Clara Bow was the quintessential ‘it’ girl and a flapper icon. She was one of the few silent movie stars who made it successfully into ‘talkies’ with her thick Brooklyn accent in tact. Bow was notorious for her loose living and scandalous lifestyle, so you’ve probably heard the rumours and gossip but here are 10 facts you might not know:
- Cartoon character Betty Boop was modelled on Clara Bow and Helen Kane.
- Clara retired aged only 28 when she had a mental breakdown due to stress and the pressure of having to deal with so many scandals in 1933.
- Bow died at the age of 60 whilst watching a Gary Cooper Western, Gary Cooper had been one of her notorious ‘engagements’ back in the early 20s.
- Fans didn’t realise Clara Bow was a redhead to begin with (oh the joys of black and white movies!), when they did sales in Henna hair dye tripled!
- Like Marilyn Monroe, Clara Bow’s childhood was marred by her mother’s mental illness. Bow’s mother was committed to a sanatorium after she held a butchers knife to her daughter’s throat. Read more
