Mary Pickford

Can you imagine going to the movies and the light of movie screen flickered? Wahoo! Mary Pickford preformed in flickers. A flicker is an early form of silent movies. She became a star of the silent movies in the 1910s. Mary was born in Toronto, Canada, on April 8, 1892. She died of brain hemorrhage in 1979 at they age of 86. Mary’s real name was Gladys, she was charming in her blond curls with beautiful dark eyes.

Mary was only 5 years old when her father, John Smith, died. Her family was poor, Mary’s mom, Charlotte Smith, was so sad because the man she loved the most died. Back when Mary was born children had to be 10 years old in order to work. So at the age of eight, Mary begged her reluctant mother to join a play.

When Gladys and her siblings won roles in a play, their mother gave in for the sake of keeping the family together and the money really helped. Gladys was paid eight dollars a week. She gave al her earnings to her mother. All her brothers and sisters performed, but the real star was Gladys. It wasn’t long before Gladys was getting all the starring roles for children. People loved her and she was nicknamed "Baby Gladys."

When she was ten, she was touring Canada and the United States performing shows. Her family never stayed in the same spot. When Gladys was 15 she really wanted to meet David Belasco, a famous producer on Broadway. He finally gave in and gave her a part in his play. He also renamed Gladys, Mary Pickford. Mary’s mom, Charlotte, asked Mary to be a flicker. If you could not afford to see a play, you could pay for a flicker. Only the poor people went to see flickers. They cost a nickel, and the places that showed them were called "Nickelodeons!" Flickers paid Mary $5.00 a day, and that was a lot of money back then. Things are sure different today!

People fell in love with Mary’s curly golden locks and her huge, dark eyes. Mary made 45 movies in that first year! Back then, Hollywood was a wild place. It was hilly and full of coyotes and cactus. Mary was a smart business woman; she managed to make twice as much money as other actors. She was so good, that producers fought over her. She made a lot of money! Her fans nicknamed her, "America’s Sweetheart!"

In 1919, Mary helped form a new movie company. It was called United Artists. United Artists is still around, they still make movies.

Mary won her first Academy Award in 1929, and retired in 1933 because talkies came out. In 1935 she married Douglas Fairbanks, another famous actor. Mary won her last Academy Award in 1976 for her lifetime work.

By Lisa & Aimee, fourth grade, 2006