Beyond Hollywood
Gloria Swanson was a fascinating woman whose talents went beyond film acting. She had an instinctive curiosity and was always exploring new interests. Her childhood dream of becoming of opera singer would probably have come true if she put her mind to it!
| Her lifelong interest in nutrition and the body began in her early years when she was introduced to Dr. Henry G. Bieler who explained to her how the body reacts to foods and the harmful effects of certain foods. It was not a commonly heard theory in those days but Gloria was interested and thus began her lifelong interest in foods and the body. She later believed that food was not only a food source but a viable part of skin care. She once commented that most of her groceries went on her face instead of her mouth. She established a line of cosmetics in the 1950's that only used natural ingredients. |
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Gloria was a woman know for her fashion sense and in the early 1950's she put it to use. She worked for a clothing line called Forever Young for ten years and traveled across America talking with salesgirls and department store owners about women's clothing. She suggested changes in how the clothes were being made and her ideas helped the company's profits multiply considerably.
One of Gloria's more interesting endeavors came in the late 1930's when she came up with an idea of bringing foreign inventors to the United States (many were attempting to flee the war anyway) and giving them a safe haven and environment to develop their ideas. The company was called Multiprises and was successful for a decade.
| In the 1970's, Gloria discovered her artistic abilities. She began sculpting and was offered a one woman show. As a result,the United Nations Decade For Women asked her to design a poster and stamp for an exhibition. The stamp, depicting the earth with an embryo etched in the outlines of the continents, contained the caption "Woman, Like Earth, Has an Eternal Rendezvous with Spring". The pieces are collector's items today. |
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Perhaps Gloria's greatest non-film achievement was her writing ability. In 1980, she published her autobiography titled "Swanson On Swanon". The book is a very well written account of her life which touches on the ups and downs of her glorious film career as well as personal torments in her private life (she writes honestly about an abortion she had in 1924 and how the decision forever affected her life). The book was a great success and widely praised.
Gloria Swanson died in her sleep on April 4, 1983 of a heart attack. She was 84.
She is buried in New York City at the Church of Heavenly Rest.