Editing Clara Bow (section)

===1922-1924: Early silent films===
Encouraged by her father, Bow continued to visit studio agencies asking for parts. "But there was always something. I was too young, or too little, or too fat. Usually I was too fat."<ref name="photoplay"/> Eventually, director [[Elmer Clifton]] needed a tomboy for his movie ''[[Down to the Sea in Ships (1922 film)|Down to the Sea in Ships]]'', saw Bow in ''Motion Picture Classic'' magazine, and sent for her. In an attempt to overcome her youthful looks, Bow put her hair up and arrived in a dress she "sneaked" from her mother. Clifton said she was too old, but broke into laughter as the stammering Bow made him believe she was the girl in the magazine. Clifton decided to take Bow with him and offered her $35 a week. Bow held out for $50 and Clifton agreed, but he could not say whether she would "fit the part".<ref name="parsons1931"/> Bow later learned that one of Brewsters' subeditors had urged Clifton to give her a chance.{{sfn |Bow |1929 |p=9–?}}

''Down to the Sea in Ships'', shot on location in [[New Bedford, Massachusetts]], and produced by independent "The Whaling Film Corporation", documented life, love, and work in the whale-hunter community. The production relied on a few less-known actors and local talents. It premiered at the Olympia Theater in New Bedford, on September 25, 1922, and went on general distribution on March 4, 1923. Bow was billed 10th in the film, but shone through:
* "Miss Bow will undoubtedly gain fame as a screen comedienne".<ref name="Dean 1922">{{cite news |last=Dean |first=James W. |title=James W. Dean's Film Reviews |volume=52 |issue=162 |newspaper=The Odgen Standard-Examiner |oclc=1001973408 |publisher=Standard-Examiner Pub. Co. |location=Ogden, UT |date=1922-12-17 |department=Society |page=6 |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058393/1922-12-17/ed-1/seq-12/ |via=Chronicling America}}</ref>
* "Clara Bow who has reached the front rank of motion picture principal player ... [has] scored a tremendous hit in ''Down To The Sea In Ships''."<ref name="The Daily News 1923-04-09 p. 7">{{cite news |title=Movie Stars at Academy Music Today |date=1923-04-09 |publication-place=Lebanon, PA, US |newspaper=The Daily News |page=7 |volume=50 |issue=208 |url=https://newspapers.com/clip/120716443/movie-stars-at-academy-music-today/ |via=Newspapers.com |oclc=60628893}}</ref>
* "With her beauty, her brains, her personality and her genuine acting ability it should not be many moons before she enjoys stardom in the fullest sense of the word. You must see 'Down to the Sea in Ships'".<ref name="Eskimo Pies Pacify Pretty Clara Bow 1923">{{cite news |title=Eskimo Pies Pacify Pretty Clara Bow |newspaper=Kokomo Tribune |date=October 6, 1923 |page=10 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-oct-06-1923-3758617/ |url-access=subscription |via=NewspaperArchive.com |oclc=1052670438 |publisher=Kautz & McMonigal |publication-place=Kokomo, IN, US}}</ref>
* "In movie parlance, she 'stole' the picture&nbsp;..."<ref>''Davenport Democrat and Leader'', November 28, 1923.</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=March 2023}}

[[File:WAMPAS baby stars 1924.JPG|thumb|upright=1.4|right|Bow was chosen the foremost "baby" by [[WAMPAS Baby Stars|WAMPAS]]<ref name="Jungmeyer 1924">{{cite news |last=Jungmeyer |first=Jack |title=Baby Stars of 1924 Flicker for Glory in the New Year's Twinkling Movie Firmament |newspaper=Kokomo Tribune |date=January 1, 1924 |page=10 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-jan-01-1924-3760001/ |url-access=subscription |via=NewspaperArchive.com |oclc=1052670438 |publisher=Kautz & McMonigal |publication-place=Kokomo, IN, US}}</ref>]]
[[File:Gritstrip bow hunter 1923.png|thumb|upright=1.4|right|Cartooned: Bow as "Orchid McGonigle" in ''Grit'', having a hard time keeping her boyfriend "Kid Hart" (Glenn Hunter) on track.<ref name="The Helena independent 1924 p. 2">{{cite news |title='Grit' a Crook Play, With Hero Dressed as 'Sissy' |newspaper=The Helena independent |publisher=Kerley, McQuaid, LaCroix & Co. |publication-place=Helena, MT, US |date=August 11, 1924 |issn=2326-9588 |oclc=9382089 |page=2}}</ref>]]

By mid-December 1923, primarily due to her merits in ''Down to the Sea in Ships'', Bow was chosen the most successful of the 1924 [[WAMPAS Baby Stars]].<ref name ="Bevy of Bay Stars 1923 Part 2 p. 1">{{cite news |title=Bevy of Bay Stars of Filmland Awarded Wampas' Most Coveted Honors |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |publication-place=Los Angeles, CA, US |date=December 17, 1923 |volume=43 |at=Part 2 p. 1 |url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/clip/120087210/bevy-of-bay-stars-of-filmland-awarded-wa/ |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Three months before ''Down to the Sea in Ships'' was released, Bow danced on a table, uncredited in ''[[Enemies of Women]]'' (1923).{{sfn|Morella|Epstein|1976|p=45}} During the year she made a [[short film]], ''[[The Pill Pounder]]'' (1923).<ref name="lundak20240307">{{Cite news |last=Lundak |first=Marlo |date=2024-03-08 |title=EXCLUSIVE: 100 years later, long-lost silent film found in Omaha parking lot |url=https://www.wowt.com/2024/03/08/exclusive-100-years-later-long-lost-silent-film-found-omaha-parking-lot/ |access-date=2024-03-11 |publisher=WOWT 6 News |language=en}}</ref> In spring Bow got a part in ''[[The Daring Years]]'' (1923), where she befriended actress [[Mary Carr]], who taught her how to use make-up.<ref name="parsons1931"/> In the summer, she got a "tomboy" part in ''[[Grit (film)|Grit]]'', a story that dealt with juvenile crime and was written by [[F. Scott Fitzgerald]]. Bow met her first boyfriend, cameraman [[Arthur Jacobson]], and she got to know director [[Frank Tuttle]], with whom she worked in five later productions. Tuttle remembered:

{{blockquote|text=Her emotions were close to the surface. She could cry on demand, opening the floodgate of tears almost as soon as I asked her to weep. She was dynamite, full of nervous energy and vitality and pitifully eager to please everyone.<ref name="parsons1931"/>}}

''Grit'' was released on January 7, 1924. The ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' review said, "Clara Bow lingers in the eye, long after the picture has gone."<ref>''Variety'', February 29, 1924.</ref> While shooting ''Grit'' at Pyramid Studios, in [[Astoria, New York]], Bow was approached by Jack Bachman of independent [[Hollywood (film industry)|Hollywood]] studio Preferred Pictures. He wanted to contract her for a three-month trial, fare paid, and $50 a week. "It can't do any harm," he said.<ref name="photoplay"/> "Why can't I stay in New York and make movies?" Bow asked her father, but he told her not to worry.{{sfn|Morella|Epstein|1976|p=47}} On July 21, 1923, she befriended [[Louella Parsons]], who interviewed her for the ''[[The Morning Telegraph|New York Morning Telegraph]]''. In 1931, when Bow came under [[tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]] scrutiny, Parsons defended her and stuck to her first opinion on Bow:<ref name="parsons1931"/>

{{blockquote|text= She is as refreshingly unaffected as if she had never faced a means to pretend. She hasn't any secrets from the world, she trusts everyone&nbsp;... she is almost too good to be true&nbsp;... (I) only wish some reformer who believes the screen contaminates all who associate with it could meet this child. Still, on second thought it might not be safe: Clara uses a dangerous pair of eyes.}}

The interview also revealed that Bow already was cast in ''Maytime'' and liked [[chop suey]] restaurants.<ref name="Parsons 1923-07-22 p. 4">{{cite news |last=Parsons |first=Louella O. |author-link=Louella O. Parsons |title=In And Out Of Focus: Clara, the Unconscious Flapper |date=1923-07-22 |page=4 |newspaper=The Morning Telegraph |publication-place=New York |publisher=Triangle Publications Inc. |url=https://archive.org/details/MorningTelegraphlouellaParsonsMay-august1923/page/n76 |via=Internet Archive |oclc=9609206}}</ref>