Clara Bow
The original 'It Girl' who defined the Roaring Twenties.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Clara Gordon Bow (July 29, 1905 – September 27, 1965) was an American actress who rose to stardom during the silent film era of the 1920s and successfully made the transition to "talkies" in 1929. Her appearance as a plucky shopgirl in the 1927 film It brought her global fame and the nickname "The It Girl". Bow came to personify the Roaring Twenties and is described as its leading sex symbol.
- born
- July 29, 1905, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York City
- died
- September 27, 1965, age 60, heart attack
- field
- Actress
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Silent film star, 'The It Girl', box-office draw in 1928 and 1929
Lore & Background
Bow appeared in 58 films, all but 11 of which were silent. Thirty-three are extant in their entirety, 14 are partially lost, and 11 are completely lost. Some hits include Mantrap (1926), It (1927), and Wings (1927). She was named the first box-office draw in 1928 and 1929 and the second box-office draw in 1927 and 1930. Her presence in a motion picture was said to have ensured investors, by odds of almost two-to-one, a "safe return". At the apex of her stardom, she received more than 45,000 fan letters in a single month, in January 1929. After marrying actor Rex Bell in 1931, Bow retired from acting in 1933. Her final film, Hoop-La, was released in 1933. She then became a rancher in Nevada. Bow had two children. In September 1965, Bow died of a heart attack at the age of 60.
Reader's Guide
Bow was born in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn in New York City, at 697 Bergen Street. Her birth year, according to the US Censuses of 1910 and 1920, was 1905. Bow was her parents' third child; her two older sisters died in infancy. Her mother, Sarah Frances Bow, suffered from epilepsy and psychosis. Bow attended P.S. 111, P.S. 9, and P.S. 98, and later Bay Ridge High School for Girls. She won the "Fame and Fortune" contest in 1921 and made her film debut in Beyond the Rainbow (1922), though her scenes were cut. She later appeared in Down to the Sea in Ships.
Did You Know?
- Bow received more than 45,000 fan letters in a single month, January 1929.
- She was named the first box-office draw in 1928 and 1929.
- Her final film, Hoop-La, was released in 1933.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Clara Bow?
Clara Gordon Bow was an American actress born in Brooklyn in 1905 who rose to become the defining star of 1920s silent cinema. She is remembered as the era's most iconic sex symbol and a major box-office draw through 1928 and 1929.
What made Clara Bow famous?
Her spirited shopgirl performance in the 1927 film It turned her into a worldwide sensation and earned her the lasting nickname "The It Girl." The role cemented her image as the embodiment of the Roaring Twenties.
How did Clara Bow's career change when sound arrived?
She successfully transitioned into talkies in 1929, though only 11 of her 58 total films were sound pictures. Her peak earning power came in 1928 and 1929, after which her screen presence gradually declined.
How many of Clara Bow's films still exist today?
Of her 58 films, 33 survive in complete form, 14 are only partially preserved, and 11 are lost entirely. Notable surviving hits include Mantrap (1926), It (1927), and Wings.
How did Clara Bow die?
She died of a heart attack on September 27, 1965, at the age of 60. Her legacy endures as the face of silent-film glamour and the cultural icon of the 1920s.
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