Discuss Mary Pickford
Discuss → People → Mary Pickford → General
Highly influential early screen superstar
posted by genplant29STAFFMOD on March 12, 2017 at 12:00 PM
As seemingly pretty much everyone - even folks who've never seen a single one of her many movies - readily knows, Mary Pickford (born Gladys Louise Smith), 1892-1979, is a huge star of yesteryear.
"Little Mary" (whose height was approximately 4'/10") was a definite master of being able to entirely believably portray - both actions and looks wise - a little girl well into adulthood, and could even perform with actual real children and would herself come across entirely convincingly as the genuine article.
In addition to her work in front of the camera, Mary is very well known for having been a co-founder of United Artists film studio, also one of the co-founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
Reply by wonder2wonder
on March 19, 2017 at 3:01 AM
She retired from acting when she was only 40. Was it because of the transition from silent to talking movies?
Reply by genplant29
on March 19, 2017 at 9:09 AM
I think probably so, Wonder. I saw her in an early talkie drama, of 1930 or so, and although there was nothing wrong with the sound of her voice, or with her acting, somehow she just no longer had "that special something" that her fans would have wanted and loved. Too, she played an aging adult, which such a role entirely lacked her unique appeal. She probably, circa then, realized her success as a star had passed and decided to bow out gracefully.
Reply by wonder2wonder
on March 19, 2017 at 1:48 PM
Pity, did she take any voice or singing lessons, like Mary Astor, to improve her chances?
Reply by genplant29
on March 19, 2017 at 2:01 PM
I've never myself heard or read anything about either type lessons for her.