Clara Gordon Bow (July 29, 1905 – September 27, 1965) was an American actress and sex symbol, who rose to fame in the silent film era of the 1920s. Bow was renowned for her sexual magnetism and became known around the world as "The It girl", where "It" was commonly understood to mean sex appeal. Though she had very low self-esteem[citation needed] and was painfully shy, she is known as the quintessential flapper..