(April 8, 1892 - May 29, 1979)
Mary Pickford was born Gladys Louise Smith on April 8, 1892, in Toronto, Canada. When Mary was six years old her father died. As a child Mary began acting to help support her family. By 1910 Mary had appeared in more than fifty silent films. She was just five feet tall and often played the role of a child. Mary married Owen Moore, an actor, in 1911. She starred in a string of hit movies including Stella Maris, Pollyanna, and My Best Girl. Mary became the highest paid actress in Hollywood. She was nicknamed "America's Sweetheart". Her brother, Jack, and sister, Lottie, also became actors. Mary divorced Owen and married actor Douglas Fairbanks in March 1920. Later that year Mary's sister-in-law, Olive Thomas, died after accidentally being poisoned. Mary joined Douglas, Charlie Chaplin, and D.W. Griffith to form United Artists Studios. She was also a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Mary and Douglas lived in a lavish mansion in Beverly Hills called "Pickfair". In 1929 Mary starred in Coquette, her first sound film, and won an Academy Award. Tired of making movies Mary decided to retire. Her final film was the 1933 western Secrets. Mary and Douglas divorced in 1936. The following year she married actor Charles "Buddy" Rogers. She and Charles adopted two children (Ronnie and Roxanne). Mary was offered the role of Norma Desmond in the 1950 drama Sunset Boulevard but she turned it down. She published her autobiography, Sunshine And Shadow, in 1955. Mary had a drinking problem and rarely made public appearances. She was presented with an honorary Oscar at the 1976 Academy Awards. Mary died on May 29, 1979 from a cerebral hemorrhage. She was cremated and her ashes are buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
~ Original biography by Elizabeth Ann 2006
"I never liked one of my pictures in its entirety." ~ Mary
A letter from Mary