Swanson on Swanson

by Gloria Swanson

Once the most famous woman in the world, she still found time to be a loving mother. Worshipped by the world's most dynamic men on screen, and off, and adored by no less than six husbands, directed by such powerhouses as Chaplin, DeMille, Stroheim, Billy Wilder, she surrendered her will to no man. Offered a million-plus tax free dollars by Paramount, she defied the studio to become her own boss. Surviving scandal, disaster, near-death and the collapse of that wonderland called Hollywood - alive, extraordinary, triumphant - this is Gloria Swanson!

Genres: Biography, Film, Nonfiction, Memoir, Autobiography, Media Tie In, History

549 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Most famously known for her portrayal of faded silent film star Norma Desmond in Billy Wilder's 1950 film SUNSET BOULEVARD, Swanson was enormously popular in silent films, especially in those under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille. She continued to work in films & television and on stage well into the 1970s. Her last screen appearance was in AIRPORT 1975 in which she played herself.

Swanson died in New York City in New York Hospital from a heart ailment, aged 84 on April 4, 1983. Her death created worldwide headlines, with The New York Times echoing a line from Sunset Boulevard, calling her, "The greatest star of them all."

She was survived by two daughters and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Reviews

[amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best autobiographies written by a celebrity. A really good read even if you know nothing of Gloria Swanson or her movies.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell a bit in love with Gloria reading her biography. It's non stop from her grace onto the silent screens of cinema to working her way to becoming the most famous celebrity on the planet. All without an ounce of arrogance, desperation or any other pathological profile that seems to gravitate celebrities towards hollywood. After all who else would turn down one of the first $1 million dollar contract to go on to produce her own movies? It only made me wish I had half the ounce of courage and gusto that this lady shows throughout her colourful endeavours.

The only negatives about the book was that there was no scathing character profiles on any one (if you're a tart for hollywood gossip like me, ahem) and not enough pictures!

A truly fascinating life that deserved every page it was written on.

[Lee Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This autobiography is no sugar-coated reminiscence of Hollywood's Golden Age: chapter one opens with Swanson nearly dead from an abortion she had to save her reputation from the scandal that would have ensued had the public known she was pregnant before her THIRD marriage, which had taken place just the day before the procedure. There are plenty of other juicy details, too, including a teenage marriage, wedding night rape, another abortion (induced by her husband, unbeknownst to her), and of course, her famous affair with Joseph Kennedy.

You may quibble with the pacing--537 pages, 22 chapters, and she doesn't even get to the Kennedy affair, which took place in the 1930s, until chapter 16--but it's still a dazzling look at the beginning of movie-making (Swanson started so early that the bulk of movies were still made on the east coast.). You might also lose track of husbands (six in all!), but you can't deny she led an interesting and full life.

At the beginning of WWII, Swanson started an engineering company, ostensibly a think tank to brainstorm new inventions, but also a front to smuggle Jewish scientists out of Germany and Nazi-occupied France. She had one of television's first "lifestyle" shows, and for over twenty years designed a mass-market dress line for plus-sized ("stout," she calls them) women. She was also a huge proponent of macrobiotic foods, lobbied to pass an amendment which banned chemical additives in farming, and claims to have cured herself of a uterine tumor through diet. And you thought she was just Norma Desmond! A diva to the last.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME! Old Hollywood rocks and there are so many interesting details found in this book. What's amazing is it's written by Gloria Swanson, herself.

[Samantha Glasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite movie star biographies. Gloria Swanson was a major star during the silent era, and she worked with greats like Charlie Chaplin, Cecil B. DeMille, and Erich von Stroheim. She was married several times, had a famous affair with Joseph Kennedy, and concieved several children. Her career failed when talkies came, but triumphed again in 1950 with Sunset Boulevard, for which she was nominated for an Oscar. Through her success, she kept a level head and a great work ethic.

Before reading this book, I had only a mild interest in her, as I was unimpressed with many of the silent films she starred in, but her personality shines through so brightly in this book, it is impossible not to like her. She was no great beauty, but what she lacked there she made up for with intelligence and wit.

The length of Swanson's autobiography is intimidating, but each page is a treat.

[Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating book about a truly fascinating woman. It is so amazing to read the way Hollywood was when Gloria Swanson was first starting out. So very different from the way it is today. It was a long book but very much worth the effort. If you like Hollywood stories, this one pulls no punches. You finish the book feeling you know this woman.

[Julai · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first chapter of Swanson on Swanson starts with a bang and ends with a dumpster. Yes, poor Gloria finds herself pregnant, after being SWEPT AWAY BY PASSION (this usually happens once a lifetime to us poor, normal, non-Hollywood folks, but for the great Swanson, it is a near-daily experience.) Although she has just landed a member of the French nobility and become La Marquise de la Falaise de la Coudray (I just read this in my head like "La Marbluh de la bluh bluh de la blahhhh") if she gives birth to a baby, it will Ruin. Her Hollywood. CAREER!

Well, we can't have that. Although her unborn child pleads with her "Please. Do not do this thing! I am afraid ... OF THE SEWERS!" she must. She simply must! She also (swept away by the tide of fortune, and through NO FAULT OF HER OWN) marries six guys, cures her own utering tumors through health food, and designs stamps (WTF, right?)

Basically, an awesome Hollywood bio. Lots of pearl-clutching, fainting, descriptions of incredible couture gowns, and conversations with unborn infants. So, you know, just like real life.

[Richie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is simply the best autobiography I've ever read. I got insight into old Hollywood like never before: the start, the Hays code, making movies, really everything I could want to know. She wrote about herself and others honestly and diplomatically; nothing seemed absurdly inflated and her voice was humorous. I could see how much she enjoyed life and the people around her. One of the coolest parts of her life was that she fought against pesticides being used on foods and became extremely health conscious with the mentorship of her physician, Doctor Bieler (who wrote a book I plan to read "Food is Your Best Medicine", which is still in print today). Most people only know her from "Sunset Boulevard" (I certainly did), but watching her silent films she talks about is just as rewarding (Sadie Thompson is a great watch!). She is someone I wish I could meet; she was fabulous, smart, and honest.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best autobiographies I've read. Couldn't put it down. It's as long as Gone With the Wind but it is fabulous.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

FABULOUS! What a life! It's a long book (500+ pages) but she needs it in order to do justice to her story.

When I picked up this memoir, I knew almost nothing about Gloria Swanson. I knew she starred in Sunset Boulevard and I knew she'd had an affair with JFK's dad, Joe Kennedy. That's it. Oh, and I knew she'd made a bunch of silent films, but I've never seen one. It turns out that it doesn't matter if the reader knows anything about Gloria Swanson. The book is highly readable in and of itself. It's worth the read for everyone, not just fans of Miss Swanson.

It helped that the ghost writer of this book was Swanson's 6th (!) husband, William Dufty. He wrote Sugar Blues (that famous diet book about how horrible white processed sugar is) and he also wrote Lady Sings The Blues with Billie Holliday.(Fun fact! I learned during my prodigious googling of names while reading this memoir - Billie is the godmother to Dufty's only child.) The memoir reads like a novel, which is hard to pull off. So many mediocre memoirs read like an expanded version of the person's calendar.

Obviously not every conversation in the book happened just like it's written, but that's ok. It helps the story flow. There were certainly times in the book where I paused and thought to myself - "that's not true!" or "I really don't think it happened like that." However, I am not reading a heavily researched biography but one woman's account of her own life. Her story is interesting, whether it is 100% true or not. According to Gloria she basically invented Spanx in the 1931. That is, she forced Coco Chanel's seamstresses to sew an early prototype of Spanx in order to hide her pregnancy. Later on, Gloria cured a uterine tumor by becoming a vegetarian! She healed a vaginal tear caused during childbirth by lying in the sun naked with her legs spread open! Haha, what a visual! She is very confident that whatever she is doing is the right thing to be doing.

I learned a lot about the early days of the film industry. It was an amazing period of time - the creation of a huge, powerful, money making influential business. No one at the beginning really knew what they were doing. Gloria was there, starting in 1914. Her career is startling in it's depth and longevity. She worked with everyone from Rudolph Valentino and Charlie Chaplin to Carol Burnett and Erik Estrada! Ha, what a range! What a book!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should be at least 4.5. I've only seen Beyond the Rocks, and I didn't realize how interesting and awesome Gloria Swanson is! I appreciated reading a celebrity bio that arrives somewhere legitimately wiser than where it starts. Where David Niven's peters out (although I <3 him), GS rounds everything up with believable life lessons. She makes me hopeful that I will make it through youthful blundering to better self realization and acceptance.

Also, I loved that 2/3 of the book was silent movie era reminiscence. <3!

Lastly: I loved the quote she used from The Prophet:
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

[Henry Senecal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book many times. It is one of my all-time favorite biographies. True, I am an avid fan of most themes from classic Hollywood, but this read in particular is a grand portrait in a grand woman's own words.

As a rich girl that grew-up to become a star of a certain strata there is a hint of pretension. It's evident in the title alone, singularly identifying herself merely as "Swanson" because you would surely know exactly who she was! It's okay though. She is due that respect at least.

It is a fantastic glimpse of an exaggerated time when Hollywood was born and legends were made! Men, marriages, money, and more. It is a fun and fascinating ride through a life that is almost just what you'd expect it to be from someone who became and was "Swanson".

[Joy H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This autobiography was so interesting that it read like a good novel. Gloria Swanson was quite a lady. She branched out from acting into other areas like the producing of films, hosting talk shows, designing clothes, and even doing sculpture and creating art. She even tried her hand at inventing. As for her life in the film industry, it was intriguing to go behind the scenes and get the background stories.

[C. Zampa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot say enough about this book, this woman. My hero. My idol. Swanson on Swanson is an enthralling memoir of a woman whose life reads like delicious fiction. A pioneer. A woman who toughed it out in a man's world and succeeded. A fabulous dynamo. Her story is an inside look into silent Hollywood, intimate peeks at all the famous stars, the life style, the glitz and glamor of days long past.
A remarkable woman. A woman far ahead of her time.

[Greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relatively clear-eyed and detailed autobiography, though not sure how accurate it is. Very entertaining.

[Lissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not know Gloria Swanson invented shapewear. I also did not know that you can heal serious wounds by exposing them to the sun. The more you know!

[Winter Sophia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring, Powerful & Compelling!

[Susan Molloy · Rating 2 out of 5]

🖍️When I picked up this book, it was to see what Gloria Swanson had to say about Chicago (her birthplace.) It wasn’t all that much, since her father’s job took him to other locations, but I went ahead and read about five or six chapters of this autobiography.

Swanson made it a point to make sure the reader knows that she was "the first" Hollywood actress to marry European royalty. That struck me as a dig to Grace Kelly. Meeee-ow.

I was sickened by her casual telling of her first and second abortions; the first supposedly being tricked into by then-husband Wallace Beery, and the second purposefully done abortion (while married to Husband 3) because she didn’t want to “ruin” her career:

What the press and fans didn't know that January [1925] morning was that I was pregnant. Not even my dear, sweet Henri knew that, and I didn't have the heart to tell him, for well-connected though he was, he had no money, and I couldn't let him take the responsibility for a decision I would have to make alone. What I knew was that if I had Henri's child in seven months, my career would be finished. The industry and the public would both reject me as a morally unsound character, unfit to represent them. In 1925, the Hays Office with its rigid censorship ruled Hollywood with an iron fist. Therefore, I took a single close friend into my confidence and with his help arranged to have a secret abortion the day after my marriage. The very idea horrified me, but I was convinced that I had no choice. I consoled myself with the fact that Henri and I were young and could therefore have other children. I already had two, a girl of my own and an adopted boy. . . . I stifled my fears and doubts and kept the dreaded appointment. . . . However, the doctor bungled the simple operation, and the next day I was unconscious with fever. Then for weeks I lay between life and death in a Paris hospital, having nightmares about the child I had killed, wishing I were dead myself. (pp. 3-5)

Otherwise, the writing is a bit pompous, conceited, catty, and everything I would expect from a vain Hollywood star. I didn’t finish reading this; there are better books to read. As an aside, it is my understanding this book was ghost-written.

📕Published 1980. In the public domain.
જ⁀ 🔵 E-book version on Internet Archive.
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[Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty fascinating account of early Hollywood. Her writing on the sexism of the industry rings as true today as it did then. She also writes honestly about her abortions and her rape by her first husband, which I think is pretty astounding for someone who clearly wouldn't have identified as a feminist and who published this book in 1980. The writing is very good (I'm assuming she had a ghostwriter, but who knows) and she is a genuinely interesting person whose life is worth reading about.

That said, the second half of the book is much weaker than the first. For a movie that looms so large in her career (not to mention in Hollywood as a whole), she spends a very small amount of time discussing Sunset Boulevard. Unfortunately, too, there are the to-be-expected-of-their-time casual slurs relating to race, mental impairments, sexuality, body image, etc.

The third part of the book goes completely off the rails. She spends way too much time talking about stuff you don't care about (let's face it, Gloria, you were not a sculptor of note) and no time talking about stuff you do care about (the death of her son). Also, the medical advice she sprinkles throughout the book and then hones in on at the end is downright dangerous. Limiting sugar intake and trying to eat whole foods is pretty basic nutrition, but you cannot cure cancer by becoming a vegetarian. Don't @ me about that.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what you want every old Hollywood autobiography to be. Gloria writes fluidly and clearly, and she covers both her personal and professional life. She is honest about events and emotions without coming across as bitter or catty. Her personality shines through, as well as many people she writes about.
Gloria understood what people came to her book to read about - I was hoping for stories about silent era film making, secrets of the studio system, and personal soap opera, and this book gives you exactly that. I have only ever see her in Sunset Boulevard, but the scope of the films and works she did from the silent era into the 1950s was staggering. Also, her personal stories and her many marriages are told in a very honest way. She tells the story of how she ended up married to each husband, and we see each man through the eyes of young Gloria, not through hindsight.
If you want a history of the silent era, this is the book to read - she knew everyone, and was the biggest star in the world for so many years. A stunning book.

[Johanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

By the end of the book, it felt like we were old friends.

[Sarah Andreotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard that Gloria Swanson's autobiography is one of the best, and I would wholeheartedly agree. This is one of my top 3 favorite autobios I've read along with Lauren Bacall and Myrna Loy.
Gloria details her entire life from birth to the present day as she was writing her memoirs. It is a perfect blend of personal life, film-making life and history of the world as it was happening. I did not know much about Gloria to begin with, and I devoured every word on every page of this book- she was fascinating! I have only seen Sunset Boulevard, but am now determined to find all of the silents she starred (and even directed) in. Many biographies detail how desperate the actor was to hang onto the Hollywood lifestyle, the popularity, etc., but Gloria walked away from all of it more than once, with little or no regrets. She had a great relationship with her three children, all through their life. She seemed to treat her friends well and never described any big fallouts with them, but seemed to be someone to whom maintaining relationships was important. I was intrigued by her relationship with Joe Kennedy, and I don't know how I did not know about this affair beforehand. I'm definitely reading up on this more later!
Swanson on Swanson is a great look at the beginning of and forming of Hollywood, film-making developments and the people who acted, directed, produced and more from the 19-teens through the late '70s. I think Gloria comes across as an innovative business woman, a great actress and singer, an artist, a good friend and a loving mother. I read Swanson on Swanson for the summer #classicfilmreading challenge on the Out of the Past blog.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing story if not only the actress but her life in general. The lady was ahead of her time, had about a dozen husbands and didn't take any nonsense off of people.

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and informative autobiography from one of early film's greatest stars, Gloria Swanson. This is a hefty book and covers a lot of ground (just documenting her various marriages and affairs could have covered all 549 pages) and almost her entire life (from 1899 to 1980 when this was published. She died in 1983).

Swanson covers all the bases you'd expect in an autobio (relationships, children, money problems, etc.) and she goes into great (but repetitive) detail about various receptions she received at movie premiers and awards ceremonies. She also covers in detail what was (and probably still is) involved in being a producer of films - fascinating to read about the myriad details that all must come together to get a movie made (especially by a woman back then). Peppered throughout the book are little anecdotes about the famous of that day (she seemed to be a friend of Mary Pickford but then mentions Mary slept in a chin strap which I thought was kind of uncharitable and a completely unnecessary detail - for shame, Gloria!).

In addition to being one of film's first stars, Swanson designed dresses, sculpted, painted, and followed a diet ahead of its time (small meals, mostly vegetables). Perhaps due in part to the death of Rudy Valentino, Swanson had a lifelong distrust of doctors and self-treated various illnesses in some rather, er, interesting ways to what she claims dramatic effect.

A worthwhile and interesting read, highly recommended for the fan of classic films. Hardback book from 1980 purchased in 2013 - great condition and the photos included were glossy and crisp.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Swanson and her ghostwriter (I understand it was her last husband, although maybe someone could correct me) manage to convey a very distinct personality spiced up with bits of gossip about classic Hollywood and Joseph Kennedy - two subjects that are, we can all agree, excellent subjects for gossip. She seems quite frank and forthright, unapologetic but also touched by guilt, especially on the topic of her abortion, which more or less opens the book.

Also, I kind of want her third husband.

[Dani Brecher Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really delightful memoir. Gloria Swanson knew everybody in silent Hollywood and talks about all of them. Her lack of self-reflection is pretty charming, actually, and she comes out of every unfortunate situation (usually brought on by letting the men in her life run her business or suddenly deciding not to honor a contract) wonderfully. I really enjoyed it, as Miss Swanson embodies basically everything you could want a silent film star to be. It's hard to pick a favorite moment, but I'll have to go with when she starves a tumor to death.

[Terry Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the quintessential Hollywood autobiography from one of the first genuine stars of the silent screen to talkies. She covers her childhood, husbands (Wallace Beery was one), lovers (Joe Kennedy, whom she claims ravaged her financially and very nearly destroyed her professionally through ill-advised films produced by his company), movie-making, ex-patriots, Hollywood high society, being ungodly rich, and her passionate dislike of refined sugar. It's such a broad but detailed overview of the classic years of Hollywood. Just pick a page -- any page -- and start reading.

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think I'd find much interesting about Gloria Swanson, and I hesitated to pick her autobiography for my summer read. I found her not only interesting, but one of the most fascinating people I've ever read about. A super silent film star, she conquered several genres, from film and film production, to fashion design, science and invention, and art. Even if you're not familiar with her, her life will amaze and and astound you. I breezed through her book with constant interest and well-written text.

[Tslyklu · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is a collection of salaries, bland things about celebrity interviews generating money, and catalogs of the wealth of people she knew. Gluing that together is remembered compliments. The only real thing to her is money. Seems perfectly proud of her life, w/e, but oh my god boring to read about. HOWEVER she calls douching "internal baths", which looks to be a mainstay addition to my English vocabulary.

[Chandler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much like Charlie Chaplin's autobiography or Mack Sennett's reminiscences, one must take with a grain of salt the stories of early Hollywood and movie-making. Swanson was THE epitome of the silent screen actress, and this "memoir" celebrates that. When it comes to memoir being totally true or not, one must allow for a suspension of disbelief among the movie colony. (Then again, I am not a big fan of Miss Swanson's work anyway.)