One of the first Hollywood superstars was Canadian born Gladys Louise Smith, better known by the world as America's Sweetheart Mary Pickford. She began her love of acting after her mother took on boarders and one of them was a theatrical stage manager who suggested that she would be a good choice for local stage productions.
She would soon find herself acting on Broadway, though it would be famed director D.W. Griffith who would give her the first break she would receive- as his studio's highest paid actress. She quickly captivated audiences, moving to Hollywood. Actors at the time were not credited in films, though Miss Pickford became an exception after she could attract audiences. She became one of the biggest actresses in the world, a household name and wealthy beyond her wildest dreams. She soon found herself a Hollywood mogul, co-founding United Artists Studios with Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith and her soon to be husband Douglas Fairbanks in 1919.
This was a time when women were not often seen in the business world. Her marriage to Douglas Fairbanks in 1920 was a sensation, making them the 'Brangelina' of their time. The world was fascinated by their relationship and followed every twist and turn of their marriage. Their expensive estate known as Pickfair became a tourist attraction in itself, drawing large numbers of gawkers who could only stand at the curb and wonder about the wonders within the compound.
Ms. Pickford's marriage soon ended and she retired from the limelight. A shrewd investor, she never wanted for anything and passed away in 1979, one of the last ties to Hollywood's golden, silent era.
