Jewish Women on the Map - Cincinnati birthplace of Theda Bara

Location

Cincinnati birthplace of Theda Bara
801 Plum Street
45202-1927 Cincinnati, OH
United States

Theodosia Goodman was born here on July 22, 1890.  After moving to New York, she became Theda Bara, an overnight sensation when she was cast by director Frank Powell as the star of A Fool There Was in 1915. In the film, Bara played a temptress who squeezed money, dignity, and finally life out of men. As the sensuous, cruel seductress, Bara created the original "vamp."

See also: Theda Bara in Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia; This Week in History for February 20, 1916, "New York Times profile of silent film star, Theda Bara"; Jewesses With Attitude "Paying Tribute to the Original Vamp" and "Vamping with Theda Bara (Who?!)"; Film Industry in the United States.

Type: 
Birthplace/home/school/workplace of a history maker
Rights: 
Creative Commons (attribution)

Submitted by

Stephen Benson

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How to cite this page

Jewish Women's Archive. "Cincinnati birthplace of Theda Bara." (Viewed on May 22, 2013) <http://jwa.org/onthemap/cincinnati>.