Sada Louise Cowan was an American writer who began her career as a playwright. She soon switched to writing feature films and is best known for her work on the films Don't Change Your Husband and Why Change Your Wife?. Cowan worked closely with director Cecil B. DeMille throughout her career.
Early life
Sada Louise Cowan was born on September 8, 1882 in Boston, Massachusetts. She attended a private boarding school in the Boston area. However, as a teenager Cowan moved to Germany to study music. After finding that writing music was not fulfilling enough for her she switched to writing plays. In Frankfurt, Germany she wrote her first hit play from start to finish in two hours titled, Sintram of Skagerrak. Cowan's inspiration for writing this play was hearing Frederick Lamond’s piano recital of Chopin. She started to write plays that got her name on the map. These were titled The State Forbids, In the Morgue, Playing the Game, The Moonlit Way, The Wonder of the Age, The Honor of America and Pomp, respectively.
Silent film
After success writing plays, Cowan switched over to writing full length silent films. In 1919, at thirty-six years old, her first film, The WomanUnder Cover, starring Fritzi Brunette, was completed. The film was described by the Exhibitors Herald as heavily dramatic but with frequent and smartly placed bits of humor dispersed within it. This successful film led to Cowan’s writing of numerous others, in which she worked with directors such as Harry Garson and Cecil B. DeMille. Some of Cowan’s most popular films include The Reckless Lady and The Charmer.
''Why Change Your Wife?''
Why Change Your Wife?, directed by Cecil B. DeMille, was one of Cowan’s most successful films. This film blazed a trail of “light and merry” films to follow it and included the wealth, clothing, and romance for which the 1920s are remembered. The film starred Gloria Swanson and Bebe Daniels and depicted the story of a man's marriage trials and tribulations between his first and second wives. The film cost $130,000 to produce and made $1,000,000. This was Cowan's first film that she wrote under director Cecil B. DeMille. At the time she was making only $25 a week, which was eventually raised to $60 per week. At first, DeMille dismissed her as a “failed writer” and believed her to be not capable of success. However, after the success of this film, and the many others she worked on with DeMille, she became one of his top writers and highest-paid staff members.
Themes in film and Impact on the Industry
The majority of Cowan's films revolve around the themes of marriage, divorce, love and infidelity. Cowan was a pioneer for women's writers in film. She was joined in her time by two other prominent women writers in the industry, Frances Marion and June Mathis. Cowan was one of the first American writers to travel abroad to Europe and work with foreign directors. She has written and received writing credit on numerous famous films from the 1920s and '30s.
Personal life
Cowan was married two times, with both marriages resulting in divorce. Her first marriage was to Frederick James Pitt. In 1929, Cowan remarried to Dr. Ernest L. Commons. After her second marriage, Cowan's whereabouts were relatively unknown, with many speculating she was traveling around Europe or the Orient. However, in 1932 that she came back into the picture of American writers.
Death
Cowan died on July 31, 1943, at the age of 60, in Los Angeles. The final film that she wrote, titled Samson and Delilah was released in 1950, seven years after her passing.
