VAMP: A seductive woman who exploits men by use of her sexual charms.

Vamp...short for "Vampire" but not quite.

A vamp is a woman who, not always being a stunning beauty, has the ability (and the figure) to drive men to their ruin. And the word ruin in this case can mean anything from insanity to death and beyond.

Theda Bara was the first official vamp of the movies, which was, no doubt, a major switch from the virginal quality held by the other film actresses of the time. Up until about 1909, most actresses were not known by name, which meant there were movies but no stars, just actors, which was a gig to save money. Up until 1909, actresses were no different than a regular woman, except actresses had heavily kholed eyes and dark purple lipstick to register on film properly. By 1909, makeup had advanced microscopically, and the first movie star arose-Flowrence Lawrence. (1886-1938) The Victorian beauty embodied everyone's idea of a real woman...but Theda's stardom changed that dramatically. In A Fool There Was (1915), Theda grabs her man and says (via title cards) "Kiss me, my fool!"

The biting line caught the attention of moviegoers as no line ever had before, and boom-Theda was a star. The first Vamp was born. Today, most of the pictures of Theda that we are likely to see show her in one of the deliciously bizarre outfits that were her trademark (particularly from Cleopatra. Her large eyes have so much khol around them that they seem to pop out at us from her not-quite-beautiful but stunning face. Her nails are not painted (if they are, the polish is too light to register in the picture), but they are shockingly long; Mary Pickford had to keep her nails short so people might actually believe she was the young girl they saw in the movies. Her stare is something else. Very few actresses can stare right through you in such an alluring way, especially when not seen in person. She usually isn't smiling, but doesn't seem too unhappy; she looks evil and yet thoroughly irresistible. Her hair is as black as the background of this Website, and very long to boot, and her lips are thin-a rare characteristic of a Vamp. In other words, the Theda Bara we have come to know through photographs alone looks like what you see above.

This is where things get interesting. Here we have Theda as a prim little belle who could pass for something out of a Louisia May Alcott book any day of the week, and Theda as a frightened, almost beastly looking being who could almost pass as a drag queen who looks almost as if she's selling herself, so to speak, for money. OK, so we've seen Theda as a Vamp, an angel, a belle, and a prostitute. And, queerly enough, she looks convincing in each pose! You must love it. Seeing how Theda can look like four personalities without ever having a face-lift or anything is almost as cool as watching Bewitched reruns. This helps us to recognize that she was good in all sorts of roles, and that statement can only apply to a good actress. Not so much a Vamp after all. But, nevertheless, that was Theda's screen persona.

Over the years, with each new decade changing the film industry, the image of the Vamp has changed. But more often than not, the idea is the same. When Theda quietly retired, Clara Bow took her place. Then, it was Jean Harlow, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren...Theda blazed the trail for them all, showing that being a trendsetter could be funky (it certainly was in this case) and that if someone you wanted badly didn't come to you, you came to it. Did you ever notice that, in pictures, how even if the Vamp doesn't get what she wants she gets very close every time? Be the Vamp dark haired, blonde, red headed, or otherwise, they don't fight too hard for what they want-breaking a nail would be worse for them than death. But they slink around in lounging pyjamas and bathing suits and furs and the like, waiting for prey.

Today, there aren't really any Vamps. So the Vamp is really a classic sort of thing that died out by the mid-30's, but there were always a few stars that could faintly carry on this title. Theda's influence can be seen even today, with Liv Tyler and Neve Campbell and some others carrying the torch, waiting for another to come along to take it and carry it and so on. So look out-the angelic baby girl next door could very well evolve into the next:

Quotes

"I never said, 'I want to be alone.' I only said, 'I want to be left alone." There is all the difference in the world."

"In the first sitting I fell in love with Jean Harlow. She had the most beautiful and seductive body I ever photographed."

Who's in there?

It's China Doll, the gal that drives men mad.

What the devil are you doing aboard?

Nothing, limey. Just showering the dewdrops off the body beautiful.

"All right, Mr. DeMille. I'm ready for my close-up."

-Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond in "Sunset Boulevard

Mae West Her Own Words

Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly.

Those who are easily shocked should be shocked more often.

Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

When choosing between two evils I always like to take the one I've never tried before.

It's not the men in my life that counts-it's the life in my men.

When I'm good, I'm good. When I'm bad, I'm very good.

Mae: "How tall are you?"......Man: "Six foot seven.".......Mae: "Well, let's forget about the six foot and talk about the seven inches".

I'm no angel, but I've spread my wings a bit.

Give a man a free hand and he'll try to put it all over you.

I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it.

Any time you got nothing to do--and lots of time to do it--come on up.

I'm no model lady. A model's just an imitation of the real thing.

I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

There are no withholding taxes on the wages of sin.

The curve is more powerful than the sword.

I didn't discover curves; I only uncovered them.

Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.

Love isn't an emotion or an instinct--it's an art.

A girl in the convertible is worth five in the phone book.

Girls, give all your gentlemen friends an even break, even if you have to break them in the attempt.

Love thy neighbour--and if he happens to be tall, debonair and devastating, it will be that much easier.

The best way to behave is to misbehave.

A dame that knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up.

Don't ever make the same mistake twice, unless it pays.

Oh, Miss West, I've heard so much about you. Yeah, honey, but you can't prove a thing.

Never ask a man where's he's been. If he's out on legitimate business, he doesn't need an alibi. And, girls, if he has been out on illegitimate business, it's your own fault.

It isn't what I do, but how I do it. It isn't what I say, but how I say it, and how I look when I do it and say it.

Come up and see me sometime.

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