By Chuck Clegg, Wetzel Chronicle
NEW MARTINSVILLE, W.Va. — This year we will celebrate a time when Hollywood came to New Martinsville. A century ago in 1925, legendary Hollywood actress, Gloria Swanson traveled by train to New Martinsville to star in the movie, “Stage Struck.”
For the New Martinsville community the event was a chance to see one of the earliest movies filmed in color as the first and last parts of the movie were made in technicolor, an early way of presenting a more lifelike showing.
The film was set in a small river town where daydreaming waitress Jennie Hagen (Gloria) fantasizes about becoming a famous actress. She and her boyfriend cook Orme Wilson (Lawrence Gray), hope to own their own diner. Although Orme loves Jennie, he also had a weakness for stage stars, so when a riverboat theatrical crew came to their town, he fell for the lead actress Lillian Lyons (Gertrude Astor) causing a jealous Jennie to go onstage to try and best Lillian.
The Lincoln Theater in downtown New Martinsville was part of the movie’s set, along with the riverfront where the Showboat, Water Queen was tied off. Cast and crew during the filming were shuttled back and forth from the towns landing onto the Queen. A variety of row boats were used for that purpose.
Read more: https://www.wetzelchronicle.com/news/2025/07/16/local-history-returns-to-the-sunlight/
