Fairbanks, Douglas, 1883–1939, American movie actor, b. Denver. From 1901 to 1914, Fairbanks appeared on stage in light comedies. In 1915 he began making movies, becoming the swashbuckling hero of his day in such films as The Mark of Zorro (1921), The Three Musketeers (1921), Robin Hood (1922), and The Thief of Bagdad (1924). He was married (1920–35) to Mary Pickford Pickford, Mary, 1893–1979, American movie actress, b. Toronto, Ont. In 1909 she began working with D. W. Griffith . Specializing in playing young girls, she was dubbed "America's Sweetheart.
..... Click the link for more information. , and together with Charlie Chaplin Chaplin, Charlie (Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin), 1889–1977, English film actor, director, producer, writer, and composer, b. London. Chaplin began on the music-hall stage and then joined a pantomime troupe.
..... Click the link for more information. and D. W. Griffith Griffith, D. W. (David Wark Griffith), 1880–1948, American movie director and producer, b. La Grange, Ky. Griffith was the first major American film director. He began his film career as an actor and a scenario writer in 1908 with the Biograph Company.
..... Click the link for more information. they formed United Artists studio.
(born May 23, 1883, Denver, Colo., U.S.—died Dec. 12, 1939, Santa Monica, Calif.) U.S. film actor. Fairbanks was a Broadway star by 1910, noted for his exuberance and physical agility. He made his film debut in The Lamb (1915). As cofounder of United Artists (1919), he produced and starred in such films as The Mark of Zorro (1920), Robin Hood (1922), and The Thief of Baghdad (1924). His films were so popular that he was called the “King of Hollywood” in the 1920s. His 15-year marriage to Mary Pickford ended in 1935. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (b. Dec. 9, 1909, New York, N.Y., U.S.—d. May 7, 2000, New York City), Fairbanks's son by his first wife, was a debonair leading man in U.S. and British films, including Catherine the Great (1934), The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), and State Secret (1950). In the 1960s he hosted and sometimes acted in the British TV drama series Douglas Fairbanks Presents.
..... Click the link for more information. , and together with Charlie Chaplin Chaplin, Charlie (Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin), 1889–1977, English film actor, director, producer, writer, and composer, b. London. Chaplin began on the music-hall stage and then joined a pantomime troupe.
..... Click the link for more information. and D. W. Griffith Griffith, D. W. (David Wark Griffith), 1880–1948, American movie director and producer, b. La Grange, Ky. Griffith was the first major American film director. He began his film career as an actor and a scenario writer in 1908 with the Biograph Company.
..... Click the link for more information. they formed United Artists studio.
Bibliography
See biographies by R. Hancock and L. Fairbanks (1935) and R. Schickel (1974).
His son,
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., 1909–2000, was also an actor.
Bibliography
See his autobiography (1988).
Fairbanks, Douglas
orig. Douglas Elton Ulman)
Douglas Fairbanks in The Black Pirate.
(credit: EB Inc.)
How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
| ?Page tools | ||
|---|---|---|
|