Colleen Moore
The silent-film flapper whose chic bob and vivacious on-screen persona became the definitive image of the Jazz Age.
1899–1988 (age 89)·American actress·Birthday: August 19·The Lost Generation
Biography
Colleen Moore didn't just star in the Roaring Twenties; she helped invent its visual style. Arriving in Hollywood as a teenager, she evolved from ingénue roles into the embodiment of the flapper—a liberated, energetic, and modern young woman. Her 1923 film 'Flaming Youth' was a cultural earthquake, and her decision to chop her hair into a severe bob made headlines and launched a worldwide craze. Moore understood the power of image, commissioning an extravagant, miniature fairy-tale castle dollhouse that became a symbol of Hollywood fantasy. As sound arrived, her star waned, but her impact was indelible; she had crystallized the look and spirit of an era, moving the culture forward one daring haircut at a time.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Colleen was born in 1899, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Colleen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1899
Colleen's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1899Born
President: William McKinley
1904Started school
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Became a teenager
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1915Could drive
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Could vote
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Turned 21
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1929Turned 30
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 40
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 50
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 60
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 70
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 80
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Died at 89
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
Key Achievements
- Starred in the seminal 1923 film 'Flaming Youth', which is widely credited with defining and popularizing the flapper archetype on screen.
- Pioneered and popularized the bobbed haircut, creating a worldwide fashion trend that symbolized female independence in the 1920s.
- Built and toured the famous 'Colleen Moore Dollhouse', a massive, intricate miniature castle that raised funds for children's charities during the Great Depression.
- Successfully transitioned from silent films to 'talkies', with a notable role in the early sound film 'The Power and the Glory' (1933).
- Was one of the highest-paid film stars of the late 1920s, commanding a significant salary for her work.
Did You Know?
Her legendary dollhouse, filled with priceless miniatures, is a permanent exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
She was a savvy investor and left the film industry with a considerable fortune, writing a bestselling book on finance for women.
Her first film contract with D.W. Griffith stipulated that her grandfather must accompany her to the set every day.
“The flapper was just a nice, clean-minded American girl who could dance.”
