Famous Pinups: Mary Pickford

I am starting a series here on my blog called "Famous Pinups" these women paved the way. Most are from the silver screen of course others are singers, or burlesque dancers. Some are widely known others you  may not have heard of. 

I want to thank Hollywood Graveyard You Tube channel. These are where I found most of these ladies. Also I used Wikipedia for my additional source.  

Mary Pickford aka Gladys Mary Smith Born: April 8,1892 in Toronto Canada 

Mary was known "America's Sweetheart" of the silent film era. Also later she was nicknamed the Queen of the movies, also "girl with the curls". In fact she requested a wage of $10,000 per film which was unheard of back then. She with Charlie Chaplin, Her 2nd Husband Douglas Fairbanks, and DW Griffith founded United Artists in 1919 basically allowing actors to control their own interests, rather than dependent on commercial studios.

She with Douglas Fairbanks (they even had a couple name called Pick Fair and had an estate of that name) toured the US together to promote Liberty Bonds sales during World War I and she also suffered from the flu during the 1918 pandemic 

Pickford won an academy award for Best Actress in the 1929 Movie Coquette (it was also her first talkie). She would cut her famous curls into a bob which shocked fans. Which she had done after her mother died.

After she retired from the movies she sadly became an alcoholic (which was hereditary). However she lived to be 87 and died May 29, 1979 after suffering from a cerebral Hemorrhage. She was interned in the garden of memory of Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, CA (her headstone is GOREGOUS). 

Interesting Facts: Besides founding UA she also was a very savvy business woman of her time. She also thought she lost her Canadian Citizenship and "wanted to die as a Canadian" her request was approved. 

Though not labeled a pinup if you look at her photos she has the poses nailed! 

Up next: Clara Bow the It Girl. 

Miss Mag Nificent