Norma Talmadge — Blue Book of the Screen (1923) 🇺🇸

She mixed her beauty and personality with brains, and her name means as much to the public today as in the earlier film period when Norma Talmadge was the “rage.”

Miss Talmadge was born at Niagara Falls, N. Y., in 1897, and educated in Brooklyn schools. She entered pictures at the age of 14 years without previous experience, and has been upon the screen constantly ever since.

She first worked for Vitagraph, and then joined the Griffith [D. W. Griffith] forces at Fine Arts, Los Angeles, where she began attracting public notice early. She was starred in “The Crown Prince’s Double,” and followed with a series of features.

From Triangle, Miss Talmadge went to the original Selznick [Lewis J. Selznick] company, but later formed her own producing concern, with Joseph M. Schenck as its head.

Among the productions made for this combine were “De Luxe Annie,” “The Forbidden City.” “The Heart of Wetona,” “The Probation Wife,” “The Way of a Woman,” “The Isle of Conquest” and “She Loves and Lies.”

Her first starring production with First National was “A Daughter of Two Worlds.” At the expiration of a three-year starring contract another was signed for the same period.

One of her most successful pictures under their banner was an adaptation of that emotional Spanish drama, “The Passion Flower,” which was Nance O’Neill’s stage vehicle several years ago, and “Smilin’ Through,” another stage success in which Jane Cowl starred.

But Miss Talmadge was not quite satisfied with the semi-costume pictures she had appeared in. After months spent searching for a suitable story, Balzac’s Duchess de Langlaise was decided upon as a fitting one for the versatile young star, with its background of pomp and magnificence, its frivolities and heartaches. Therefore, she depicted the complex character of that notable court beauty and coquette, the Duchess de Langlaise. The film was released as The Eternal Flame. Miss Talmadge recently completed “Within the Law,” which Frank Lloyd directed.

Miss Talmadge is the sister of Constance [Constance Talmadge] and Natalie Talmadge of the screen. Her husband is Joseph Schenck, manager of the Norma Talmadge Film Corporation.

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Norma Talmadge surveys the street set under construction for her next production.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Schenck (Norma Talmadge).

Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)