Encyclopedia Page Z

Ziegfeld, Florenz (1867-1932): One of the most popular musical producers of all time was born in Chicago where he promoted musical numbers at the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. His "Follies of 1907", produced in New York City and later became known as the legendary "Ziegfeld Follies," was produced annually until his death, and continued until 1957. In the winter of 1920, a then unknown Norma approached Ziegfeld about a spot in one of his extravagant productions, but he wouldn't have it. Ziegfeld told her that her legs were not quite up to the requirements of a show girl, her teeth needed to be corrected, and she needed to fix her lazy eye. Norma said of her experience with him:

"I saw him six months later. He then told me he didn't know what he could fit me into. I wasn't a dancer. I couldn't be a pony. I wasn't tall enough to be a showgirl. But that he would try to fit me into something." (The Films of Norma Shearer)

Ziegfeld never kept his word to Norma, luckily she found a film career to fall back on.

Zweig, Stefan: Wrote the biography of Marie Antoinette, which was the book Norma's 1938 film was based off of. When Norma first read the biography, she was startled at the parallel to her own life. The way Marie Antoinette stood right by her husband, and eventually was imprisoned and died for him paralleled Norma’s own loyalty to Irving. Had Irving ever demanded she leave Hollywood with him because of Louis B. Mayer and MGM, as miserable as it would have made her, Norma would have stood right by Irving.