thewisecrackingtwenties: Superstar Pola Negri photographed by Charles Gates Sheldon in 1924She took
thewisecrackingtwenties: Superstar Pola Negri photographed by Charles Gates Sheldon in 1924She took herself and her career extremely seriously and was one of the grand dames of the silent era. Among her eccentricities: she demanded to be called “Madame Negri”, walked her pet tigers on a leash down the street, and married twice, to a prince and a count. Needless to say she was always superbly dressed and bejeweled. Some people say that Billy Wilder combined her colorful personality with that of the really crazy Mae Murray (she also married at least one prince) to create the unforgettable character of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, starring Negri’s former rival, Gloria Swanson. -- source link