Editing Gloria Swanson (section)

===1925–1933: United Artists===
[[File:LibertyMagazine7Mar1925.jpg|thumb|Swanson on the March 7, 1925, cover of ''[[Liberty (general interest magazine)|Liberty]]'' magazine]]
She turned down a one-million-dollar-a-year ({{Inflation|US|1000000|1927|r=-5|fmt=eq}}){{inflation-fn|US}} contract with Paramount in favor of joining the newly created [[United Artists]] partnership on June 25, 1925, accepting a six-picture distribution offer from president [[Joseph Schenck]].{{sfn|Balio|2009|p=58}} At the time, Swanson was considered the most bankable star of her era.{{sfn|Balio|2009|pp=57–58}} United Artists had its own Art Cinema Corporation subsidiary to advance financial loans for the productions of individual partners.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=169}} The partnership agreement included her commitment to a buy-in of $100,000 of preferred stock subscription.{{sfn|Balio|2009|p=58}}

====Swanson Producing Corporation====
The Swanson Producing Corporation was set up as the umbrella organization for her agreement with United Artists.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=171}} Under that name, she produced ''[[The Love of Sunya]]'' with herself in the title role.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=175}} The film, co-starring [[John Boles (actor)|John Boles]], was directed by [[Albert Parker (director)|Albert Parker]], based on the play ''The Eyes of Youth'' by [[Max Marcin]] and Charles Guernon.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=171}} The production was a disaster, with Parker being indecisive and the actors not experienced enough to deliver the performances he wanted. The film fell behind in its schedule and, by the time of its release, the end product had not lived up to Swanson's expectations.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|pp=174–177}} While it did not lose money, it was a financial wash, breaking even on the production costs.{{sfn|Balio|2009|p=83}}

[[File:Glorija 2.png|thumb|Portrait of Gloria Swanson by [[Milena Pavlović-Barili]]]]

====Gloria Swanson Productions====
{{Main|Sadie Thompson (film)}}
She engaged the services of director [[Raoul Walsh]] in 1927 and together they conceived of making a film based on [[W. Somerset Maugham]]'s short story "Miss Thompson".{{sfn|Moss|2011|pp=100–101}} Gloria Swanson Productions proposed to film the controversial ''[[Sadie Thompson (film)|Sadie Thompson]]'' about the travails of a prostitute living in American Samoa, a project that initially pleased United Artists president Joseph Schenck.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|pp=181, 183}} As she moved forward with the project, association members urged Schenck to halt the production due to its subject matter. The members took further steps by registering their discontent with [[Will H. Hays]], Chairman of the [[Motion Picture Association of America|Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America]].{{sfn|Welsch|2013|pp=184–185}} Walsh previously had his own battles with the Hays office, having managed to skirt around censorship issues with ''[[What Price Glory? (1926 film)|What Price Glory?]]''{{Sfn|Moss|2011|pp=101–102}} By bringing him to the table, literally over breakfast in her home, Hays and Swanson developed a working relationship for the film.{{sfn|Moss|2011|p=103}} Hays was enthusiastic about the basic story, but did have specific issues that were dealt with before the film's release.{{sfn|Moss|2011|p=103}} The project was filmed on [[Santa Catalina Island (California)|Santa Catalina Island]], just off the coast of [[Long Beach, California]].{{sfn|Moss|2011|p=104}} Gross receipts slightly exceeded $850,000 ({{Inflation|US|850000|1927|r=-5|fmt=eq}}).{{inflation-fn|US}}{{sfn|Balio|2009|p=83}} At the first annual [[Academy Awards]], Swanson received a nomination for Best Actress for her performance, and the film's cinematographer [[George Barnes (cinematographer)|George Barnes]] was also nominated.<ref name=Oscars>{{cite web |title=The 1st Academy Awards: 1929 |date=October 8, 2014 |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1929 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>

==== Gloria Productions ====
[[File:Press photo of Gloria Swanson in Indiscreet (1931) (front) (cropped).jpg|250px|right|thumb|Swanson (left) in ''[[Indiscreet (1931 film)|Indiscreet]]'']]
By the end of 1927, Swanson was in dire financial straits, with only $65 in the bank.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=201}} Her two productions had generated income, but too slowly to offset her production loan debts to Art Cinema Corporation.{{sfn|Balio|2009|p=83}}{{sfn|Welsch|2013|pp=198–199}} Swanson had also not made good on her $100,000 subscription for preferred United Artists shared stock.{{sfn|Balio|2009|p=83}} She had received financial proposals from United Artists studio head Joseph Schenck, as well as from Bank of America, prior to engaging the services of [[Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.]] as her financial advisor.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=202}} He proposed to personally bankroll her next picture and conducted a thorough examination of her financial records.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=205}} Kennedy advised her to shut down Swanson Producing Corporation. She agreed to his plan for a fresh start under the dummy corporate name of Gloria Productions, headquartered in [[Delaware]].{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=205}} Upon his advice, she fired most of her staff and sold her rights for ''The Love of Sunya'' and ''Sadie Thompson'' to Art Cinema Corporation.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|pp=207–208}} Kennedy then created the position of "European director of [[Pathé]]" to put her third husband [[Henry de La Falaise]] on the payroll.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=209}}

Sound films were already becoming popular with audiences, most notably the films of singer [[Al Jolson]], who had success with ''[[The Jazz Singer]]'' released in 1927 and ''[[The Singing Fool]]'' in 1928.{{sfn|Lennig|2000|p=276}} Kennedy, however, advised her to hire [[Erich von Stroheim]] to direct another silent film, ''The Swamp'', subsequently retitled ''[[Queen Kelly]]''. She was hesitant to hire Stroheim, who was known for being difficult to deal with and who was unwilling to work within any budget. Kennedy, nevertheless, was insistent and was able to get Stroheim released from contractual obligations to producer [[Pat Powers (businessman)|Pat Powers]].{{sfn|Lennig|2000|p=275}} Stroheim worked for several months on writing the basic script.{{sfn|Lennig|2000|p=276}} Filming of ''Queen Kelly'' began in November.<ref>{{cite web |title=Queen Kelly |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/11491-QUEEN-KELLY?sid=d5446da2-f8ea-4c1a-bf87-aeb9bb55a578&sr=10.787481&cp=1&pos=0 |website=catalog.afi.com |publisher=AFI |access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref> His filming was slow, albeit meticulous, and the cast and crew suffered from long hours. Shooting was shut down in January, and Stroheim fired, after complaints by Swanson about him and about the general direction the film was taking.{{sfn|Lennig|2000|pp=277–278}} Swanson and Kennedy tried to salvage it with an alternative ending shot on November 24, 1931, directed by Swanson and photographed by [[Gregg Toland]].{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=247}}{{sfn|Lennig|2000|p=288}}

Only two other films were made under Gloria Productions.{{sfn|Thomson|2014|p=1016}} ''[[The Trespasser (1929 film)|The Trespasser]]'' in 1929 was a sound production, and garnered Swanson her second Oscar nomination.<ref name=1931Oscars>{{cite web |title=The 3rd Academy Awards: 1931 |date=October 9, 2014 |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1931 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref> Written by [[Edmund Goulding]], with [[Laura Hope Crews]] fine-tuning the dialogue, Kennedy approved funding for the go-ahead on the production.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=232}} The film was a melodrama, complete with musical numbers sung by Swanson and completed in 21 days.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|pp=235–236}} The world premiere was held in London, the first American sound production to do so. Swanson was mobbed by adoring fans. Before leaving London, she sang at a concert carried over the BBC.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=239}} ''[[What a Widow!]]'' in 1930 was the final film for Gloria Productions.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|pp=444–445}}<ref>{{cite web |title=The Widow |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/13168-WHAT-A-WIDOW?cxt=filmography |website=catalog.afi.com |publisher=AFI |access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>

====United Artists stars on the radio====
[[Mary Pickford]] and her husband [[Douglas Fairbanks]] hosted the March 29, 1928, episode of the ''Dodge Hour'' radio program, originating from Pickford's private bungalow at United Artists, and broadcast to audiences in American movie theaters. The brainchild of Joseph Schenck, it was a promotional come-on to attract audiences into movie theaters to hear the voices of their favorite actors, as sound productions became the future of commercial films.{{sfn|Hershfield|2000|p=17}} On hand were Swanson, [[Charlie Chaplin]], [[Norma Talmadge]], [[John Barrymore]], [[Dolores del Río]], and [[D. W. Griffith]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Listen In on the DODGE HOUR |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52127592/listen-in-on-the-dodge-hour/ |access-date=May 27, 2020 |work=St. Louis Globe-Democrat |date=March 29, 1928}}</ref>

====Gloria Swanson British Productions Ltd.====
[[File:Press photo of John Boles and Gloria Swanson in Music in the Air (front) (cropped).jpg|left|250px|thumb|Swanson and [[John Boles (actor)|John Boles]] in ''[[Music in the Air (film)|Music in the Air]]'' (1934)]]
[[File:Press photo of Gloria Swanson and Laurence Olivier in Perfect Understanding (front) (cropped).jpg|250px|right|thumb|Swanson and [[Laurence Olivier]] in ''[[Perfect Understanding]]'' (1933)]]
Before she began filming ''[[Perfect Understanding]]'' as Gloria Swanson British Productions Ltd., she finished a two-film package production for Art Cinema, which included ''[[Indiscreet (1931 film)|Indiscreet]]'' and ''[[Tonight or Never (1931 film)|Tonight or Never]]'' (1931).{{sfn|Balio|2009|p=84}} ''Perfect Understanding'', a 1933 sound production comedy, was the only film produced by this company.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|pp=282, 445}} Made entirely at [[Ealing Studios]], it co-starred [[Laurence Olivier]] as Swanson's on-screen husband.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|pp=282, 284}} United Artists bought back all of her stock with them, in order to provide her financing to make this film, and thereby ending her relationship with the partnership.{{sfn|Balio|2009|p=84}} The film was panned by the critics upon its release and failed at the box office.{{sfn|Welsch|2013|p=286}}