CINCINNATI

 Another in a long line of famous Cincinnatians is a little known actress; little known today but famous in her time.  Her name is Theda Bara.  

Miss Bara was born in the Avondale area of Cincinnati in 1885.  Her real name was Theodosia Goodman; the daughter of a Jewish tailor.  She attended Walnut Hills High School and the University of Cincinnati. 

Her first work was in the theater on Broadway in New York City.  She moved to movies in 1914 and made 44 films between then and 1926.  She was paid a whopping $4,000 per week to portray Cleopatra in a movie by the same name.  Did I mention - she never said a word.  All of her film credits were for silent movies.  She even got writer's credit on one film.  

Most of her parts were for the sexy temptress, like Cleo.  Most all of her photos were taken in skimpy attire in order to promote that vamp characterization.  The studios even fabricated a fake bio for her to bolster that image.  

Nevertheless, she was all-Cincinnatian.  Theda Bara, may have been the best silent film actress of them all

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