Gwili Andre was born Gurli Andresen in Copenhagen, Denmark on February 4, 1908. She got her Hollywood break courtesy of David O. Selznick, who cast her opposite Richard Dix in
Roar of the Dragon (1932), her first film. This was followed by
Secrets of the French Police (1932). In the NYT review she was characterized as "handsome and quite competent." I should mention that I watched this film earlier this week and would concur. Unfortunately other reviewers and the public weren't particularly impressed with her or either film. Despite the lukewarm reception, she was given support of the studios and was even featured on the cover of the October 1932 issue of The New Movie Magazine. Unfortunately the publicity didn't enhance her popularity. She appeared in only five other films, all in non-starring roles, before giving up her career. Her final role was a minor part in
The Falcon's Brother in 1942.
Gwili's death in 1959 was a bizarre suicide fueled by alcoholism and the disillusionment of a promising career that never materialized. Alone in her Venice, California apartment, she gathered together all the publicity stills and promotional material from her early career and set them ablaze, allowing herself to be consumed by the flames. She died later of her injuries.
Photoplay Magazine - February 1933
Screen grabs from Secrets of the French Police.
Movie Mirror Magazine - July 1932
Publicity still from Roar of the Dragon
Publicity Still
Gwili Andre - What do you think - Allure?
Photoplay Magazine - February 1933
Screen grabs from Secrets of the French Police.
Movie Mirror Magazine - July 1932
Publicity still from Roar of the Dragon
Publicity Still
4 comments:
She could have married after giving up her career. But she would have had to give up her dreams of stardom too. Hollywood ruined a lot of lives. It's just sad. I read the biography of Clara Bow called "Runnin' Wild" and you get an idea of how the movie industry operated.
She was stunning. Should have changed her name - Gwili? Sad that she allowed the Hollywood fantasy to steal her mind and then her life.
She was stunning and one of the saddest Hollywood stories I have read. Still, it's worth saying that people often left Hollywood the way they entered it -- those whose were fragile or unstable were likely to get worse, but those who entered with a good head on their shoulders to begin with seldom wound up like poor Gwili.
I've only just 'discovered' Gwili today and I agree, such a shame. So beautiful.
Post a Comment