In 1926, a 23-year-old German ingenue was catapulted from obscurity to stardom when she was cast in the role of Gretchen in the German production of Faust, a role originally intended for famous actress Lillian Gish.
Horn received rave reviews for her breakthrough performance. She went on to star in several Hollywood silent films, appearing opposite John Barrymore and befriending Charlie Chaplin, before returning to Germany, where she continued to earn acclaim until her outspoken criticism of the Nazi regime put a premature end to her career in 1939.
Unable to act, Horn became a farmer, an interpreter, and a nightclub singer finally returning to acting in the late 1940s. She never regained the career height she once held. but she remained a beloved favorite of German cinephiles until her death in 1996.
She made an impression on a young singer-songwriter from New Jersey, too. In early 1972, 23-year-old Bruce Springsteen wrote a song about Horn–a biographical character arc that summarized her story in only eight lines.
Bruce’s song–entitled simply “Camilla Horn”–focuses on Horn’s arrival in the United States, where she was hailed as the next big thing before the industry moved on to the big thing after her.
Camilla Horn, she was born a long, long time ago
She came from Germany to the U.S.A.
And was acclaimed as the next Garbo
They came to her on their knees to bless them, caress them
And tell them what they need
But oh, she did not know
And so she took her place at the bar
Just another fallen star
Bruce imagines Horn as the unsophisticated rural girl she once was, suddenly a celebrity and unable or unwilling to play the part. When Hollywood moves on without her, Bruce’s version of Horn becomes a barfly a la “Western Stars,” a forgotten movie idol in what would eventually become a long string of them.
Bruce wrote and recorded a demo of “Camilla Horn” just before he recorded his debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. At barely a minute in length and somber in tone, it was never a serious contender for the album, but it’s a fascinating early example of Bruce’s gift for economical storytelling that would someday become a hallmark of his songwriting.
Camilla Horn
Recorded: April – May, 1972
Never released
Never performed
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