Theda Bara

[-lucyinthesky-]

I think she deserves her own thread.

From wikipedia.com:

Theda Bara was the stage name of Theodosia Burr Goodman (July 29, 1885 – April 13, 1955), an American silent film actress. Movie executives made promotional claims that her stage name was chosen because it is an anagram for "Arab Death." In reality, "Theda" was a childhood nickname for Theodosia. "Bara" was a shortened form of her maternal grandfather's last name, Baranger.
Bara was one of the most popular screen actresses of her era, and was one of cinema's earliest sex symbols. Her femme fatale roles earned her the nickname "The Vamp" (short for vampire). The term "vamp" soon became a popular slang term for a sexually predatory woman. Bara, along with the French film actress Musidora, popularized the vamp persona in the early years of silent film and was soon imitated by rival actresses such as Nita Naldi and Pola Negri.

[-lucyinthesky-]

Some pictures:




sources: thedabara.net, geocities.com/Hollywood/1096/bara

[-lucyinthesky-]

same sources:

[Moofins]

Thank you! I now know who she is. I have often seen her as the poster child for silent film in my various classes, but her name always escaped me.

[Platinum Blonde]

Thank you so much for this thread and these pictures! I remember the third picture in post # 3 so clearly from a movie book that I have looked through. I think it is so fascinating for some reason.
I really want to read the book Vamp: The Rise and Fall of Theda Bara by Eve Golden.