Louise Brooks

The American Dream of Success

Early Years

     Mary Louise Brooks was born on November 14, 1906 in Cherryvale, Kansas. Louise's fathers name was Leonard Brooks, 40, and her mothers name was Myra Rude Brooks, 23. Her father was a lawyer, who was usually too busy to spend time with his children, and her mother was an artist who said that, "any squalling brats she produced could take care of themselves." Even though Louise's mother deprived her of maternal affection she still admired and absorbed all that her mother did. Louise has a rough begining since she was sexually abused by a neighborhood predator. When her a mother found out she accused Louise of leading the man on and blamed it all on her. Even though Myra did nothing to help Louise as a mother she still pushed Louise to take dance lesson, knowing it would make her become more free spirited.

Young Louise as a child.She played a pint-sized bride in a church event.

Dance, Dance, Dance

      By the age of 10 Louise had dedicated herself to dance and had amounted to a professional dancer. Before Louise became a stunning movie star and an outsanding fashion icon she went through very awkward periods, as any other normal kid does, throughout her elementry and high school years. She soon grew into a beautiful, confident, talented young lady.  In 1915 Louise's mother cut her beautiful long hair  to a short bob that would soon resemble her signature "raven helmet" hairstyle. At age 15 Louise dropped out of high school and joined a famous dance company, Denishawn Dance Company. She toured both the United States and Canada with this company. During a trip to London, Louise became the first to dance the Charleston in London. In 1925 the dance swept the country and soon made its way around the world.

1923 Louise Brooks with the Denishawn Dancers.

Movie Time: 1920s

     In 1925, Louise Brooks performed in her first movie production, Louie the 14th. In the movie Louise was a dancer due to her talented dance background. That same year Louise signed a 5 year contract with Paramount Studios, which would soon start her huge movie carear. Louise's first film that she starred in was The Streets of Forgotten Men. In 1926, Louise was featured as a flapper in A Social Celebrity, this featured is what truely started the "Flapper Era". Also in that same year Louise starred in The American Venus, It's the Old Army Game, The Show-Off, Just Another Blond, and Love 'Em and Leave 'Em. Louise will later star in four move movies until she ends her contract with Paramount. Louise was in 21 films in total while with Paramount. After leaving Parmount in 1928, director G.W. Pabst starred Louise in the film Pandora's Box. Louise considers this film her finest work. Many believe she gave her most electrifying and legendary performance in this movie. This movie will stick with her for life. In 1929, Louise was in the movie Diary of A Lost Girl, but due to the rise of talkies ( movies with sound) this movie did not do as well as her others. Once the 1930's came along Brooks played major roles in 12 movies until she permanently left films in 1938.

Louise in Pandora's Box.            Her 1926 movie Love 'Em and Leave 'Em.     Louise in the film The Show Off.

Life Beyond the 1920's

     Louise Brooks took a break from her life of luxury and fame for a while and then reemerged throught out the 1950s-1970s as a respected, articulate historian and writer. Louise's thoughtful essays appeared in magazines like Sight and Sound, Film Culture, and Focus on Film. She became a memoirist and film critic when a revival of the silent film era opened in the cinema industry. In 1982, three years before her death , a collection of writings on her career, Lulu In Hollywood, was published. Louise would go around to all the libraries to correct all the unture facts written about her in biographies and autobiographies. Louise's notes became legendary in the Rochester area. Mary Louise Brooks wasa free spirit known for her independance, beauty, style, and her trademark bob hairstyle. On August 8, 1985, Louise died of a heart attack in Rochester, New York. She was 78 years old.

     Mary Louise Brooks was an amazing woman who had overcome a lot to become an outstanding person, actress, and style icon. She was able to become an unbelievable actress and dancer even though she had a father her ignored her and a mother who never raised her. She was sexually abused as a child and also blamed for it, but she was still able to overcome it all and become a legacy of the 1920s that we remember today. Many aspire to be just like her and hope one day to have the class and talent that she had. She was and will continue to be a fashion icon that we all love and remember her for and we will be able to watch her movies for inspiration. She is the epitome of the American dream of success because she came from nothing and fought her way to the top to become something. The decade of the 1920s is the beginning of modern America because it was the era in which everything became more popular. Dancing, films, music, clothing, and much more became more and more noticeable through out the 1920s. Many stars who became famous in this era stayed famous for the rest of their lives because most of them created new trends that would always be remembered. Just like today, many of those who start new trends will be remembered for the rest of their lives and movies and music would never had been this popular if it had not been for the 1920s.

Louise Brooks' book LULU in Hollywood.

This movie depicts the beauty and gace of Louis Brooks. 

Works cited:

Life and Time. 2008. The Louise Brooks Society. Ariel 29, 2009. http://www.pandorasbox.com/biography.html

Louise Brooks Biography. 2009. Starpulse.com. May 1, 2009. http://www.starpulse.com/Actresses/Brooks,_Louise/Biography/

Biography of Louise Brooks. 2005. Louise Brooks. May 1, 2009. http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/louise-brooks/

The Jazz Age. 2008. Flapper Culture and Style. April 29, 2009. http://www.geocities.com/flapper_culture/

Louise Brooks. 2009. Movie Maidens. May 2, 2009. http://www.moviemaidens.com/profile.asp?i=1016&e=1&ct=1&r=1&f=Louise&l=Brooks

1920s Fashion Icon. 2009. Fashion Era. May 5, 2009. http://www.fashion-era.com/1920s/fashion_icons_1920s.htm#Louise_Brooks_