Edna Purviance's bio

June 6, 2018 - Re-editing Edna Purviance's family biography 2nd Draft. Photo: Leading Ladies © used by ednapurviance.org

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

'Sunnyside' nymphs in 'How to Make Movies'?

I have read in Glenn Mitchell's book 'The Chaplin Encyclopedia' about Edna Purviance being one of the gals who 'instantly' changed from her day clothes to a bathing suit in this scene from 'How to Make Movies.' Frankly, I never believed it, because the only blond in the group does not look like Edna.

I have been studying images from Edna's personal collection and from other sources and found this gal, believed to be Edna, is actually one of the dancing nymphs in the film 'Sunnyside.'

See our new Brief Glimpse for more>>>

NOTE: Sea Gull fans, I do have something planned, just have to wait a bit more...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Edna seemed far too proper to have been a Sennett-style bathing beauty - but more importantly, she was a major star in 1918, and Chaplin depicted her in the "How to Make Movies" dressed and carrying herself as such.

Edna's Place said...

Edna loved to swim, so wearing bathing suits were not a problem for her. (Several pictures of her with friends at the beach.) She grew up swimming in Nevada at a favorite swimming hole near Winnemucca. But parading in bath suit contest was not something she enjoyed that much.

Even so, Edna was involved with one bathing beauty contest in Los Angeles. They paraded the ladies in new cars in front of fans and judges. Edna received the third place award. I haven't found her in another beauty contest after that.