Mary Pickford

Mary Pickford (1892-1979), born Gladys Louise Smith in Toronto, was a Canadian-American film actress and producer and one of the most popular stars of the silent era, known as "America's Sweetheart". She began her film career in 1909, became Hollywood's first millionaire by 1916 and later held full creative control of her productions. In 1919 she co-founded United Artists with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and D. W. Griffith, and she was one of the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Coquette (1929) and received an Academy Honorary Award in 1976.

April 8, 1892