Variety, 10/27/67: Gloria Swanson to play Nora Clavicle (?)

[Mr. Glee]

Apologies in advance if this morsel of trivia has already made the rounds here (I searched and couldn't find any mention of it), from the Oct. 27, 1967 issue of Variety:

Gloria Swanson To Menace ‘Batman’ — If It Is Picked Up

Gloria Swanson has been set for a guestar role as an “exotic villainess” in “Batman,” Greenway Productions-20th-Fox TV series on ABC-TV. Series’ pickup date is Nov. 6, and if its option is exercised, Miss Swanson will guestint beginning Nov. 13.

Given that the episode "Nora Clavicle and the Ladies' Crime Club" is the one that started shooting on November 13th, it seems reasonable to suppose that Barbara Rush may have been a last-minute replacement for Gloria Swanson. Would the episode have played any better with Swanson in the role of "Nora"? An interesting question to ponder.

[Therin of Andor]

Amazing.

But I really love Barbara Rush!

I think I only really know Gloria from playing herself in one of the “Airport” movies, “Airport ‘75”.

[BiffPow]

She was on a November, 1966 episode of Beverly Hillbillies that you probably saw, Ian.

[Jim Akin]

I think I only really know Gloria from playing herself in one of the “Airport” movies, “Airport ‘75”.

Watch Sunset Boulevard at your earliest opportunity!!! It's a great movie, with Gloria Swanson as a parody version of herself -- a forgotten silent-era superstar eager to reclaim the spotlight in postwar Hollywood.

[BiffPow]

I guess “Sunset” Boulevard was chosen for the play on the word: her career sunsetting.

[chrisbcritter]

Huh. Now Black Widow, yes - but Nora Clavicle??