IMDb > Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Sunset Blvd.
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Sunset Blvd. (1950) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (See all 53 | slideshow) Videos (see all 5)
Sunset Blvd. -- Trailer for the classic film Sunset Blvd., starring William Holden, Gloria Swanson, and Erich von Stroheim
Sunset Blvd. -- Clip: I am big, it's the pictures that got small

Overview

User Rating:
8.7/10   75,032 votes »
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Director:
Writers:
Charles Brackett (written by) &
Billy Wilder (written by) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Sunset Blvd. on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 August 1950 (Australia) See more »
Genre:
Tagline:
A Hollywood Story See more »
Plot:
A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent-film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won 3 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 13 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(666 articles)
See Where Hollywood's Golden Age Stars Lived
 (From Huffington Post. 29 May 2012, 1:58 PM, PDT)

The 50 greatest matte paintings of all time
 (From Shadowlocked. 27 May 2012, 5:35 AM, PDT)

Cool Clicks: Happy 35th Birthday, 'Star Wars'
 (From NextMovie. 26 May 2012, 4:00 AM, PDT)

User Reviews:
Better Late Than Never See more (366 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

William Holden ... Joe Gillis

Gloria Swanson ... Norma Desmond

Erich von Stroheim ... Max Von Mayerling

Nancy Olson ... Betty Schaefer
Fred Clark ... Sheldrake
Lloyd Gough ... Morino

Jack Webb ... Artie Green
Franklyn Farnum ... Undertaker
Larry J. Blake ... 1st Finance Man (as Larry Blake)
Charles Dayton ... 2nd Finance Man

Cecil B. DeMille ... Himself

Hedda Hopper ... Herself

Buster Keaton ... Himself
Anna Q. Nilsson ... Herself
H.B. Warner ... Himself
Ray Evans ... Himself
Jay Livingston ... Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fred Aldrich ... Cop Who Drags Joe's Body from Pool (uncredited)
Joel Allen ... Prop Man #2 (uncredited)
Gertrude Astor ... Courtier (uncredited)
Ken Christy ... Homicide Captain (uncredited)
Ruth Clifford ... Sheldrake's Secretary (uncredited)
John Cortay ... Mac - Young Gate Guard at Paramount Studios (uncredited)
Archie R. Dalzell ... Camera Operator (uncredited)
Eddie Dew ... Assistant Coroner (uncredited)
Peter Drynan ... Tailor (uncredited)
Julia Faye ... Hisham (uncredited)
Al Ferguson ... Phone Standby (uncredited)
Gerry Ganzer ... Connie - Betty's Roommate (uncredited)
Kenneth Gibson ... Salesman at Men's Shop (uncredited)

Joe Gray ... Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Sanford E. Greenwald ... Newsreel Cameraman (uncredited)
Creighton Hale ... Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton ... Grip on DeMille Set (uncredited)
James Hawley ... Camera Assistant (uncredited)
Len Hendry ... Police Sergeant (uncredited)
E. Mason Hopper ... Doctor (uncredited)
Stan Johnson ... First Assistant Director (uncredited)
Tiny Jones ... Little Woman outside Paramount Gate (uncredited)
Howard Joslin ... Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
Arthur Lane ... Camera Operator (uncredited)
Perc Launders ... Violinist at Norma's New Year's Eve Party (uncredited)
Gertrude Messinger ... Hairdresser (uncredited)
Harold Miller ... Man on Golf Course (uncredited)
John 'Skins' Miller ... Hog-eye - Electrician (uncredited)
Lee Miller ... Dancing Party Guest / Paramount Studio Employee (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery ... Prop Man #1 (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse ... Gordon Cole (uncredited)
Jay Morley ... Fat Man (uncredited)
Bernice Mosk ... Herself (uncredited)
Howard Negley ... Police Captain (uncredited)
Ottola Nesmith ... Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Eva Novak ... Courtier (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor ... Courtier (uncredited)
Robert Emmett O'Connor ... Jonesy - Older Paramount Gate Guard (uncredited)
Jack Perrin ... Detective (uncredited)
Virginia L. Randolph ... Courtier (uncredited)
Bill Sheehan ... Second Assistant Director (uncredited)
Sidney Skolsky ... Himself (uncredited)
Emmett Smith ... Black Man (uncredited)
Roy Thompson ... Rudy - Shoeshine Boy (uncredited)
Archie Twitchell ... Salesman at Men's Shop (uncredited)

Yvette Vickers ... Giggling Girl on Phone at Party (uncredited)
Edward Wahrman ... Camera Assistant (uncredited)

Henry Wilcoxon ... Himself - Actor on DeMille's 'Samson & Delilah' Set (uncredited)
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Directed by
Billy Wilder 
 
Writing credits
Charles Brackett (written by) &
Billy Wilder (written by) &
D.M. Marshman Jr. (written by)

Produced by
Charles Brackett .... producer
 
Original Music by
Franz Waxman (music score)
 
Cinematography by
John F. Seitz (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Doane Harrison 
Arthur P. Schmidt  (as Arthur Schmidt)
 
Art Direction by
Hans Dreier 
John Meehan 
 
Set Decoration by
Sam Comer 
Ray Moyer 
 
Costume Design by
Edith Head (costumes)
 
Makeup Department
Wally Westmore .... makeup supervisor
Nellie Manley .... hair (uncredited)
Karl Silvera .... makeup artist (uncredited)
Frank Thayer .... makeup artist (uncredited)
Vera Tomei .... hair (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Hugh Brown .... production manager (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles C. Coleman .... assistant director (as C.C. Coleman Jr.)
Gerd Oswald .... second assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Steve Beers .... head carpenter (uncredited)
Jack Colconda .... props assistant (uncredited)
Gene Lauritzen .... construction coordinator (uncredited)
Tom Plews .... props (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
John Cope .... sound recordist
Harry Lindgren .... sound recordist
 
Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart .... process photography
Gordon Jennings .... special photographic effects
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Otto Pierce .... camera operator (uncredited)
Glen E. Richardson .... still photographer (uncredited)
Harlow Stengel .... camera assistant (uncredited)
Walter Tayler .... gaffer (uncredited)
Fred True .... grip (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ed Fitzharris .... wardrobe (uncredited)
Hazel Hegarty .... wardrobe (uncredited)
Joan Joseff .... costume jeweller (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
Doane Harrison .... editorial supervisor
Frank Bracht .... assistant editor (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Lupe Hall .... script clerk (uncredited)
Ronnie Lubin .... dialogue coach (uncredited)
Norris Stensland .... technical advisor (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
"Sunset Boulevard" - UK, USA (alternative spelling)
See more »
Runtime:
110 min | Argentina:115 min | West Germany:104 min (cut version)
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating) | Hungary:14 | Brazil:Livre | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts) | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) (2003) | Germany:12 (re-rating) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1951) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:11 (re-rating) (1982) | Sweden:15 (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2002) | USA:Approved (PCA #13955) | West Germany:16 (original rating)

Did You Know?

Trivia:
The antique car used as Norma Desmond's limousine is an Isotta-Fraschini, and once belonged to 1920s socialite Peggy Hopkins Joyce. It was a gift from her lover, automobile magnate Walter Chrysler.See more »
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: When Joe enters his bedroom and turns on the light, a crewmember's arm (with wristwatch) is visible in the mirror next to the door.See more »
Quotes:
[first lines]
Joe Gillis:Yes, this is Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California. It's about 5 0'clock in the morning. That's the homicide squad, complete with detectives and newspaper men.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Quotations from 'Salome'See more »

FAQ

What is the correct title - "Blvd." or "Boulevard"?
Does the mansion still exist?
What model is Norma Desmond's car?
See more »
42 out of 57 people found the following review useful.
Better Late Than Never, 12 March 2005
Author: Leslie Crowley (lcrowley@earthlink.net) from San Bernardino, CA

Although this movie was made 8 years before I was, I saw it for the first time yesterday and I was blown away! I have spent my life missing what has just become one of my favorite movies of all time.

The acting was superb, the storyline riveting and the characters were people you could care about. Max was my personal favorite. There was a quiet, tragic dignity to him. I expected something to be revealed about him but was not prepared for the truth.

I've always liked William Holden but my experience with Gloria Swanson was limited to her brief role in "Airport 75". I will now look for more movies by her. What an expressive face.

It was fun to try to recognize some of the old time actors that were portraying themselves.

An all around excellent movie. One I truly regret having waited this long to see. But it is definitely a case of better late than never.

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (366 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
At what age is it okay to watch this? sabika-angelz
artie green gay? petersj-2
Creepiest film I've ever seen Enedlhach
Can you think of a film made recently that will still be good in 60 yrs? Afroagogo
Did anybody else find Gloria Swanson acting... snow_crash-3
First Time Viewing... monroehepburn
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