Frances Farmer
Paramount discovered the beautiful Frances Farmer at 22 years old. But after getting sick of the studio world, she left and returned to her theater roots. Although she eventually returned to Hollywood, she suffered many mental health and addiction struggles and was portrayed as a fallen star by the headlines. Along with these scandals, she had a conservatorship under her controlling mother and experienced a very public breakdown that ended her career.
Gloria Swanson
The suspenseful movie “Sunset Boulevard” lets Gloria Swanson shine in a fictionalized and glorified version of her story. Swanson once dominated Hollywood, but since she failed to transition to talkies, she left the industry towards the end of the 1930s. Although she still popped up on the stage and in radio appearances, her star began to fade, and its revival due to “Sunset Boulevard” didn’t last long, leaving her as a fallen goddess of Hollywood.
Luise Rainer
Despite breaking records, Luise Rainer isn’t discussed too often, except for within knowledgeable cinephile groups. Born in Germany, this actress won multiple Oscars in back-to-back years. She was expected to become the next Greta Garbo, but bad career advice, the death of a producer, and her studio advocate, Irving Thalberg, cut her career in movies short. After being disenchanted with Hollywood, she left the industry and only took on roles occasionally.
