Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford Facts
| Sign | Aries |
| Born |
Apr 8, 1892 Toronto, Canada |
| Died |
May 29, 1979 Santa Monica, CA |
| Age | Died at 87 |
| Total Facts | 47 |
Ernst Lubitsch came to America at Mary's invitation to direct Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall (1924), but when he arrived he had changed his mind and wouldn't do it (it was eventually directed by Marshall Neilan). Instead, he and Mary made Rosita (1923) together.
Coquette (1929) was her first talkie.
Arguably the silent era's most renowned female star. Film historian Ethan Katz goes so far as to call her "the most popular star in screen history".
Became a US citizen on her marriage to Douglas Fairbanks, but later reclaimed her Canadian citizenship and died a dual US/Canadian citizen.
Daughter of actress Charlotte Smith.
First star (along with husband Douglas Fairbanks) to officially place hand and footprints in the cement at Grauman's Chinese Theatre (April 30, 1927). Hollywood legend has it that the very first star to do so, unofficially, thus inspiring the ensuing tradition, was Norma Talmadge when she accidentally walked onto the wet cement prior to the official opening of the Theatre
Formed United Artists company with Douglas Fairbanks, D.W. Griffith, and Charles Chaplin. First artist to have her name in marquee lights. The first international star.
Had cousins from Port Dalhousie, Ontario, who owned a hot dog stand on the local beach. She would sometimes help them on her summer visits during World War I by serving customers.
Half English, half Irish.
Her daughter Roxanne died in 2007 from osteoporosis.
Her first starring appearance in a film was in Her First Biscuits (1909) for Biograph.
Her last silent movie was My Best Girl (1927).
Her likeness is included as part of the "Canadians in Hollywood" stamp series released by CanadaPost in 2006. The others in the series were Fay Wray, Lorne Greene and John Candy.
Her mansion Pickfair was sold ten months after her death for $5,362,000; later sold to Pia Zadora in January 1988 for just under $7 million.
In December 1910 she left the Biograph Company to work for Carl Laemmle at Independent Moving Picture Company for $175 a week.
In October 1911, a court voided her contract with IMP because she was a minor when she signed it. As a result, she left IMP for the Majestic Company for $275/week.
In same stage company as Lillian Gish and Dorothy Gish in early 1900s.
Inducted to Canada's Walk of Fame in 1999.
Interred at Forest Lawn, Glendale, California, USA, in the Garden of Memory. (Not accessible to the general public).
Is portrayed by Maria Pitillo in Chaplin (1992)
Measurements: 33 1/4-25-36 (from her dress designer), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
One of the 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
Second cousin of John Mantley.
She and Charles 'Buddy' Rogers adopted two children, Ronald "Ronnie" Charles and Roxanne.
She and husband Douglas Fairbanks were friends of Edsel Ford (son of Henry Ford) and his wife. In the Edsel & Eleanor Ford home at 1100 Lake Shore Rd., Grosse Point Shores, MI there hangs in the study an autographed photo of her signed "Mary Pick-A-Ford", c. 1932.
She became estranged from daughter Roxanne for a time when she, at age eighteen, ran off to marry a man her parents did not approve of.
She had intended to have all of her films destroyed after her death, fearing that no one would care about them. She was convinced not to do this.
She left her children $50,000 and her grandchildren trust funds.
She paid for her grandchildren to go to school, provided that they showed proof that they were registered.
She started her film career at Biograph Company (American Mutoscope & Biograph) in 1909, when Biograph's director D.W. Griffith hired her. Her first film was Biograph's Pippa Passes; or, The Song of Conscience (1909), though she only was a face in the crowd. However, this launched her long and illustrious film career.
She was first hired for the movies by director D.W. Griffith.
She was the first movie actress to receive a percentage of a film's earnings
Sister of actor/director Jack Pickford.
Sister of screen/stage actress Lottie Pickford.
Sister-in-law of Tom Moore and Matt Moore.
Sister-in-law of Joe Moore, aunt of Alice Moore.
Sister-in-law of Robert Fairbanks.
Son Ronnie has two children, daughter Jamie (born 1954) and son Tommy (b. 1955). Daughter Roxanne gave birth to a daughter, Katina, in the early 1960s.
Stage producer David Belasco gave Mary her stage name in 1908. Her real name, Gladys Marie Smith, wasn't right for an actress on his stage. "Gladys" didn't suit the diminutive actress, "Smith" was too common, "Marie" was too foreign. "Marie" became "Mary". "Pickford" was her mother's maiden name. Years later, a fan who traced her family tree found that the name "Mary Pickford" occurred several times in her mother's family going back to the 12th century,
Step-mother to Douglas Fairbanks Jr..
The house in which she lived in Hollywood for most of her life was nicknamed "Pickfair".
Turned down the role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. (1950).
Was Joan Crawford's mother-in-law, while Crawford was married to Pickford's son, Douglas Fairbanks Jr..
Was named #24 on The American Film Institute 50 Greatest Screen Legends
Was the subject of the first cinematic close up shot, in 1912's Friends (1912).
Was to have made her big-screen comeback as Vinnie in Life with Father (1947), but the role eventually went to Irene Dunne because of Dunne's box-office appeal.
When she presented producer Cecil B. DeMille with the Best Picture Oscar for The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) (March 19, 1953), not only was it the first time the Academy Awards ceremonies had ever been televised, it was also her very first television appearance.