 Born
Theodosia Goodman, July 29, 1885 Cincinnati, Ohio, Theda Bara
was the daughter of a Cincinnati tailor, Bernard Goodman, and his
wife Pauline. She had two siblings: her sister Lori and brother Marque.
As a young teenager Theda was very interested in theater and, when
she finished high school (at Walnut Hills High School) she spent two
years at the University of Cincinnati before moving to New York to
try to make it as an actress. In 1908 she appeared on Broadway in
"The Devil" under the name Theodosia de Coppett (her mother's maiden
name was deCoppett-Baranger). In 1911, Theda joined a touring company
which took her as far away as Portland, Oregon.
She
returned to New York in 1914 in search of film roles. Her first film
was THE STAIN, in 1915, but being only an extra, she wasn't seen on
camera. Later that year she was given the starring role in A Fool There
Was. Theda was almost 30 years old at a time when younger women were
often preferred for lead roles.
 She
became Hollywood's first publicity-created superstar. Understandably,
audiences were enthraled by her. She cultivated a mysterious accent
and was always decked out in her trademark makeup, veils, copious
jewelry and furs and had a special hotel suite rented by Fox Studios
which looked like the interior of a Sultana's chambers. This latter
was intended specifically for entertaining the press.
- According
to the biography cooked up for her by Fox’s publicity team,
Selig and Goldfrap, Theda was born in the Sahara to the (fictional)
French actress Theda de Lyse and (equally fictional) Italian sculptor
Guiseppe Bara. In reality, the name Bara was taken from her mother's
maiden name, Baranger. Theda was actually the name she was known
by to her
family and friends, when she wasn't referred to more affectionately
as "Teddy."
 Theda
Bara was was the original Goth Girl: before
Vampira, Morticia Addams or Siouxsie Sioux, before Elvira, there
was Theda. While she was not quite the first female "vampire"
on the screen, she was the first to become a huge star. And, as
actresses were largely responsible for their own costumes and make-up
at that time, she invented her own look; the look that we associate
today with the female vampire. She did it first.
-
- It
was in her role in A Fool There Was (Fox, 1915) that Theda created
the character she would always be known for - The Vamp. She was
wicked and worldly, sultry and seductive - the epitome of a Scarlet
Woman.
-
- Our
modern usage of the term "vamp" comes from Theda's studio
nickname. At the time, her character was simply referred to as
"the Vampire," but as people will do, some folks on
the set shortened it to "vamp," and the name stuck.
At first it was merely a humorous nickname, then its use spread
to apply to any woman displaying the traits of a brazen seductress
who lured men to their emotional doom. In some of her publicity
photos all that remains of her devoured victims are their skeletons
before her on the floor.
 Unlike
the roles she played, Theda herself was known to her friends and neighbors
for being very kind and virtuous. She was the quintessential "good
Jewish girl," a stark contrast to the character she developed on screen.
This would dismay her throughout her life, as she so deeply wanted
to be given more challenging roles so that she could demonstrate her
real acting ability. Unfortunately, she had been indelibly typecast.
Each time she stepped out of her femme-fatale role, her films waned
in popularity and she was pushed back into the familiar shadows of
the Vamp.
-
-
Theda's
second film, later in 1915 also for Fox Studios, was as Celia Friedlander,
in THE KREUTZER SONATA.
-
 Theda
was hot property, she made six more films in 1915, finishing up
with CARMEN.
- In
1916 Theda starred in six more films. The films themselves were
making a great deal of money for the Fox Studios. By 1917 Fox
Studios had headed west and with it, Theda. That year Theda starred
in the super-successful CLEOPATRA, which was a smash at the box-office.
This was quickly followed by THE ROSE OF BLOOD. In 1918, Theda
(allegedly) wrote the story and starred as the Priestess in THE
SOUL OF BUDDHA.
- After
seven films in 1919, ending with THE LURE OF AMBITION, Theda’s
five-year contract with Fox was not renewed. Her career would
never be the same again.
- In
1921, Theda married producer/director Charles Brabin and retired.
In 1926, she made her last film entitled MADAME MYSTERY and promptly
went back into retirement permanently at the age of 41.
She tried the stage briefly in the 1930's but nothing to really
set the fires burning.
-
- A
movie based on her life was planned in the 1950's, but nothing
ever came of it. On April 7, 1955, Theda died of abdominal cancer
at the age of 69 in Los Angeles, California.
Hear
Theda Bara's Voice!
In
1936, Theda made a brief guest appearance on the Lux Radio Theatre's
production of Dashiell Hammett's The Thin Man, starring William Powell
and Myrna Loy. A clip is presented here. You can purchase the
entire eBook recording of the show at www.fictionwise.com.
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Her
last formal portrait, taken in 1951
by John Engstead, four years before her death.
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