Biography for
Mary Pickford More at IMDb Pro »

Date of Birth

8 April 1892, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Date of Death

29 May 1979, Santa Monica, California, USA (cerebral hemorrhage)

Birth Name

Gladys Marie Smith

Apodo

Baby Gladys
"The Girl with the Golden Hair"
"The Glad Girl"
America's Sweetheart (abroad, The World's Sweetheart)
Little Mary

Estatura

5' 0½" (1.54 m)

Mini Biography

Destined to become America's first sweetheart, Mary Pickford was born Gladys Marie Smith on April 8, 1892, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Acting would become second nature to little Mary. Her parents were actors and it was only natural that she would follow in their footsteps. Her mother wasted no time in introducing her to the stage, and she appeared in one production at the age of six. After numerous stage plays, Mary entered the film world and immortality. At the age of 16 she starred as Dorothy Nicholson in Mrs. Jones Entertains (1909). The next year was a busy one for her. In the early days of filmmaking it wasn't at all uncommon for performers to churn out several films per year, often working on more than one at a time. In 1909, Mary appeared in 51 films - almost one a week! She had joined the 'American Mutoscope & Biograph [us]' under the direction of D.W. Griffith. Griffith, from Crestwood, Kentucky, and some of his films with Mary reflected his home state such as In Old Kentucky (1909), In the Border States (1910) and A Feud in the Kentucky Hills (1912). If the 1909 season was busy for her, the following year was no less hectic, with Mary putting in work on 49 films. In 1911 she left Biograph to work with Carl Laemmle, but returned to Griffith the next year, in which she put out only 27 films, as opposed to the 48 she did in 1911. By now Mary was 20 and had appeared in 176 films; most performers today couldn't boast that kind of work record for their entire career. By 1913 Mary had cut back her grueling schedule drastically, with only four movies in 1913, but she was by no means idle; she was now writing and producing films. In 1920, she was in only two films - Suds (1920) and Pollyanna (1920) - but, more importantly, she helped to establish United Artists Pictures, a studio that was responsible for many great films for the next 60-plus years before being bought by MGM. Mary was more than an actress; she was a tough, savvy businesswoman with, and was proud of the fact that she knew what worked for her and what didn't. On top of all that, she was one of 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Finally, at 43, Mary made her last film, Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove (1934), and then retired from films for a well-deserved rest. Her career lasted from 1908 to 1935, encompassing 236 films. Without a doubt, Mary Pickford was the most popular star in the silent era, if not of all time. She was awarded an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1976, from the very organization she had started years earlier. On May 29, 1979, she died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Santa Monica, California. She was 87 years old.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Denny Jackson

Mini Biography

Mary Pickford began in the theater at age six. Then known as "Baby Gladys Smith", she toured with her family in a number of theater companies. In 1907, she adopted a family name Pickford and joined the David Belasco troupe, appearing in the long-running The Warrens of Virginia". She began in films in 1909 with the 'American Mutoscope & Biograph [us]', run by D.W. Griffith. For a short time in 1911, to earn more money, she joined the IMP Film Co. under Carl Laemmle. She returned to Biograph in 1912, and, in 1913 joined the Famous Players Film Company/States Rights/Paramount under Adolph Zukor. In 1916 she joined the Artcraft Pictures Corp. She then joined First National Exhibitor's Circuit in 1918. In 1920 she helped to establish United Artists.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Ted Hull

Esposo/a

Charles 'Buddy' Rogers	(26 June 1937 - 29 May 1979) (her death) 2 children
Douglas Fairbanks	(28 March 1920 - 10 January 1936) (divorced)
Owen Moore	(7 January 1911 - 2 March 1920) (divorced)

Trivialidades

She had intended to have all of her films destroyed after her death, fearing that no one would care about them. She was convinced not to do this.

One of the 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

Arguably the silent era's most renowned female star. Film historian Ethan Katz goes so far as to call her "the most popular star in screen history".

Sister of actor/director Jack Pickford.

Sister of screen/stage actress Lottie Pickford.

In same stage company as Lillian Gish and Dorothy Gish in early 1900s.

Step-mother to Douglas Fairbanks Jr..

Her mansion Pickfair was sold ten months after her death for $5,362,000; later sold to Pia Zadora in January 1988 for just under $7 million.

Had cousins from Port Dalhousie, Ontario, who owned a hot dog stand on the local beach. She would sometimes help them on her summer visits during World War I by serving customers.

Stage producer David Belasco gave Mary her stage name in 1908. Her real name, Gladys Marie Smith, wasn't right for an actress on his stage. "Gladys" didn't suit the diminutive actress, "Smith" was too common, "Marie" was too foreign. "Marie" became "Mary". "Pickford" was her mother's maiden name. Years later, a fan who traced her family tree found that the name "Mary Pickford" occurred several times in her mother's family going back to the 12th century,

She and Charles 'Buddy' Rogers adopted 2 children.

Formed United Artists company with Douglas Fairbanks, D.W. Griffith, and Charles Chaplin. First artist to have her name in marquee lights. The first international star.

Interred at Forest Lawn, Glendale, California, USA, in the Garden of Memory. (Not accessible to the general public).

Half English, half Irish.

Sister-in-law of Robert Fairbanks.

Sister-in-law of Tom Moore and Matt Moore.

Turned down the role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. (1950).

Daughter of actress Charlotte Smith.

Became a US citizen on her marriage to Douglas Fairbanks, but later reclaimed her Canadian citizenship and died a dual US/Canadian citizen.

She was the first movie actress to receive a percentage of a film's earnings

Sister-in-law of Joe Moore, aunt of Alice Moore.

Measurements: 33 1/4-25-36 (from her dress designer), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)

Son Ronnie has two children, daughter Jamie (born 1954) and son Tommy (b. 1955). Daughter Roxanne gave birth to a daughter in the early 1960s.

She left her children $50,000 and her grandchildren trust funds.

Was the subject of the first cinematic close up shot, in 1912's Friends (1912).

Second cousin of John Mantley.

First star (along with husband Douglas Fairbanks) to officially place hand and footprints in the cement at Grauman's Chinese Theatre (April 30, 1927). Hollywood legend has it that the very first star to do so, unofficially, thus inspiring the ensuing tradition, was Norma Talmadge when she accidentally walked onto the wet cement prior to the official opening of the Theatre

Was named #24 on The American Film Institute 50 Greatest Screen Legends

Is portrayed by Maria Pitillo in Chaplin (1992)

The house in which she lived in Hollywood for most of her life was nicknamed "Pickfair".

Ernst Lubitsch came to America at Mary's invitation to direct Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall (1924), but when he arrived he had changed his mind and wouldn't do it (it was eventually directed by Marshall Neilan). Instead, he and Mary made Rosita (1923) together.

Coquette (1929) was her first talkie.

Her likeness is included as part of the "Canadians in Hollywood" stamp series released by CanadaPost in 2006. The others in the series were Fay Wray, Lorne Greene and John Candy.

Her first starring appearance in a film was in Her First Biscuits (1909) for Biograph.

She was first hired for the movies by director D.W. Griffith.

Was to have made her big-screen comeback as Vinnie in Life with Father (1947), but the role eventually went to Irene Dunne because of Dunne's box-office appeal.

Her last silent movie was My Best Girl (1927).

Was Joan Crawford's mother-in-law, while Crawford was married to Pickford's son, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

In October 1911, a court voided her contract with IMP because she was a minor when she signed it. As a result, she left IMP for the Majestic Company for $275/week.

In December 1910, she left the Biograph Company to work for Carl Laemmle at Independent Moving Picture Company for $175/week.

She and husband Fairbanks were friends of the Edsel Fords (Henry Ford's son). In the Edsel & Eleanor Ford home at 1100 Lake Shore Rd., Grosse Point Shores, MI there hangs in the study an autographed photo of her signed "Mary Pick-A-Ford", c. 1932.

Personal Quotes

The little girl made me. I wasn't waiting for the little girl to kill me.

We were pioneers in a brand-new medium. Everything's fun when you're young.

I'm sick of Cindrella parts, of wearing rags and tatters. I want to wear smart clothes and play the lover.

We maniacs had fun and made good pictures and a lot of money. In the early years United Artists was a private golf club for the four of us.

If you have made mistakes . . . and there is always another chance for you. . . . you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling down but the staying down.

I never liked one of my pictures in its entirety.

[at her retirement] I'm not exactly satisfied, but I'm grateful.

Make them laugh, make them cry, and back to laughter. What do people want to go to the theatre for? An emotional exercise . . . I am a servant of the people. I have never forgotten that.

Adding sound to movies would be like putting lipstick on the Venus de Milo.

[on Douglas Fairbanks] A little boy who never grew up.

[on Charles Chaplin] That obstinate, suspicious, egocentric, maddening and lovable genius of a problem child.

[on Douglas Fairbanks] In his private life Douglas always faced a situation in the only way he knew, by running away from it.

Salario

Heart o' the Hills (1919)	$350,000
The Hoodlum (1919)	$350,000
Daddy-Long-Legs (1919)	$350,000
Stella Maris (1918)	$250,000
A Romance of the Redwoods (1917)	$96,667
Less Than the Dust (1916)	$10,000/week + 50% of profits
Rags (1915)	$4,000/week
Caprice (1913)	$500/week
The Courting of Mary (1911)	$275/week
A Gold Necklace (1910)	$175/week

Browse biographies section by name

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z