Actors - Norma Desmond

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	Actors - Norma Desmond

Norma Desmond is the main character in Billy Wilder's film Sunset Boulevard. She was was played on screen by Gloria Swanson, and in an Andrew Lloyd Webber stage musical by Patti LuPone (in London's West End), Elaine Paige (in London's West End and on Broadway), Glenn Close (on Broadway), Betty Buckley (in London's West End and on Broadway), Rita Moreno (in London's West End), Diahann Carroll (in Toronto), Petula Clark (on a US tour), Debra Byrne in the Australian production and Helen Schneider in the German version of the musical.

An aging former star of silent movies, Desmond is an alcoholic recluse in her Gothic mansion, nursing dreams of returning to stardom while her grip on reality grows ever more tenuous over the years. Her one companion is Max (Erich von Stroheim), her butler, former director and sometime lover, who serves as her protector and shield from the outside world; Because he is still in love with her, he tells her she is still a star, and cuts her off from the news media (television, newspapers, etc) to keep her from realizing that she has been completely forgotten by her beloved public.

One day, a young, unemployed screenwriter Joe Gillis (William Holden) arrives at Desmond's mansion asking to use her phone, and quickly sees a chance to bilk money out of the delusional starlet; he promises to write her a script for a star vehicle, and claims to have connections to Cecil B. DeMille, with whom Desmond once worked. Desmond is elated; she sees in Gillis the chance to regain her youthful promise, and sets him up in style, buying his clothes and paying all his expenses. Max sees through Gillis immediately, but puts up with the charade because it makes his beloved "madame" happy. As time passes, however, Desmond becomes increasingly unstable when it becomes clear that there is no hit movie for her in the works, and increasingly jealous of and dependent upon Gillis. She professes her love for him at a New Year's Eve party, but he rejects her and leaves, quickly taking up with a young woman named Betty (Nancy Olson). Meanwhile, DeMille's office calls Max and asks if Desmond can meet with her old director so he can use her vintage car in a film; Max lies to her and tells her DeMille wants to work with her again, and DeMille himself takes pity on her and tells her what she wants to hear.

Feeling some remorse for taking advantage of Desmond, Gillis returns briefly to explain his actions, but Desmond misinterprets his actions as seduction and makes another pass at him. When Gillis rejects her again and tries to leave, Desmond snaps and shoots him to death, obliviously leaving his body floating in her pool. When the police arrive, she thinks they are merely her adoring fans, and strides elegantly into a police car uttering the iconic line, "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille."

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