Norma Talmadge

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Lore & Background

Talmadge was the eldest daughter of Frederick O. Talmadge, an unemployed chronic alcoholic, and Margaret 'Peg' Talmadge. Her childhood was marked by poverty; one Christmas morning, Fred left to buy food and never returned, leaving Peg to raise Norma and her two younger sisters, Natalie and Constance, in Brooklyn. Peg took in laundry, sold cosmetics, taught painting classes, and rented out rooms. After Norma mentioned a classmate who modeled for illustrated song slides, Peg located the photographer and arranged an interview. Following an initial rejection, Norma was hired. When they saw her debut, Peg resolved to get her into motion pictures. Mother and daughter went to Vitagraph Studios in Flatbush, New York. They got past the gates but were thrown out by the casting director. Scenario editor Beta Breuil, attracted by Talmadge's beauty, arranged a small part for her in *The Household Pest* (1909). Between 1911 and 1912, Talmadge played bit parts in over 100 films, eventually earning a spot in the stock company at $25 per week. Her first real success came with Vitagraph's three-reel *A Tale of Two Cities* (1911), in which she played the small role of the unnamed seamstress. By 1913, she was Vitagraph's most promising young actress. In 1915, she starred in *The Battle Cry of Peace*, an anti-German propagandist drama. Peg then got a two-year contract with National Pictures Company for eight features at $400 per week. After that studio failed, she joined Triangle Film Corporation, working under D. W. Griffith. In 1916, she married millionaire film producer Joseph M. Schenck, and they formed the Norma Talmadge Film Corporation in 1917. Her first film for the studio, *Panthea* (1917), was a hit. She made four to six films a year in New York between 1917 and 1921, often paired with Eugene O'Brien. In 1922, she moved to Hollywood, where her films became bigger and glossier, including *Smilin’ Through* (1922), *Secrets* (1924), and *The Lady* (1925).

Reader's Guide

Norma Talmadge was one of the most popular and highest-paid actresses of the silent era. In 1923, a poll of picture exhibitors named her the number-one box office star. She was earning $10,000 a week and receiving as many as 3,000 letters weekly from fans. Her career, carefully managed by her husband Joseph M. Schenck and her mother, peaked in the early 1920s with melodramas that showcased her dramatic range. Her film *Secrets* (1924), directed by Frank Borzage, marked the pinnacle of her career, with her giving her best performance and receiving the best reviews. She also worked with top-flight directors such as Frank Lloyd, Clarence Brown, and Frank Borzage. On January 5, 1926, Talmadge and Anna May Wong turned the first spadeful of earth using a gold-plated shovel at the groundbreaking ceremonies for Grauman's Chinese Theatre. The theater's official account credits Talmadge with inspiring the tradition of putting footprints in concrete when she accidentally stepped into wet concrete. However, in a 1937 radio interview, Sid Grauman gave another version, saying the idea came when he accidentally stepped in soft concrete. With the end of the silent era, her popularity waned. After two talkies proved disappointing at the box office, she retired while still very wealthy.

Did You Know?

• According to her birth certificate, Talmadge was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, though she and her mother later told fan magazines she was born in Niagara Falls, New York, for a more romantic story.
• Between 1911 and 1912, she played bit parts in over 100 films at Vitagraph Studios.
• In 1923, a poll of picture exhibitors named Norma Talmadge the number-one box office star.
• She turned the first spadeful of earth at the groundbreaking for Grauman's Chinese Theatre on January 5, 1926, using a gold-plated shovel.
• Her last film for First National was *Camille* (1927), during which she fell in love with leading man Gilbert Roland.