TV and Movies

[Oznell]

12:45 Eastern (noonish)  "Mary Pickford:  The Muse of the Movies"  Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Douglas Fairbanks Jr.,

Gang, how fab is this?   Have always been fascinated by ethereal Mary Pickford, arguably the first major super star (along with her pal Chaplin, and Doug Fairbanks Sr., her dashing husband).

More even than that, she was an extremely canny business woman and "mogul" herself--  producer, co-founder of United Artists studio, co-founder of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Lived and lavishly entertained in legendary, beautiful house "Pickfair",  was romanced by the extremely handsome swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks, married him, and later married Charles "Buddy" Rogers, who adored her in the later part of her life, when she increasingly withdrew from public life and became something of a fascinating enigma.  

The girl who legendarily earned the nickname "America's Sweetheart", was in reality little Gladys Smith of Toronto.  I always liked the fact that we share one attribute--  we both have dual American/Canadian citizenship, and thrilled to have it!

This doc. is apparently loaded with great names of the past-- Lillian Gish, Chaplin, of course, Adolph Zukor, Walt Disney, Lionel Barrymore.

A must for lovers of film!  Below, her step-son Douglas Fairbanks Jr. reminisces, and some astounding footage of the risks that young Mary took in her rambunctious early career "when the movies were young": 

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/1447465/Mary-Pickford-Muse-Of-The-Movies-Movie-Clip-Mapmakers-In-...

[LyndaGee]

Sounds good.  I'm interested in the silent film stars.  I miss the Biography Channel.  They had many good episodes profiling the actors and actresses from that era.

[Oznell]

Yeah, I think it will be interesting, @LyndaGee.   I forgot to mention that Lillian Gish is in the documentary, apparently, and she's another one who spanned the silent and then sound era who I really like.

Chaplin is endlessly fascinating, of course, and Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton, Mack Sennett.  The movie business back then was wide open, seemed a bit like the Wild West.... 

[LyndaGee]

A lot of them had really wild lives.  I was surprised.

[drizzellla]

Not too long ago, on a Sunday evening, TCM had a documentary on Baby Peggy. I must admit I knew very little about her. And sadly I missed the beginning of the documentary. But what I did see was well done.

I will definitely check out the one about Mary Pickford. I don't know much about her either.

[Oznell]

Pickford is so interesting because she seemed so demure and delicate;  but unlike many starting out in the fledgling film industry of that time, she somehow figured out how to leverage her unprecedented popularity in films into not just huge financial success, but power and influence.

She must have been bursting to branch out;  I remember reading that at age 28, she was still playing 12 year olds on screen!   Aided by her air of innocence and those long curls...   When she finally hacked them off, her public was affronted!   But she diversified and thrived, was highly philanthropic, and treated people well, which is definitely something to be lauded in Hollywood!

[LyndaGee]

---

@drizzellla wrote:

Not too long ago, on a Sunday evening, TCM had a documentary on Baby Peggy. I must admit I knew very little about her. And sadly I missed the beginning of the documentary. But what I did see was well done.

I will definitely check out the one about Mary Pickford. I don't know much about her either.

---

There was a special titled: "Child Stars: Their Story" and Baby Peggy was interviewed.  Sharp lady, and she related some interesting stories about her career.  She's still living, btw.  She's 100.

[Oznell]

I'm getting to watch the first part of this now.  One objection-- so far, the narration (ably supplied by plummy voiced Brit, Michael York) is over-the-top worshipful.

To me, that robs a documentary of credibility.  The facts about Pickford speak for themselves-- you don't need all this gauze-ey adoration and breathless prose!  It's juvenile to be all goo-goo.  Show the good, and the bad.

Hope they get more real-- as a subject, she deserves better.

[drizzellla]

Thank you, Oznell for mentioning the documentary. I did not notice it in the schedule on TCM. So if not for you  Oznell, I would have missed it.

I am so glad I watched it. I enjoyed seeing all the film of Mary Pickford on and off the stage. And the interviews with different people.

My son has a book on Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. I am going to borrow it. I knew so little about her. I want to know more, now.

[Oznell]

Oh, that's good, @drizzellla.  I watched a bit more of it, and thought it got better, especially with them using more of the interviews, and also Mary Pickford's recorded comments herself.

I had to leave before it got to her mid to late career.  Did it address her more reclusive lifestyle later on?  I'm fascinated by that.  I'm like you, I definitely want to know more!