nadine does not love him, Delavel leaves her and prepares to sue for divorce.
Ruth Anderson
Wealthy cripple Markley finances the education of blacksmith's daughter Ruth. When she returns to their small town he asks to marry her, but she runs off with city worker Jim Dirk who is then killed in a subway accident. Markley offers to marry her in name only to protect her new son.
Beth Gordon
Robert and Beth Bordon are married but share little. He runs into Sally at a cabaret and the Gordons are soon divorced. Just as he gets bored with Sally's superficiality, Beth strives to improve her looks. The original couple falls in love again at a summer resort.
Lady Mary Lasenby
When an aristocratic family and their servants are shipwrecked, the butler becomes their ruler.
Sylvia Norcross
Dr. Edward Meade and friend Richard Burton both love Sylvia Norcross. Both enlist in the military, but Meade stays back to care for deformed children. Sylvia thinks him a coward and marries Burton. After Burton is presumed dead, Meade and Sylvia are to wed, but Burton returns maimed and scarred.
Leila Porter
Leila porter comes to dislike her husband James, a glue king who is always eating onions and looking sloppy. But after she divorces him and marries two-timing playboy Schuyler Van Sutphen the now-reformed James looks pretty good.
Sylvia Hamilton
Sylia Hamilton rehabilitates an alcoholic attorney and marries him. When World War I breaks out, she is persuaded to help the German cause and later commits suicide rather than compromise her husbands career.
Sally Carter Rand
Sally Carter Rand, married to an elderly senator, is accused of espionage, but she is able to clear herself by proving that her mysterious knitting is actually a baby sweater.
Marcia Grey
Marcia Grey is wrongly convicted on trumped-up evidence of a German. After serving her term, she rebuilds her life and marries well.
Edith Emerson
A young woman whose domineering mother almost ruins her marriage eventually learns that mother does not always know best when her father commits suicide.
Patricia Reynolds
Patricia Reynolds, the belle of the summer resort she is visiting with her friend, Amy Powellson, attracts the attention of Arthur Kirby, whom Amy loves. On an evening drive, Arthur tries to kiss Patricia , whereupon she leaps from the car and walks home. While Amy, disguised in Patricia 's clothing, accompanies Arthur to a roadhouse, Patricia , walking near the beach, sees her invalid friend, Jim Wheeler, jump into the ocean intending to kill himself. After rescuing him, Patricia persuades Jim to visit a specialist, but when she later is accused of spending the night with Arthur, she refuses to defend herself in order to conceal Jim's attempted suicide.
Kitty Manning
A wayward wife abandons her husband but finds redemption by preventing a railway accident and finding her way back to him.
Phyllis Dunbar
A secretary (Gloria Swanson) uses her boss to get money for her unfortunate sister (Ann Kroman) but eventually falls in love with him.
Phylis Clyne
Successful model, Phyllis Clyne, convinces a down-and-out nobleman, Billy, to pass her off in society as titled gentry. They fall in love and when it turns out that her late father actually was a lord, they decide they now can marry.
Gloria
On a sailing trip, sweethearts Bobby and Gloria arrive in a very sinister-looking India, where an evil rajah attempts to force Gloria into his harem.
Dangers of a Bride is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by Clarence Badger and Bobby Vernon starring Gloria Swanson.
The Wife
Bobby Vernon is fooled into a mock bigamist gag and chaos assures.
The Heiress
Baseball Madness is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by Billy Mason and starring Gloria Swanson.
Gloria Dawn
Gloria Dawn lives down the hall from her sweetheart, Bobbie Knight. The dishonest Henry Black is Gloria's guardian, and he is also in charge of Bobbie's inheritance. The scheming guardian and his sister have been spending Bobbie's money, and they hope to have the sister marry Bobbie so that they can keep control over his money.
The Pullman Bride
The Pullman Bride is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by Clarence G. Badger and starring Gloria Swanson.
The Blacksmith's Daughter
The Nick of Time Baby is a 1916 American silent comedy film directed by Clarence G. Badger and starring Gloria Swanson.
Gloria - the Society Girl
A farm boy (Vernon) falls for a glamorous society girl (Swanson) who is engaged to another man (Morris).
The Danger Girl - Reggie's Madcap Sister
Madcap Gloria disguises herself as a man, in order to lure a "dangerous" vamp away from her beau, Bobbie.
Gloria
A Social Cub is a 1916 short silent comedy film directed by Clarence G. Badger and starring Gloria Swanson
Gloria - Bobby's Sweetheart
Hearts and Sparks is a 1916 American silent comedy film directed by Charles Parrott (Charley Chase) and starring Gloria Swanson. When Mack Sennett first saw Gloria Swanson, he felt that she would be right as a romantic lead for Bobby Vernon because they were both small in stature. This was their first film together and they proved to be a big hit with the public.
The Prominent Citizen
A band of crooks, headed by Harry Gribbon, are on a train when they learn of a telegram sent to a fellow passenger, who is a police commissioner. The wire identifies him as official collector for the Old Cops' Home. A little chloroform does for him and when the train pulls out of his destination he is still on board while Gribbon is posing as the commissioner-collector.
A 1916 short starring Jack Cooper, Hank Mann & Bobby Dunn.
Gloria
Three young girls, pledged to spinsterhood and contempt for mankind, go camping in the woods. Three boys, unpledged to anything save fun and the joy of living, likewise go camping. Fate spins the wheel and the six, pledged and unpledged, pitch their tents not far apart.
Minor Role (uncredited)
The Duke de Longtour, a European nobleman, with impoverished estates, comes to America and wins the hand of Stephana Martin, an American heiress, defeating Marquis Ferdinand, an adventurer and his rival.
Betty - College Girl
Sweedie, the cook, reads an ad in the newspaper for a maid to give her services in exchange for college tuition. She applies and is accepted.
Farina, Elvira's Daughter
The Fable of Elvira and Farina and the Meal Ticket is a 1915 silent film directed by Richard Foster Baker. Gloria Swanson made her first credited appearance in this film as Farina.
Stenographer (uncredited)
When one of the actors on a movie set doesn't show up, Charlie gets his chance to be on camera and replaces the actor. While waiting, he plays in a dice game and gets on many people's nerves. When he finally gets to act, he ruins his scene, accidentally destroys the set, and tears the skirt of the star of the movie.
Minor Role (uncredited)
A young woman is used as a pawn to entice Count Jean de Lugnan into a game of ruritanian political intrigue.
Department Store Customer (uncredited)
Kate had a very devoted beau known as George. George loved the girl so hard that he loved all her relatives. He thought it his duty to give three hearty cheers for Father and Mother, and likewise he worked for a stand-in with Tom, her husky brother. His gushing affections for Kate slopped over on Sister Lil, and this caused Kate to sit up and take notice. He went shopping with mother and carried everything she purchased. She was peeved but George thought he was making a great hit. Next day he tried to cultivate the big athletic brother, but found his Waterloo.
Hands Bouquet to Holmes
The story opens with an old couple in the evening of life, sitting by the fireside reminiscing the happenings of their younger days. How the young man had left his country home to seek work in the great city, and after many days of wandering had found employment as an office boy in the same office with the young lady. How she had taken an interest in him and before many days had become more than friends.
Maid
In honor of his return from abroad, Mrs. Worthington invites her cousin, Brian Hartley, to dinner that evening, but forgets to tell him she has moved from her old address. He goes to the old home where he is met at the door by Celia Thayer, a guest of the Holbrooks, who now occupy the residence. None of the family being at home, Ceclia admits him, thinking he has been invited to dinner. When her hostess does not arrive the two have dinner together and become quite infatuated. Later it develops that the house was robbed while Mr. Hartley was there and, of course, he is suspected.
One of the Club Girls (uncredited)
Once a lot of grown-up girls organized a club for the discussion of current evils. The principal current evil they discussed was man. The object was to find some way to keep them home at nights. One dame thought every wife ought to provide her companion with an intellectual atmosphere so he wouldn't sneak out at night to the thirst parlor.
