Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford was a Canadian-American actress and producer whose stardom, business ventures, and film work helped shape early Hollywood.
Douglas Fairbanks: Douglas Fairbanks was an American actor, screenwriter, and producer known for swashbuckling silent-film roles. Pickford’s second husband and fellow United Artists co-founder, Fairbanks shared her influence over independent film production.
United Artists: United Artists is a film studio and distribution company founded in 1919 by Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and D. W. Griffith. Pickford co-founded the company to give leading filmmakers greater control over production and distribution.
The Poor Little Rich Girl: The Poor Little Rich Girl is a 1917 silent drama directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Mary Pickford. Pickford’s performance as a neglected child exemplified the youthful persona audiences associated with her.
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional organization founded in 1927 to advance the film industry. Pickford was a founding member and served as the Academy’s first female president.
Charlie Chaplin: Charlie Chaplin was an English actor, filmmaker, and composer whose silent-film character the Tramp became internationally famous. Pickford joined Chaplin and Fairbanks in founding United Artists in 1919.
Star system: The star system is a studio practice that promotes performers as marketable personalities to attract audiences and sell films. Pickford’s carefully cultivated public image helped establish the commercial power of screen stars.
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is a 1917 silent film adaptation starring Mary Pickford. The title role extended Pickford’s popularity in stories centered on spirited young heroines.
Academy Award for Best Actress: The Academy Award for Best Actress is an annual prize recognizing a leading female performance in a film. Pickford won the award for her first sound-film role in Coquette.
D. W. Griffith: D. W. Griffith was an American film director and producer associated with influential early narrative films. Griffith directed Pickford in early Biograph films, including roles that helped establish her screen identity.
Film producer: A film producer organizes and oversees a film’s development, financing, production, and delivery. Pickford exercised influence beyond acting by producing films and negotiating control over her work.