Mary Pickford

Pickford, Mary 

(stage name of Gladys Mary Smith). Born Apr. 8, 1893, in Toronto. American film actress.

Pickford, who began performing in the theater in 1898, made her film debut in 1909. Her best roles were directed by the producer D. W. Griffith. The image of the ingenue, the American Cinderella, created in Pickford’s roles became internationally famous. Pickford was especially popular for her performances in the films The New York Hat (1912), The Poor Little Rich Girl (1916), The Little Princess (1917), Pollyanna (1920), and My Best Girl (1927). She was the founder and owner of many film companies, including United Artists, a joint venture with Griffith, Chaplin and D. Fairbanks. She made her last film in 1933, resumed her career in the theater, and became a producer. Pickford has written an autobiography.

WORKS

Sunshine and Shadow. New York, 1955.

REFERENCES

Bronnikov, M. Etiudy o tvorchestve Meri Pikford. Leningrad, 1927.
Lee, R. The Films of Mary Pickford. New York-London, 1970.