Mary Pickford was born Gladys Louise Smith in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Elsie Charlotte (Hennessy) and John Charles Smith. She was of English and Irish descent. Pickford began in the theater at age seven. Then known as "Baby Gladys Smith", she toured with her family in a number of theater companies. In 1907, she adopted a family name P...
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Mary Pickford was born Gladys Louise Smith in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Elsie Charlotte (Hennessy) and John Charles Smith. She was of English and Irish descent. Pickford began in the theater at age seven. Then known as "Baby Gladys Smith", she toured with her family in a number of theater companies. In 1907, she adopted a family name Pickford and joined the David Belasco troupe, appearing in the long-running The Warrens of Virginia". She began in films in 1909 with the 'American Mutoscope & Biograph [us]', working with director D.W. Griffith. For a short time in 1911, to earn more money, she joined the IMP Film Co. under Carl Laemmle. She returned to Biograph in 1912, and, in 1913 joined the Famous Players Film Company under Adolph Zukor. She then joined First National Exhibitor's Circuit in 1918. In 1919 she helped to establish United Artists. Show less «
[In her old age] I saw Hollywood born and I've seen it die...
[In her old age] I saw Hollywood born and I've seen it die...
We maniacs had fun and made good pictures and a lot of money. In the early years, United Artists was...Show more »
We maniacs had fun and made good pictures and a lot of money. In the early years, United Artists was a private golf club for the four of us. Show less «
[on Douglas Fairbanks] In his private life Douglas always faced a situation in the only way he knew,...Show more »
[on Douglas Fairbanks] In his private life Douglas always faced a situation in the only way he knew, by running away from it. Show less «
Make them laugh, make them cry, and back to laughter. What do people want to go to the theatre for? ...Show more »
Make them laugh, make them cry, and back to laughter. What do people want to go to the theatre for? An emotional exercise... I am a servant of the people. I have never forgotten that. Show less «
[appearing under the title "Spooning" in 'Daily Talks with Mary Pickford' May 8, 1916] I am not goin...Show more »
[appearing under the title "Spooning" in 'Daily Talks with Mary Pickford' May 8, 1916] I am not going to put on a pair of old grandmother spectacles, draw my eyebrows together and 'shush!' the happy young engaged couples who seek the cozy corners of the moonlight garden walks to exchange their lovers litany - no indeed, because that is the sweetest and most beautiful time of a young girl's life. But this I do see is dreadful: unengaged couples spooning promiscuously. Is there anything more jarring upon one than seeing a foolish young girl, not out of her teens, allowing a boy to make love to her? And, as is nearly always the case, the silly girl who tolerates promiscuous familiarities has much to regret when the one man comes along for whom she has been waiting for many years. Show less «
I'm sick of Cinderella parts, of wearing rags and tatters. I want to wear smart clothes and play the...Show more »
I'm sick of Cinderella parts, of wearing rags and tatters. I want to wear smart clothes and play the lover. Show less «
I left the screen because I didn't want what happened to Chaplin [Charles Chaplin] to happen to me. ...Show more »
I left the screen because I didn't want what happened to Chaplin [Charles Chaplin] to happen to me. The little girl made me. I wasn't waiting for the little girl to kill me. I'd already been pigeonholed. I know I'm an artist, and that's not being arrogant, because talent comes from God. My career was planned, there was never anything accidental about it. It was planned, it was painful, it was purposeful. I'm not exactly satisfied, but I'm grateful. Show less «
[on Charles Chaplin] That obstinate, suspicious, egocentric, maddening and lovable genius of a probl...Show more »
[on Charles Chaplin] That obstinate, suspicious, egocentric, maddening and lovable genius of a problem child. Show less «
[at her retirement] I'm not exactly satisfied, but I'm grateful.
[at her retirement] I'm not exactly satisfied, but I'm grateful.
The time is coming when the screen will be controlled by a big-business combine. When that time come...Show more »
The time is coming when the screen will be controlled by a big-business combine. When that time comes, I shall retire. Neither Douglas nor I will ever again take dictation from businessmen who sit in their mahogany offices back East, with their big cigars, seeking to control a business which they do not understand. The public demands artists, but these men do not understand the temperament of artists. Show less «
I will not allow one picture to be shown: Rosita (1923). Oh, I detested that picture! I disliked the...Show more »
I will not allow one picture to be shown: Rosita (1923). Oh, I detested that picture! I disliked the director, Ernst Lubitsch, as much as he disliked me. We didn't show it, of course, but it was a very unhappy and very costly experience. Show less «
[on Douglas Fairbanks] A little boy who never grew up.
[on Douglas Fairbanks] A little boy who never grew up.
If you have made mistakes... and there is always another chance for you... you may have a fresh star...Show more »
If you have made mistakes... and there is always another chance for you... you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling down but the staying down. Show less «
[on success] This thing that we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.
[on success] This thing that we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.
I never liked one of my pictures in its entirety.
I never liked one of my pictures in its entirety.
[upon initially hearing her recorded voice on film in Coquette (1929)] That's not me. That's a pip s...Show more »
[upon initially hearing her recorded voice on film in Coquette (1929)] That's not me. That's a pip squeak voice. It's impossible. I sound like I'm 12 or 13. Show less «
[on Ernst Lubitsch] I parted company with him as soon as I could. I thought him a very uninspired di...Show more »
[on Ernst Lubitsch] I parted company with him as soon as I could. I thought him a very uninspired director. He was a director of doors. Show less «
Adding sound to movies would be like putting lipstick on the Venus de Milo.
Adding sound to movies would be like putting lipstick on the Venus de Milo.
We were pioneers in a brand-new medium. Everything's fun when you're young.
We were pioneers in a brand-new medium. Everything's fun when you're young.
[on Charles Chaplin] I think he descended, I think he should never have played Hitler for instance. ...Show more »
[on Charles Chaplin] I think he descended, I think he should never have played Hitler for instance. He could've gone on until he was 90 years old playing the little tramp. He personified everything that is miserable, all over the world, he was a poor little human being, but had the philosophy to overcome all of the other things that attacked him. And then when he became Hitler and a murderer and Monsieur Verdoux, Limelight I was sad about, I didn't want to see Charlie as an old man. Show less «
