NORMA TALMADGE - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH - HFSID 171547

NORMA TALMADGE
Lovely photograph of the silent screen actress.
Photograph signed: "Sincerely Yours/Norma Talmadge". B/w, 5x7. Photograph by Jumiere, New York (imprint at lower left background). Actress Norma Talmadge (1893-1957) began her film career in the 1910 Vitagraph film, The Household Pest, and she would go on to appear in a number of features for the New York City-based studio before briefly signing with D.W. Griffith, for whom her sister, Constance, was working. In 1916, Talmadge met and married Joseph Schenck, and the two became partners in their own film company. Their studio's first film, Panthea, was a tremendous hit, and the couple moved the production company to Hollywood. Over the next few years, Talmadge would star in several other hits, including The Wonderful Thing (1921), The Eternal Flame (1922) and The Song of Love (1923). By 1928, however, her popularity had begun to wane, and Talmadge was unable to make a successful transition from the silents to "talkies". She divorced Schenck on April 4, 1934 and married George Jessel just nineteen days later. Jessel had a radio show at the time, and Talmadge was added to the cast. When the program did not help her career, she divorced Jessel in 1939. In 1927, Talmadge had accidently begun a tradition when she stepped into wet cement in front of Graumann's Chinese Theater, becoming the first star of many to leave a lasting impression in front of the landmark. Surface creased at left background and at mid-right background, touching shoulder of image. 1x¼-inch portion torn away at upper right margin. Pin holes at upper blank background. Lightly soiled. Overall, fine condition.