It is called the first superstar of the cinema.Much of that is due to Mary Pickford was the first time.She was the first actress who has received "Oscar" and the first businesswoman and millionaire Hollywood.Already at the age of five, Gladys Mary Smith (this is her real name) worked in the theater.A year later, she demanded that the main role of impresario and a raise!And soon she made her debut on Broadway.And that was just the beginning ...
difficult childhood young actress
At the end of the last century in American theater were in vogue "Victorian" family melodrama, demanding the presence of children in the play.Charlotte Smith, the mother of Mary, using his connections in the theater world, was attached to the stage two daughters.Particularly well things have gone a little Mary.Owners antrepriznyh theaters took it willingly: in five years, she was not afraid of any scene, no strangers as quickly memorized by ear (reading did not yet know how), different endurance, just obey the orders of the director and immediately memorized staging.The work was hard, even for adults.I had to travel a lot from one provincial town to another, while the actors are seated in the lower class cars.Time to rest was not.In the evening in the new city had to give a performance.And then - again in a way ... Mary could drive all night in a train standing not to be crumpled her only costume.Most went on tour without a mother.Fees hid in a pouch, which is constantly carried with him for fear of thieves.She lived in a filthy cold rooms, often surrounded by alcoholics, immoral, lowered people.Babe Mary plagued constant fear of making some mistake on stage and losing their jobs, and in fact the girl was feeding the whole family.Many years later, she admitted that she is still plagued by nightmares of his childhood theater.
However, can this be called a childhood?Mary hardly went to school, did not play with the children, she did not have dolls.It is sad to say that he can not remember his childhood in a single daylight.Several of old dresses, sister Lottie, brother Jack, a drunkard father, who first threw his wife and three children, and he died with a hangover in a small filthy motel.
future silent movie diva was born in Canada in 1892.Later, Mary Pickford was able to "fix" your date of birth: actress "younger" for the year, citing an error in the documents.The new date of birth Pickford (April 9, 1893), and today is listed in many encyclopedias and kinospravochnikah.Mary's parents were poor Irish immigrants.The father of the future movie star (either an actor, or the shopkeeper) suffered from alcoholism.He lost his job and died when Mary was six years old.Mother, provincial theater actress, ever toured the United States, barely making ends meet.
When Gladys Mary appeared to the biggest Broadway director and impresario David Belasco, who asked:
- Do you want to become an actress, babe?
- No, - followed by a serious answer.- I'm already an actress.
- But why do you then ...
- I want to become a good actress!
Mary immediately, the first task is funny and skilfully portrayed the boy and immediately liked the Belasco.He took her in his sold-out performances.The girl came to the theater first and last to leave.In 1907, she successfully played in the play "The Warrens of Virginia."Soon Belasco came up to her new, more memorable name: Mary Pickford.
Mary goes to the movies
But the money is still not enough.One of the friends of theater once told Mary that "very well paid filmmakers."And then sixteen Pickford decided to look at kinosёmochnuyu site.The girl was lucky to it immediately drew the attention of D. W. Griffith, one of the masters of silent film.He was a true innovator in the world of cinema: the first to use the installation, close-up, rehearsal before the shooting.
While not many girls would be a film actress.Once Griffith came to the young schoolgirl Dorothy Gish and said she wanted to act.The director has found out girly real talent and praised for her acting skills.
- I have a sister - said Dorothy.- She also wants to be in the movies.
- drives.
Dorothy came to Griffith with his sister Lillian.Feeling a little favor with the director and master, they said:
- And yet we have a classmate.Here it is a real actress!
This was a classmate of Mary Pickford.Griffith realized at once that he was granted a rare event that happens once in a hundred years.The young actress like Griffith its plasticity, professionalism, commitment and perseverance."Too small and plump for the actress" ... but from the first sample, he recognized the slender angels future star of the movie.Unlike Gish sisters, Mary immediately began talking about the fee.She was counting on $ 25 a week.Griffith with a smile offered her five dollars and Pickford invited to the restaurant.Mary resolutely refused to dinner, and after that it increased the fee to $ 10.
admirers Pickford long time to accept the fact that Mary went out of the theater.In general, while the ratio of public to the movie was very dismissive.The famous playwright and actor William de Mille, for example, said of the movie, in a letter to his brother: "I remember when you believed in the future of Mary ... and now she threw my career in the garbage and buried itself in the form of a cheap entertainmentin which I see nothing worthy of attention.These galloping pictures never make real money, and, of course, you can not expect them to be turned into something that is at the most frenetic imagination could be called art. "The letter was written in 1911.At the time, half black rooms "Nickelodeon" going mainly cooks, laundresses, maids and chauffeurs.Cinematograph considered entertainment for the common people.The audience in the movie looked poblagorodnee rarely, and then only out of curiosity.
work in film was not easy.The actor had the clock not to leave the stuffy studios breathe fumes mercury lamps, apply makeup on the face of lead.Fifteen-minute films created for two or three days.Only during the first year of Pickford starred in 35 short films!At sixteen she was playing ten-year girls.A thin from malnutrition and extreme fatigue girl with blond hair and trusting gaze really was like a child.Griffith could yell at her, shaking his shoulders, seeking psychological precision execution role.He demanded the utmost truthfulness, dedication and honesty, both on adult actress.One day he made fun of evil, Mary said that she was not an actress but a stump.Offended Pickford in retaliation for that bit of the great director ... and ran away from the set, saying it would not allow so with a handle and she always goes out of movies.Directed by Mary caught up and apologized.And only then she began to cry.And immediately ordered Griffith ... turn on the camera.As a result, managed to shoot a bright episode.Despite frequent quarrels, they worked together, appreciating each other hard work, talent and professionalism.
new star of cinema
screen shot Mary Pickford herself, swam, danced, rode on horseback.Her first major work was the movie "Her first biscuits."By 1912, she finally left the theater.After it was fixed role of Cinderella, a young and naive, able at last to seek his fortune.How many times after Hollywood exploit this found Pickford screen image! ..
Griffith persistently racked established by that time the tradition of cinema.Once in the film "Friends", he showed a close-up Mary.It was an unprecedented innovation.The owners of the studio "Biograph" indignant:
- We are paying too much, and it can not afford such a luxury: show Pickford in parts!
resounding success brought her film "Tess of the country's storms."Picture saved the studio from bankruptcy, and Mary received the honorary title of "America's Sweetheart."After the premiere of film "Violin maker of Cremona" America finally fell in love with Mary Pickford.The audience shaft poured in cinemas.Thank Mary resounded throughout the country.Thus while the names of actors and directors in the credits were missing ... With the advent of Mary Pickford movie was transformed into art.
film stars one by one, without a break, "Little friend," "Poor Rich Girl," "Cinderella," "Poor little Peppino" ... And the "poor little girl" in his early twenties was already the highest paid actress of America.Porcelain doll's face, bow lips, touching children curls ... Audiences look for it on the posters under the name "Golden curls", wanting to see your favorite actress in only one role - the role of Cinderella, wait for the final painting handsome prince."Every man wants to have it ... but only as a sister," - joking wits.Pickford once said that because it was deprived of childhood, she wanted at least to live on the screen what it lacked in reality.It became the pioneer of the cinematic image, which later became so popular in Hollywood.
failed marriage
Early in his film career, Mary secretly married the young actor Owen Moore.He was a tall, blue-eyed man with regular features.Famous Hollywood playboy, cheeky and brash, it was initially only for Pickford partner on the set.But later, when Mary began to earn not bad, it became hard to care for.At seventeen she had never been on a date, and then - a romantic boating, reading poetry in the moonlight, "adult" parties, gentle stroking pens ... Owen easily won her heart.
Sharolotta Smith-in-law could not tolerate.In her opinion, it was for the daughter of a poor party: First, do not fool drink (pretty and the fact that Mary's father is an alcoholic), and secondly, openly laid claim to the money and already popular young actress wife.Charlotte thought that gonorrhea in many of Moore, and talent - a cat laugh.In any case, much less than that of Mary.
newlyweds came to Cuba, signing a contract with the company "IPM."On hearing this, Sharolotta was on a ship, accompanied by police and a scandal.
- There he is!- She cried.- Arrest him!He takes away somewhere my teenage daughter!
- You are accused of child molestation.Ask to go on with things bereg¸ - Moore said the cop.
had to master "IPM" Charles Lemp enter into negotiations.He told Charlotte that young people are legally married, just got married in the church and go to work, signing a contract.Mary promised considerable fee: $ 125 per week.And besides, there is no doubt that she and Mrs. Smith, an experienced actress, will not be superfluous during this trip.Charlotte resigned and went to Cuba with his daughter and her husband.
Mary steadfastly endured two years of Moore's drunkenness and family scandals.Owen annoyed that his wife was more capable and successful actress.In drawing up the next contract Pickford required to include a clause stating that from now on it will only play with her husband and nobody else.But it did not help.Moore is constantly insulted and humiliated his young wife.During one of the fights Mary miscarriage occurred.It was clear that the days of the marriage were numbered.Today, they write that the first marriage Pickford was the only miscalculation which it made in my entire life.
After touring Cuba Mary decided to return to the Belasco Theater.But when the actress kinofirmu offered $ 1,000 a week, Pickford finally opted for cinema.
After a while, her creative alliance with Griffith broke up.Mary suspected the director that he is jealous of her, and so pointedly focuses more on Gish sisters.Pickford was offended and left the studio "Biograph".The actress appeared strong business acumen.Pickford starred only where paid more.The family has long been living comfortably.By 1920, Mary earning up to 16 thousand dollars a week.Not every male actor in Hollywood, even the most well-known, could boast of such fees.
Pickford wanted to change the image of the creative.She was tired of playing young girls.But the audience only wanted to see her in such roles, and Mary had for a long time put up with the role ingenuous and naive ingenue.In its heyday it played its best role in the film "Pollyanna" and "Little Fauntleroy."
new novel by Mary Pickford
Once artistic brothers arranged for a picnic in the countryside, where they invited Pickford and her husband.And there met Mary Douglas Fairbanks, handsome actor who played the role of cowboys, musketeers and noble robbers.This story is told in different ways.According to one version, Mary passed through the narrow brёvnyshku rapid stream, swayed and nearly fell.Moore did not bother to come to her rescue.She helped another man.He picked her up and carried to the other side.It was Fairbanks.Another legend says that Mary heel just broke and fell into the arms of Douglas strong.
Anyway, Pickford fell in love immediately.She knew Fairbanks married and that he is no different marital fidelity, but that Mary did not stop.Douglas woke her as a woman.Before meeting him, she had no idea that there may be a coveted.This whirlwind romance ended marriage.
in Love Pickford was happy, but still afraid of the scandal of divorce.The contract with the film company "Feymous Player" forbade her to do things that are incompatible with its on-screen image.She was not allowed to appear before an audience made up, wear open dresses and expensive jewelry, smoking, drinking wine, visit restaurants, go out actresses playing the roles of women are too frivolous.About to have a lover, and the speech could not be.Especially this - Douglas Fairbanks, in which all women were in love with the United States.
«Both of them behaved like frightened rabbits, - later wrote Charles Chaplin.- I have advised them in any case not to marry, but simply come together to recover from a passion, but they could not agree with my ideas, not accepted in society.I objected to their marriage, that when they finally got married, was invited to the wedding of friends but me. "
In response to the demand for a divorce the wife and husband Douglas Mary Pickford demanded considerable compensation.Fairbanks wife bought off for half a million dollars, Pickford Moore paid a hundred thousand.Wedding ideal hero and the first bride of America became the main event of the year in the United States.Immediately Attorney Nevada Pickford accused of immorality and bribery of a former spouse.Many spectators openly expressed his disappointment: the perfect heroine allowed herself a divorce!
And then there Pickford got into the epicenter of the scandal of Hollywood.The story was called "Case 1920".The luxury Paris hotel "Crillon" died suddenly her brother Jack's wife Olivia.She was also an actress in Hollywood.The newspapers reported that Olivia accidentally drank bihlorid mercury, which was treated for syphilis.Soon it became known that Jack and Olivia were in Paris racket, visited hot spots, using heroin.That night, Jack went looking for another dose of the drug, and Olivia, suddenly woke up, confused bubbles.She died in terrible agony after five days.So the American public learned that Hollywood actors are addicted to drugs and suffer from "indecent" disease.
Scandals warmed up public interest in the film, starring Pickford and Fairbanks.Release drew long lines.Spectators staged newlyweds standing ovation.The cinematic world is simply stellar pair of their "sins."
They were among the first movie stars who settled in Beverly Hills.Wedding Gifts Douglas looked like a castle on a hilltop house: sloping roof, a balcony over the perfectly manicured lawn, romantic path that descends directly to the ocean.At first, it was an ordinary hunting lodge.Fairbanks bought it and rebuilt specifically for his beloved."He was an incorrigible romantic - recalled Charles Chaplin.- It happened that at three o'clock in the night when I was sleeping soundly, I was suddenly awakened the sound of music, and I could see in the fog on the lawn Hawaiian Orchestra serenade in honor of Mary.It was very nice, but to experience the excitement of this night of music could only those to whom it is intended.However, in such a boyish charm and the mystery of Douglas. "
in their honeymoon Fairbanks and Mary went on a triumphal tour of Europe.But that was not the case.
