Mary Pickford

Biography

Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1894 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian actress resident in the U.S., and also producer, screenwriter and film studio founder, who was a pioneer in the US film industry with a Hollywood career that spanned five decades. Pickford alongside her future husband, actor-producer Douglas Fairbanks, founded Pickford–Fairbanks Studios and United Artists, and was one of the 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Pickford is considered to be one of the most recognisable women in history. Known as "America's Sweetheart" during the silent film era, she is named on the list of the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars as the 24th-top female star from the Classical Hollywood Cinema era and the "girl with the curls." Pickford was one of the Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood and a significant figure in the development of film acting. She was one of the earliest stars to be billed under her own name, and was one of the most popular actresses of the 1910s and 1920s, earning the nickname "Queen of the Movies." She is credited with having defined the ingénue type in cinema. She was awarded the second Academy Award for Best Actress for her first sound film role in Coquette (1929). By the late 1920s, Pickford's career went into decline. She received an Academy Honorary Award in 1976 in consideration of her contributions to American cinema.

Known For

American Experience

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

The Black Pirate

The Renunciation

Kiki

Pollyanna

Mondo Hollywood

Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

All Movies (269)

• Mary Pickford a Blessing and a Curse2023 · as Self
• Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty2020 · as Self (archive footage)
• Cinecittà Babilonia: Sex, Drugs and Black Shirts2017 · as Self - Actress (archive footage)
• The Women Who Run Hollywood2016 · as Self (archive footage)
• Astrid2014 · as Self (archive footage)
• Birth of the Tramp2013 · as Self (archive footage)
• Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe2012 · as Self (archive footage)
• Sigrid Holmquist2010 · as Sigrid Holmquist (archive footage)
• Mary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies2008 · as Self (archive footage)
• Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema2007 · as Self (voice) (archive footage)
• Douglas Fairbanks: The Great Swashbuckler2005 · as Self (archive footage)
• Mary Pickford2005 · as Self/Archival Footage
• Chaplin Today: The Gold Rush2003 · as Self (archive footage)
• Murders of Hollywood2003 · as Self (archive footage)
• D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-19132002
• The Tramp and the Dictator2002 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Decasia: The State of Decay2002 · as Self (archive footage)
• Mary Pickford: A Life on Film2000 · as Self / Numerous Roles (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists1998 · as Self / Various roles (archive footage)
• The Casting Couch1995
• Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies1988 · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Hollywood’s Children1982 · as Self (archive footage)
• Hooray for Hollywood1976 · as Self (archive footage)
• Mondo Hollywood1967
• Anniversary1963 · as Herself - Archive Footage (uncredited)
• The Legend of Rudolph Valentino1961 · as Self (archive footage)
• Yesterday and Today1953 · as (archive footage)
• The Way of the World1947 · as Dora (Archive Footage)
• Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 61942 · as Herself
• Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 21941
• Cavalcade of the Academy Awards1940 · as Self (archive footage)
• Hollywood Hobbies1939 · as Self (uncredited)
• Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove1934 · as Self
• Hollywood on Parade No. B-101934 · as Self
• Hollywood on Parade No. B-51933 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Secrets1933 · as Mary Marlowe / Mary Carlton
• Hollywood on Parade No. A-41932 · as Self (uncredited)
• The House That Shadows Built1931 · as (archive footage)
• Kiki1931 · as Kiki
• Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 51930 · as Mary Pickford
• The Voice of Hollywood1930 · as Self/Queen of the Movies
• The Taming of the Shrew1929 · as Caterina
• Coquette1929 · as Norma Besant
• The Gaucho1927 · as The Virgin Mary
• My Best Girl1927 · as Maggie Johnson
• One of Many1927 · as Self (archive footage)
• A Kiss from Mary Pickford1927 · as Self (archive footage)
• Sparrows1926 · as Molly
• The Black Pirate1926 · as Princess Isobel in Final Embrace - Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
• Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ1925 · as Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
• Little Annie Rooney1925 · as Annabelle 'Little Annie' Rooney
• Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall1924 · as Dorothy Vernon
• Mary and Doug Visit Stockholm1924
• Rosita1923 · as Rosita
• Hollywood1923 · as Mary Pickford
• Tess of the Storm Country1922 · as Tessibel 'Tess' Skinner
• From Farm to Fame1922 · as Mary Pickford
• Little Lord Fauntleroy1921 · as Cedric Errol / Widow Errol
• Through the Back Door1921 · as Jeanne Bodamere
• The Love Light1921 · as Angela Carlotti
• Suds1920 · as Amanda Afflick
• Pollyanna1920 · as Pollyanna Whittier
• Heart o' the Hills1919 · as Mavis Hawn
• The Hoodlum1919 · as Amy Burke
• Daddy-Long-Legs1919 · as Judy Abbott
• Captain Kidd, Jr.1919 · as Mary MacTavish
• 100% American1918 · as Mayme
• Johanna Enlists1918 · as Johanna Renssaller
• Cupid Angling1918
• How Could You, Jean?1918 · as Jean Mackaye
• M'Liss1918 · as Melissa 'M'liss' Smith
• Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley1918 · as Amarilly Jenkins
• Stella Maris1918 · as Miss Stella Maris / Unity Blake
• A Little Princess1917 · as Sara Crewe
• All-Star Production of Patriotic Episodes for the Second Liberty Loan1917
• Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm1917 · as Rebecca Randall
• The Little American1917 · as Angela Moore
• A Romance of the Redwoods1917 · as Jenny Lawrence
• The Poor Little Rich Girl1917 · as Gwen
• The Pride of the Clan1917 · as Marget MacTavish
• Less Than the Dust1916 · as Radha
• Hulda from Holland1916 · as Hulda
• The Eternal Grind1916 · as Louise
• Poor Little Peppina1916 · as Peppina
• The Foundling1916 · as Molly O
• Madame Butterfly1915 · as Cho-Cho-San
• A Girl of Yesterday1915 · as Jane Stuart
• Esmeralda1915 · as Esmeralda Rogers
• Rags1915 · as Rags / Alice McCloud
• The Foundling1915 · as Molly O
• Little Pal1915 · as 'Little Pal'
• The Dawn of a Tomorrow1915 · as Glad
• Fanchon, the Cricket1915 · as Fanchon, the Cricket
• Mistress Nell1915 · as Nell Gwyn
• Cinderella1914 · as Cinderella
• Behind the Scenes1914 · as Dolly Lane
• Such a Little Queen1914 · as Queen Anna Victoria
• The Eagle's Mate1914 · as Anemone Breckenridge
• Tess of the Storm Country1914 · as Tessibel Skinner
• A Good Little Devil1914 · as Juliet
• Hearts Adrift1914 · as Nina
• Caprice1913 · as Mercy Baxter
• In the Bishop's Carriage1913 · as Nance Olden
• The Unwelcome Guest1913 · as Jessie - the Slavey
• The New York Hat1912 · as Mary Harding, the Daughter
• The Informer1912 · as The Confederate Captain's Sweetheart
• My Baby1912 · as The Wife
• The One She Loved1912 · as The Wife
• A Feud in the Kentucky Hills1912 · as The Daughter
• So Near, Yet So Far1912 · as The Young Woman
• Friends1912 · as Dora - the Orphan
• A Pueblo Legend1912 · as The Indian Girl
• With the Enemy's Help1912 · as Faro Kate
• The Inner Circle1912 · as The Rich Italian's Daughter
• The Narrow Road1912 · as Mrs. Jim Holcomb
• An Indian Summer1912 · as The Widow's Daughter
• The School Teacher and the Waif1912 · as Nora, the Waif
• Lena and the Geese1912 · as Lena
• Home Folks1912 · as The Young Woman
• A Beast at Bay1912 · as The Young Woman
• A Lodging for the Night1912 · as The Mexican Girl
• The Old Actor1912 · as The Old Actor's Daughter
• Won by a Fish1912 · as The Woman
• Just Like a Woman1912 · as The Young Woman
• The Female of the Species1912 · as The Miner's Wife's Sister
• Fate's Interception1912 · as The Mexican Girl
• Iola's Promise1912 · as Iola
• A Timely Repentance1912 · as Mrs. Nordell - Heroine of the Movie within the Movie, 'The Wife's Desertion'
• The Mender of Nets1912 · as The Little Net-Mender
• Honor Thy Father1912 · as Mary Fuller
• The Caddy's Dream1911 · as Miss Kelsomine
• How Mary Fixed it1911 · as Mary
• The Portrait1911 · as Little Vera - the Model
• Little Red Riding Hood1911 · as Little Red Riding Hood
• Love Heeds Not Showers1911 · as Mary
• The Courting of Mary1911 · as Mary
• From the Bottom of the Sea1911 · as Undetermined Role (unconfirmed)
• His Dress Shirt1911 · as Mrs. Kirby
• The Better Way1911 · as Lillian Garvey - a Salvation Army Lass
• The Sentinel Asleep1911 · as Unknown Role
• The Rose's Story1911 · as Unknown Role
• 'Tween Two Loves1911 · as Grace
• The Toss of a Coin1911 · as Alice Barton - the Farmer's Daughter
• As a Boy Dreams1911
• The Call of the Song1911 · as Amy Gordon
• The Skating Bug1911 · as The Girl
• Science1911 · as Mrs. Crawford
• At a Quarter of Two1911 · as Mrs Warren
• A Gasoline Engagement1911 · as Flora Powell
• For the Queen's Honor1911 · as Princess Gilda
• In the Sultan's Garden1911 · as Hadee
• In the Sultan's Garden1911 · as Haidee
• Behind the Stockade1911 · as Florence Williams
• Back to the Soil1911 · as Sadie Allen
• The Lighthouse Keeper1911 · as Polly Berry - the Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter
• The Master and the Man1911 · as Elsie Graham
• For Her Brother's Sake1911 · as Madge Spotwood
• The Fair Dentist1911 · as Edith Morton - The Fair Dentist
• The Temptress1911 · as Lucille Allen
• Second Sight1911 · as Gertrude Edgar
• While There is hope, There is Life1911 · as Unknown Role
• The Stampede1911 · as Nello
• Sweet Memories1911 · as Polly Biblett
• In Old Madrid1911
• The Fisher-Maid1911 · as Paula, The Fishing-Maid
• The Secret of the Palm1911 · as Edna
• The Message in the Bottle1911 · as Louise Spencer
• The Medallion1911 · as Rumored
• A Decree of Destiny1911 · as Mary
• Tracked1911 · as Unknown Role
• A Manly Man1911 · as Lola
• Artful Kate1911 · as Artful Kate Stanley
• The Convert1911 · as Agnes Boyd
• Her Darkest Hour1911 · as Ruth
• The Mirror1911 · as Dorothy
• When the Cat's Away1911 · as Dorothy, The Wife
• Three Sisters1911 · as Mary
• Maid or Man1911 · as Elsie Keene
• The Dream1911 · as Nell Herbert
• The Italian Barber1911 · as Alice
• Their First Misunderstanding1911 · as Mae Darcy
• When a Man Loves1911 · as Tessie
• White Roses1910 · as Betty
• A Plain Song1910 · as Edith
• The Song of the Wildwood Flute1910 · as Dove Eyes
• Sunshine Sue1910
• Simple Charity1910 · as Miss Wilkins
• Waiter No. 51910 · as The Chief of Police's Son's Fiancée
• A Lucky Toothache1910 · as Mary
• A Lucky Toothache1910 · as Bessie
• That Chink at Golden Gulch1910
• A Gold Necklace1910 · as Masie
• Muggsy Becomes a Hero1910 · as Mabel
• Wilful Peggy1910 · as Peggy
• The Sorrows of the Unfaithful1910 · as Mary
• When We Were in Our 'Teens1910 · as Mary
• The Usurer1910 · as Invalid Daughter
• An Arcadian Maid1910 · as The Arcadian Maid
• The Call to Arms1910 · as A Messenger
• What the Daisy Said1910 · as Martha
• Muggsy's First Sweetheart1910 · as Mabel Brown
• A Child's Impulse1910 · as Grace
• Never Again1910 · as The Girl
• May and December1910 · as May
• A Victim of Jealousy1910 · as The Wife's Friend
• In the Season of Buds1910 · as Mabel
• Ramona1910 · as Ramona
• An Affair of Hearts1910 · as Extra
• The Two Brothers1910 · as A Mexican
• Love Among the Roses1910 · as The Lacemaker
• The Unchanging Sea1910 · as The Daughter as an Adult
• A Romance of the Western Hills1910
• A Rich Revenge1910 · as Jennie
• As It Is in Life1910 · as Daughter (Adult)
• The Smoker1910 · as George's Wife
• The Twisted Trail1910 · as Molly Hendricks
• The Thread of Destiny1910 · as Myrtle
• The Newlyweds1910 · as Alice Vance
• The Englishman and the Girl1910 · as The Girl
• The Woman from Mellon's1910 · as Mary Petersby
• All on Account of the Milk1910 · as The Young Woman
• The Heart of an Outlaw1909 · as The Outlaw's Daughter, as an Adult
• To Save Her Soul1909 · as Agnes Hailey
• The Test1909 · as Bessie
• Through the Breakers1909 · as An Extra
• The Trick that Failed1909 · as Nellie Burt
• The Mountaineer's Honor1909 · as Harum-Scarum, a Mountain Girl
• A Sweet Revenge1909
• A Midnight Adventure1909 · as Eleanor
• The Light That Came1909 · as Daisy
• The Restoration1909 · as Alice Ashford
• The Gibson Goddess1909 · as Woman on Sidewalk
• What's Your Hurry?1909 · as Mary
• Lines of White on a Sullen Sea1909 · as Second Couple
• In the Watches of the Night1909 · as Girl at Henry Brainard's
• His Lost Love1909 · as Mary
• The Little Teacher1909 · as The Little Teacher
• Pippa Passes1909 · as Girl in crowd
• The Awakening1909 · as The Widow's Daughter
• In Old Kentucky1909 · as Partygoer
• The Broken Locket1909 · as Ruth King
• Getting Even1909 · as Miss Lucy
• 1776, or The Hessian Renegades1909 · as Messenger's Sister
• The Sealed Room1909 · as A Lady-in-Waiting
• The Little Darling1909 · as Little Darling
• Oh, Uncle!1909 · as Bessie
• The Seventh Day1909 · as The Maid
• The Indian Runner's Romance1909 · as Blue Cloud's Wife
• His Wife's Visitor1909 · as Bessie Wright
• They Would Elope1909 · as Bessie
• A Strange Meeting1909
• The Slave1909 · as A Slave Girl
• Sweet and Twenty1909 · as Alice
• The Renunciation1909 · as Kittie Ryan
• Tender Hearts1909 · as Nellie
• The Cardinal's Conspiracy1909 · as A Disguised Servant
• The Country Doctor1909 · as Poor Mother's Elder Daughter
• The Necklace1909 · as The Maid / In Pawnshop
• The Way of Man1909 · as Winnie, Mabel's Cousin
• The Peachbasket Hat1909 · as On street/In store
• The Mexican Sweethearts1909 · as The Señorita
• Her First Biscuits1909 · as Biscuit Victim
• The Faded Lilies1909 · as At party
• The Son's Return1909 · as Mary
• The Lonely Villa1909
• The Violin Maker of Cremona1909 · as Giannina, Taddeo's Daughter
• What Drink Did1909
• His Duty1909 · as A young woman in the street
• Two Memories1909 · as Marion's Sister

All TV Shows (1)

• American Experience1988 · as Self