Childhood
Gloria Swanson was born Gloria May Josephine Svensson on March 27, 1899 to Joseph Svensson and Adelaide Klanowski in the Lake View district of Chicago. Her father was employed by the U.S. Army transport service so the family moved frequently during her childhood. They lived in Key West, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico for several years. Eventually, Gloria and her mother would return to Chicago while her father remained stationed oversees.
Gloria was a beautiful and talented child and her mother was constantly making her beautiful clothes. Her mother worried that her ears were too large and she was always making her special muffs and hats to hide them (note the photograph).
During her school years, Gloria loved to perform and she acted in a number of school plays and was the star of an operetta while in Puerto Rico. She possessed a lovely singing voice and she decided that she wanted to be an opera singer.
Gloria was 15 and she and her mother had moved back to Chicago when Gloria's aunt suggested that they make a trip to Essanay Studios. Essanay was a film studio in Chicago which also had studios in California. Gloria was immediately fascinated with filmmaking but she thought that movies themselves were crude and vulgar (the most famous films at the time were slapstick comedies). Before she knew it, Gloria had requested a bit part in a film and her good looks and stylish clothes got her the attention of Essanay directors. The money was good and the work was not that bad, so Gloria continued to accept jobs at Essanay. It was a good way to earn extra money for her favorite past-time - buying clothes!